Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/264

 250 STRABO. CASAUB. 166. but designate one portion of it Ulterior, and the other Citerior. However, at different periods they have divided it differently, according to its political aspect at various times. 20. At the present time some of the provinces having been assigned to the people and senate of the Romans, and the others to the emperor, Baetica appertains to the people, and a praetor has been sent into the country, having under him a quasstor and a lieutenant. Its eastern boundary has been fixed near to Castlon. 1 The remainder belongs to the em- peror, who deputes two lieutenants, a prastor, and a consul. The praetor with a lieutenant administers justice amongst the Lusitanians, who are situated next Bastica, and extend as far as the outlets of the river Douro, for at the present time this district is called Lusitania by the inhabitants. Here is [the city of] Augusta Emerita. 2 What remains, which is [indeed] the greater part of Iberia, is governed by the consul, who has under him a respectable force, consisting of about three legions, with three lieutenants, one of whom with two legions guards the whole country north of the Douro, the inhabitants of which formerly were styled Lusitanians, but are now called Gallicians. The northern mountains, together with the Astu- rian and Cantabrian, border on these. The river Melsus 3 flows through the country of the Asturians, and at a little distance is the city of No'iga, 4 close to an estuary formed by the ocean, which separates the Asturians from the Canta- brians. The second lieutenant with the remaining legion governs the adjoining district as far as the Pyrenees. The third oversees the midland district, and governs the cities in- habited by the togati, whom we have before alluded to as inclined to peace, and who have adopted the refined manners and mode of life of the Italians, together with the toga. These are the Keltiberians, and those who dwell on either side of the Ebro, as far as the sea-coast. The consul passes the winter in the maritime districts, mostly administering justice 1 Caslona. 2 Merida. 8 Casaubon supposes that this is the river Ptolemy names Merus. Lopez, Geograf. de Estrabon, lib. in. p. 232, thinks it the Narcea. 4 Pomponius Mela and Pliny coincide with Stfrabo in making this city belong to the Asturians ; Ptolemy however describes it under the name of Noega Ucesia as pertaining to the Cantabrians. Some say it corresponds to the present Navia, others to Pravia. Groskurd reckons it Gujon, or Navia, or Santander.