Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/299

 B. iv. c. m. 1. GAUL. AQUITAINE. 285 sometimes with armies of^ 200,000 men, and sometimes with double that number, which was the amount of their force when they fought against divus Csesar underjhe command of Vercingetorix. 1 Before this they had brought 200,000 men against Maximus JEmilianus, and the same number against Domitius ^Enobarbus. Their battles with Cassar took place, one in Gergovia, 2 a city of the Arverni situated on a lofty mountain, the birthplace of Vercingejprix ; the other, near to Alesia, 3 a city oTlhelilandubii, who border on the Arverni ; this city is likewise situated on a high hill, surrounded by mountains, and between two rivers. Here the war was ter- minated by the capture of their leader. The battle with Maximus JEmilianus was fought near the confluence of the Isere and the Rhone, at the point where the mountains of the Cevennes approach the latter river. That with Domitius was fought lower down at the confluence of the Sulgas 4 and the Rhone. The Arverni extended their dominion as far as Narbonne and the borders of Marseilles, and exercised au- thority over the nations as far as the Pyrenees, the ocean, and the Rhine. Luerius, 5 the father of Bituitus who fought against Maximus and Domitius, is said to have been so distinguished by his riches and luxury, that to give a proof of his opulence to his friends, he caused himself to be dragged across a plain in a car, whilst he scattered gold and silver coin in every direction for those who followed him to gather up. CHAPTER III. 1. NEXT in order after Aquitaine and the Narbonnaise, is that portion [of Gaul] expending as far as the JRhine from 1 Caesar himself (lib. vii. c. 76) states the number at 248,000 men. 2 A city near Clermont. 3 Alise. The ruins of Alesia, says Gosselin, still exist near to Flavigni jn^Boirgiindy, on Mount Auxois, between two small rivers, the Oze and the Ozerain, which flow into the Brenne. 4 The Sorgue. 5 In Athenaeus, (lib. iv. p. 152,) this name is written Luernius.