Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/291

 B. iv. c. i. 11. GAUL. THE NARBONNAISE. 277 from the Alps into the Rhone ; two of these, after having flowed round the city of the Cavari, discharge themselves by a common outlet into the Rhone. The Sulgas, 1 which is the third, mixes with the Rhone near the city of Vindalum, 2 where Cnseus JEnobarbus in a decisive engagement routed many myriads of the Kelts. Between these are the cities of Avenio, 3 Arausio, 4 and Aeria, 5 which latter, remarks Arte- midorus, is rightly named aerial, being situated in a very lofty position. The whole of this country consistsjifjjlains abound- ing in pasturage, excepting on the route from Aeria to Avenio, where there are narrow defiles and woods to traverse. It was at the point where the river Isere and the Rhone unite near the Cevennes, that Quintus Fabius Maximus -ZEmilianus, 6 with scarcely 30,000 men, cut to pieces 200,000 Kelts. 7 Here he erected a white stone as a trophy, and two temples, one to Mars, and the other to Hercules. From the Isere to Vienne, the metropolis of the Allobroges, situated on the Rhone, the distance is 320 stadia. Lugdunuin 8 is a little above Vienne at the confluence of the Saone 9 and the Rhone. The distance by land [from this latter city] to Lugdunum, passing through the country of the Allobroges, is about 200 stadia, and rather more by water. Formerly the Allobroges engaged in war, their armies consisting of many myriads ; they now occupy themselves in cultivating the plains and valleys of the Alps. They dwell generally in villages, the most notable of them in- habiting Vienne, which was merely a village, although called the metropolis of their nation ; they have now improved and embellished it as a city ; it is situated on the Rhone. So full and rapid is the descent of this river from the Alps, that the flow of its waters through Lake^Leman may be dis- tinguished for many stadia. Having descended into the plains of the countries of the Allobroges, and Segusii, it falls into the Saone, near to Lugdunum, a city of the Segusii. 10 The banks of the Drac. The Iconii were to the east of Gap ; and the Medylli in La Maurienne, along the Aar. 1 The Sorgue. 2 Vedene. 3 Avignon. 4 Orange. 5 Le mont Ventoux. 6 Casaubon remarks that ^Emilianus is a name more than this Roman general actually possessed. VLjvy states that 120,000 Kelts were slain, and Pliny, 130,000. ^ Lyons. 9 *Apap. 10 The Allobroges and Segusii were separated by the Rhone ; the former inhabiting the left bank of the river.