Page:The Natural History of Pliny.djvu/423

 Cliap. 3.] ACCOUNT OF COUNTEIES, ETC. 389 "We here find tliree promontories ; the "Wliite Promontory', the Promontory of Apollo^, facing Sardinia, and that of Mercury^, opposite to Sicily. Projecting into the sea these headhmds form two gnlfs, the first of which bears the name of "Hipponensis" from its proximity to the city called Hippo Dirutns"*, a corruption of the Greek name Diarrhy- tus, which it has received from the channels made for irriga- tion. Adjacent to this place, but at a greater distance from the sea-shore, is Theudalis*, a towTi exempt from tribute. We then come to the Promontory of Apollo, and upon the second gulf, we find Utica^, a place enjoying the rights of Eoman citizens, and famous for the death of Cato ; the river Bagrada*", the place called Castra CorneKa^, the co- one-thii'd of the globe, but also in contradistinction to the proconsular province of the Roman empire of the same name, which contained not only the province of Zeugitana, but also those of Nmnidia, 13yzacium, and Ti'ipohs. 1 Candidum : now Ras-el-Abiad. ^ The references to this headland identify it with Cape Farina, or Eas Sidi Ali-al-Mekhi, and not, as some have thought, the more westerly Cape Zibeeb or Ras Sidi Bou-Shoushe. Shaw however applies the name of Zibeeb to the former. ^ ]Nfow Cape Eon, or Kas-Addar. ■* More properly called Hippo Diarrhytus or Zariliis, a Tyrian colony, situate on a large lake which communicated with tiie si-a, and received the waters of another lake. Its situation exposed it to frequent inunda- tions, whence, as the Greeks used to state, the epithet ciappvros. It seems more probable however that this is the remnant of some Phoeni- cian title, as the ancients were not agreed on the true form of the name, and of this imcertahity we have a fiu'ther proof in the U'qipo Dirutus of our author. ^ This is placed by Ptolemy to the south-east of Hippo, and near the southern extremity of Lake Sisar. ^ Tliis important city stood on the north part of the Carthaginian Gulf, west of the mouth of the Bagrada, and twenty-seven Roman miles N.W. of Carthage ; but the site oC its ruins at the modern Bou-Shater is now inland, m consequence of the changes made by the Bagrada in the coast-line. In the Third Punic war Utica took part with the Romans against Carthage, and was rewarded with the greater part of the Car- thaginian territory. ' Kow called the Mejerdah, and though of very inconsiderable- size, the chief river of the Cartliaginian territory. The main stream is formed by the union of two branches, the southern of whieh, the ancient Bagrada^ is now called the Melhg, and in its upper C(jurse the Meskianah. The other branch is called the Hamiz. ^ Or the " Cornehan Camp." The spot wlu re Cornelius Scipio A.''ri.^a-