Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/498

 484 STRAEO. CASAUB. 315. After the coast of the lapodes follows that of Liburnia, exceeding the former by 500 stadia. On this coast is Scar- don, 1 a Liburnian city, and a river,^ which is navigable for vessels of burden as far as the Dalmatce. 5. Islands are scattered along the whole of the above-men- tioned coast ; among them are the Ap_sjrtides, where Medea is said to have killed her brother Apsyrtus, who was pursu- ing her. 'TTear the lapodes is Cyrictica, 3 then the Liburnian islands, about forty in number; other islands follow, of which the best known are Issa, Tragurium, founded by Isseans ; Pharos, formerly Paros, founded by Parians, the birth-place of De- metrius, the Pharian ; then the coast of the Dalmatae and their naval arsenal, Salon. 4 This nation was for a long time at war with the Romans. They had fifty considerable settle- ments, some of which were in the rank of cities, as Salon, Priomon, Ninias, and the old and new Sinotium. Augustus burnt them down. There is also Andetrium, a strong fortress, and Dalmatium, a large city, of the same name as the nation. Scipio Nasica greatly reduced its size, and converted the plain into a pasture for sheep, on account of the disposition of the people to rob and pillage. It is a custom peculiar to the Dalmatse to make a partition of their lands every eighth year, they do not use money, which is a peculiarity also when compared Avith theTiablts of the other inhabitants of this coast ; but this is common among many other tribes of barbarians. The mountain Adrion divides Dalmatia into two parts, one of which is on the sea, the other forms the opposite side of the mountain. Then follow the river Naron, and the people in the neighbourhood, the Daorizi, Ardisei, and Plersei. 5 Near the former lies the island Black Gorcyra, 6 on which is a city founded by the Cnidians. Near the Ardiasi is Pharos, for- merly called Paros, for it was founded by Parians. 6. Later writers call the Ardisei, Vardasi. 7 The Romans drove them into the interior from the sea-coast, which 1 Scardona. 2 The Kerka. 3 The modern names of these numerous islands must be matter of conjecture. Issa is Lissa. * Salona. 5 Inhabitants, probably, of the peninsula Sabioncello. 6 Curzola. 7 Varalii, MSS. ; but manifestly wrong.