Humanitext Reader

Strabo · Geography §5.4.1-5.4.2

Geography of Picenum and Tribes of the Marsic War

Passage 168 of 577 · Greek

Summary

The author begins his description of the Eastern Apennines and the Adriatic coast of Italy, outlining the geography and cities of Picenum. He then details the brave upland nations, such as the Vestini and Marsi, their role in the Marsic War (Social War), and the geography of their territories.

§5.4.1Ἐπεὶ δʼ ἀπὸ τῶν προσαλπείων ἐθνῶν ἀρξάμενοι καὶ τῶν πρὸς αὐτοῖς ὀρῶν τῶν Ἀπεννίνων, ἔπειθʼ ὑπερβάντες ταῦτα τὴν ἐντὸς ἐπήλθομεν πᾶσαν, ὅση μεταξὺ κεῖται τοῦ Τυρρηνικοῦ πελάγους καὶ τῶν Ἀπεννίνων ὀρῶν τῶν κεκλιμένων πρὸς τὸν Ἀδρίαν μέχρι Σαυνιτῶν Καμπανῶν, νῦν ἐπανιόντες δηλώσομεν τὰ ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσι τούτοις οἰκοῦντα καὶ ταῖς ὑπωρείαις τῆς τε ἐκτὸς μέχρι τῆς παραλίας τῆς Ἀδριατικῆς καὶ τῆς ἐντός.
Since, starting from the tribes near the Alps and the Apennine mountains adjacent to them, and then having crossed over these, we have traversed all the "inland" region, as much as lies between the Tyrrhenian sea and those parts of the Apennine mountains that slope towards the Adriatic as far as the Samnites and Campanians, let us now return and describe the peoples inhabiting these mountains and their foothills, both of the "outer" region as far as the Adriatic coast, and of the "inner" region.
ἀρκτέον δὲ πάλιν ἀπὸ τῶν Κελτικῶν ὅρων.
And we must begin again from the Celtic borders.
§5.4.2ἔστι δʼ ἡ Πικεντίνη μετὰ τὰς τῶν Ὀμβρικῶν πόλεις τὰς μεταξὺ Ἀριμίνου καὶ Ἀγκῶνος.
Picenum is situated after the cities of the Umbrians that lie between Ariminum and Ancon.
ὥρμηνται δʼ ἐκ τῆς Σαβίνης οἱ Πικεντῖνοι, δρυοκολάπτου τὴν ὁδὸν ἡγησαμένου τοῖς ἀρχηγέταις, ἀφʼ οὗ καὶ τοὔνομα· πῖκον γὰρ τὸν ὄρνιν τοῦτον ὀνομάζουσι, καὶ νομίζουσιν Ἄρεως ἱερόν.
The Picentini set out from the Sabine territory, a woodpecker having led the way for their leaders, from which also they got their name; for they call this bird "picus," and consider it sacred to Ares.
οἰκοῦσι δʼ ἀπὸ τῶν ὀρῶν ἀρξάμενοι μέχρι τῶν πεδίων καὶ τῆς θαλάττης, ἐπὶ μῆκος ηὐξημένην ἔχοντες μᾶλλον ἢ πλάτος τὴν χώραν, ἀγαθὴν πρὸς ἅπαντα, βελτίω δὲ τοῖς ξυλίνοις καρποῖς ἢ τοῖς σιτικοῖς.
They dwell starting from the mountains down to the plains and the sea, having their land extended in length rather than in breadth, excellent for all things, but better for tree-fruits than for grain.
ἔστι δʼ εὖρος μὲν τὸ ἀπὸ τῶν ὀρῶν ἐπὶ θάλατταν ἀνώμαλον τοῖς διαστήμασι· μῆκος δʼ ἀπὸ Αἴσιος ποταμοῦ μέχρι Κάστρου παράπλουν ἔχον σταδίων ὀκτακοσίων.
The breadth from the mountains to the sea is unequal in its distances; but the length from the river Aesis to Castrum is eight hundred stadia of coastwise sailing.
πόλεις δʼ Ἀγκὼν μὲν Ἑλληνίς, Συρακουσίων κτίσμα τῶν φυγόντων τὴν Διονυσίου τυραννίδα· κεῖται δʼ ἐπʼ ἄκρας μὲν λιμένα ἐμπεριλαμβανούσης τῇ πρὸς τὰς ἄρκτους ἐπιστροφῇ, σφόδρα δʼ εὔοινός ἐστι καὶ πυροφόρος.
Of the cities, Ancon is Greek, a foundation of those Syracusans who fled from the tyranny of Dionysius; it is situated on a cape that encloses the harbor with its bend towards the north, and is very rich in wine and wheat.
πλησίον δʼ αὐτῆς Αὔξουμον πόλις μικρὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς θαλάττης· εἶτα Σεπτέμπεδα καὶ * Πνευεντία καὶ Ποτεντία καὶ Φίρμον Πικηνόν· ἐπίνειον δὲ ταύτης Κάστελλον.
Near it is the city of Auxumum, a little above the sea; then Septempeda, Pneuentia, Potentia, and Firmum Picenum, whose seaport is Castellum.
ἐφεξῆς δὲ τὸ τῆς Κύπρας ἱερόν, Τυρρηνῶν ἵδρυμα καὶ κτίσμα· τὴν δʼ Ἥραν ἐκεῖνοι Κύπραν καλοῦσιν· εἶτα Τρουεντῖνος ποταμὸς καὶ πόλις ἐπώνυμος· εἶτα Καστρουνόουν καὶ ὁ Ματρῖνος ποταμός, ῥέων ἀπὸ τῆς Ἀδριανῶν πόλεως, ἔχων ἐπίνειον τῆς Ἀδρίας ἐπώνυμον ἑαυτοῦ.
Next is the temple of Cupra, an establishment and foundation of the Tyrrhenians; they call Hera "Cupra"; then the river Truentinus and the city of the same name; then Castrum Novum and the river Matrinus, flowing from the city of Hadria, having a seaport of Hadria named after itself.
ἔστι δʼ ἐν τῇ μεσογαίᾳ καὶ αὕτη καὶ τὸ Ἄσκλον τὸ Πικηνόν, ἐρυμνότατον χωρίον καὶ ἐφʼ ᾧ κεῖται τὸ τεῖχος, καὶ τὰ περικείμενα ὄρη στρατοπέδοις οὐ βάσιμα.
In the interior is both this city and Asculum Picenum, an extremely strong place, upon which the wall is situated, and the surrounding mountains are impassable for armies.
ὑπὲρ δὲ τῆς Πικεντίνης Ὀυηστῖνοι τε καὶ Μαρσοὶ καὶ Πελίγνοι καὶ Μαρρουκῖνοι καὶ Φρεντανοί, Σαυνιτικὸν ἔθνος, τὴν ὀρεινὴν κατέχουσιν ἐφαπτόμενοι μικρὰ τῆς θαλάττης.
Above Picenum, the Vestini, Marsi, Peligni, Marrucini, and Frentani, a Samnite race, occupy the mountainous region, touching only a little upon the sea.
ἔστι δὲ τὰ ἔθνη ταῦτα μικρὰ μὲν ἀνδρικώτατα δὲ καὶ πολλάκις τὴν ἀρετὴν ταύτην ἐπιδεδειγμένα Ῥωμαίοις, πρῶτον μὲν ἡνίκα ἐπολέμουν, δεύτερον δὲ ὅτε συνεστράτευον, τρίτον δʼ ὅτε δεόμενοι τυχεῖν ἐλευθερίας καὶ πολιτείας μὴ τυγχάνοντες ἀπέστησαν καὶ τὸν Μαρσικὸν καλούμενον ἐξῆψαν πόλεμον, Κορφίνιον, τὴν τῶν Πελίγνων μητρόπολιν, κοινὴν ἅπασι τοῖς Ἰταλιώταις ἀποδείξαντες πόλιν ἀντὶ τῆς Ῥώμης, ὁρμητήριον τοῦ πολέμου, μετονομασθεῖσαν Ἰταλικήν, καὶ ἐνταῦθα δὴ τοὺς συνεπομένους ἀθροίσαντες καὶ χειροτονήσαντες ὑπάτους καὶ στρατηγούς· δύο δʼ ἔτη συνέμειναν ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ μέχρι διεπράξαντο τὴν κοινωνίαν περὶ ἧς ἐπολέμουν.
These nations are small but extremely brave, and have often demonstrated this valor to the Romans, first when they were at war with them, secondly when they served in the army with them, and thirdly when, requesting to obtain freedom and citizenship but not obtaining it, they revolted and kindled the so-called Marsic war, having designated Corfinium, the metropolis of the Peligni, as a common city for all the Italiotes instead of Rome, the base of the war, renamed Italica, and there they assembled their followers and elected consuls and praetors; and they persisted in the war for two years until they secured the citizenship for which they were fighting.
Μαρσικὸν δὲ ὠνόμασαν τὸν πόλεμον ἀπὸ τῶν ἀρξάντων τῆς ἀποστάσεως, καὶ μάλιστα ἀπὸ Πομπαιδίου.
And they named the war "Marsic" after those who initiated the rebellion, and especially after Pompaedius.
τὰ μὲν οὖν ἄλλα κωμηδὸν ζῶσιν, ἔχουσι δὲ καὶ πόλεις ὑπὲρ μὲν τῆς θαλάττης τό τε Κορφίνιον καὶ Σούλμωνα καὶ Μαρούιον καὶ Τεατέαν τὴν τῶν Μαρρουκίνων μητρόπολιν.
Now as for the rest they live in villages, but they also have cities: in the interior, Corfinium, Sulmo, Marruvium, and Teate, the metropolis of the Marrucini.
ἐπʼ αὐτῇ δὲ τῇ θαλάττῃ τό τε Ἄτερνον, ὅμορον τῇ Πικεντίνῃ, ὁμώνυμον δὲ τῷ ποταμῷ τῷ διορίζοντι τήν τε Ὀυηστίνην καὶ τὴν Μαρρουκίνην.
On the sea itself is Aternum, bordering on Picenum, named after the river that divides the Vestinian and the Marrucinian territories.
ῥεῖ γὰρ ἐκ τῆς Ἀμιτερνίνης, διὰ δὲ Ὀυηστίνων, παραλιπὼν ἐν δεξιᾷ τοὺς Μαρρουκίνους ὑπὲρ τῶν Πελίγνων κειμένους, ζεύγματι περατός.
For it flows from the territory of Amiternum, through that of the Vestini, leaving on the right the Marrucini who lie above the Peligni, and is passable by a bridge.
τὸ δὲ πόλισμα τὸ ἐπώνυμον αὐτοῦ Ὀυηστίνων μέν ἐστι, κοινῷ δʼ ἐπινείῳ χρῶνται καὶ οἱ Πελίγνοι καὶ οἱ Μαρρουκῖνοι· διέχει δὲ τὸ ζεῦγμα τέτταρας καὶ εἴκοσι σταδίους ἀπὸ Κορφινίου.
The town named after it belongs to the Vestini, but the Peligni and Marrucini also use it as a common seaport; and the bridge is twenty-four stadia distant from Corfinium.
μετὰ δὲ Ἄτερνον Ὄρτων ἐπίνειον Φρεντανῶν, καὶ Βοῦκα καὶ αὐτὴ Φρεντανῶν, ὅμορος Τεάνῳ τῷ Ἀπούλῳ.
After Aternum is Orton, the seaport of the Frentani, and Buca, also of the Frentani, bordering on Apulian Teanum.
μεταξὺ δὲ Ὄρτωνος καὶ Ἀτέρνου ὁ Σάγρος ποταμὸς ὁρίζων τοὺς Φρεντανοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν Πελίγνων.
Between Orton and Aternum is the river Sagrus, dividing the Frentani from the Peligni.
ὁ δὲ παράπλους ἀπὸ τῆς Πικεντίνης ἐπὶ τοὺς Ἀπούλους, οὓς οἱ Ἕλληνες Δαυνίους καλοῦσι, σταδίων ἐστὶν ὅσον τετρακοσίων ἐνενήκοντα.
The coastal voyage from Picenum to the Apulians, whom the Greeks call Daunians, is about four hundred and ninety stadia.

Notes

  1. §5.4.1Ἐπεὶ δʼ ἀπὸ τῶν προσαλπείων ἐθνῶν ἀρξάμενοι... — This is a long complex sentence where the subordinate clause starting with Ἐπεὶ δʼ and ending with ἐπήλθομεν ('since we have traversed...') is followed by the main clause νῦν ἐπανιόντες δηλώσομεν... ('now returning, let us describe...'). The participles ἀρξάμενοι and ὑπερβάντες agree with the subject of the main clause (the authorial 'we').
  2. §5.4.2δρυοκολάπτου τὴν ὁδὸν ἡγησαμένου τοῖς ἀρχηγέταις — This is a genitive absolute construction, where the noun δρυοκολάπτου and the participle ἡγησαμένου agree in the genitive case. τοῖς ἀρχηγέταις is a dative of interest/direction depending on the verb of leading (ἡγέομαι).
  3. §5.4.2ἐπὶ μῆκος ηὐξημένην ἔχοντες μᾶλλον ἢ πλάτος τὴν χώραν — The participle ἔχοντες agrees with the subject (οἱ Πικεντῖνοι). ηὐξημένην functions as a predicative (secondary) participle modifying the object τὴν χώραν, meaning 'having their land [in a state of being] extended.' The word order displays hyperbaton, separating the participle from its noun.
  4. §5.4.2δεόμενοι τυχεῖν ἐλευθερίας καὶ πολιτείας μὴ τυγχάνοντες — Two participles (δεόμενοι and μὴ τυγχάνοντες) are coordinated and modify the main verb ἀπέστησαν ('they revolted'). δεόμενοι ('asking') governs the infinitive τυχεῖν ('to obtain'), which in turn governs the genitives ἐλευθερίας καὶ πολιτείας ('freedom and citizenship'). μὴ τυγχάνοντες ('not obtaining') expresses the concessive or circumstantial fact of their failure.
  5. §5.4.2ῥεῖ γὰρ ἐκ τῆς Ἀμιτερνίνης, διὰ δὲ Ὀυηστίνων, παραλιπὼν ἐν δεξιᾷ τοὺς Μαρρουκίνους — The subject of ῥεῖ is the river (ὁ Ἄτερνος) mentioned in the preceding sentence. The masculine singular participle παραλιπὼν ('leaving behind') personifies the river as it flows, meaning 'leaving the Marrucini on its right (bank).'

Cite this passage

Strabo, Geography §5.4.1-5.4.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0099.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.4.1-5.4.2

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