The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 1 (of 6)

Chapter 156: CHAP. 7.—MESSENIA.

Open in WeRead

Explore more books like this:

Archaeology & Anthropology Encyclopedias/Dictionaries/Reference History - Ancient

About This Book

The text assembles a systematic survey of the natural world, opening with cosmological and geographical discussions and proceeding through plants, animals, minerals, and human uses of natural substances. It synthesizes reports from earlier authors, travelers, and craftsmen, combining empirical observation, hearsay, and learned commentary to describe physical phenomena, medicinal remedies, technologies, and curiosities. Organized as an encyclopedic sequence of books and chapters, it catalogues facts and theories, cites authorities, and balances practical instruction with natural-philosophical reflection.

CHAP. 7.—MESSENIA.

Further south is the Gulf of Cyparissus, with the city of Cyparissa2203 on its shores, the line of which is seventy-two miles in length. Then, the towns of Pylos2204 and Methone2205, the place where Helos stood, the Promontory of Acritas2206, the Asinæan Gulf, which takes its name from the town of Asine2207, and the Coronean, so called from Corone; which gulfs terminate at the Promontory of Tænarum2208. These are all in the country of Messenia, which has eighteen mountains, and the river Pamisus2209 also. In the interior are Messene2210, Ithome, Œchalia, Arene2211, Pteleon, Thryon, Dorion2212, and Zancle2213, all of them known to fame at different periods. The margin of this gulf measures eighty miles, the distance across being thirty.