Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/284

 270 STRABO. CASAUB. 180. barians, and likewise obtained the alliance of the Romans, to whom they rendered many important services ; the Romans in their turn assisting in their aggrandizement. Sextius, who defeated the Salyes, founded, not far from Marseilles, a city l which was named after him and the hot waters, some of which they say~have lostftheir heat. 2 Here he established a Roman garrison, and drove from the sea-coast which leads from Marseilles to Italy the barbarians, whom the Massilians were not able to keep back entirely. However, all he accom- plished by this was to compel the barbarians to_kggp at a dis- tance of twelve stadia froniTl'Bose" parts of the coast which possessed good harbours, and at a distance of eight stadia where it was rugged. The land which they thus abandoned, he presented to the Massilians. In their city are laid up "heaps ol'~booty taken liTnaval engagements against those who disputed the sea unjustly. Formerly they enjoyed singular good fortune, as well in other matters as also in their amity with the Romans. Of this [amity] we find numerous signs, amongst others the statue of .. Diana which the Romans dedi- cated on the Aventine mount, of the same figure as that of the Massilians. Their prosperity has in a great measure decayed since the war of Pompey against Caesar, in which they sided with the vanquished party. Nevertheless some traces of their ancient industry may still be seen amongst the inhabitants, especially the making of engines of war and sjiip-building. Still as the surrounding barbarians, now that they are un- der the dominion of the Romans, become daily more civil- ized, and leave the occupation of war for the business of towns and agriculture, there is no longer the same attention paid by the inhabitants of Marseilles to these objects. The aspect of the city at the present day is a proof of this. For all those who profess to be menoftaste, turn to the study of elocution and philosophy. Thus this city for some little time Hack has becomeTschool for the barbari- ans, and has communicated to*" the Galaue such a taste for 1 Aquse Sextise, nowjVix^ 2 Solinus tells us that in his day the waters had lost their virtue, and that their fame had declined. " Quarum calor, olim acrior, exhalatus per tempora evaporavit; nee jam par est famae priori." Solin. cap. 8. The victory of Sextius, mentioned by Strabo, is said to have been gained in the year of Rome 629.