Ἐπεὶ 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. ἀρκτέον δὲ πάλιν ἀπὸ τῶν Κελτικῶν ὅρων.
AFTER having commenced with the nations about the Alps, and the Apennine mountains which are near to these, we proceeded from thence and passed through that portion of the hither country lying between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Apennine mountains, which incline towards the Adriatic, as far as the Samnites and the Campani. We will now return again, and describe the mountaineers, and those who dwell at the foot of the mountains; whether on the coast of the Adriatic, or in the interior. Thus, we must recommence from the boundaries of Keltica.
ἔστι δʼ ἡ Πικεντίνη μετὰ τὰς τῶν Ὀμβρικῶν πόλεις τὰς μεταξὺ Ἀριμίνου καὶ Ἀγκῶνος. 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. 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. ἔστι δʼ εὖρος μὲν τὸ ἀπὸ τῶν ὀρῶν ἐπὶ θάλατταν ἀνώμαλον τοῖς διαστήμασι· μῆκος δʼ ἀπὸ Αἴσιος ποταμοῦ μέχρι Κάστρου παράπλουν ἔχον σταδίων ὀκτακοσίων. 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. πλησίον δʼ αὐτῆς Αὔξουμον πόλις μικρὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς θαλάττης· εἶτα Σεπτέμπεδα καὶ * Πνευεντία καὶ Ποτεντία καὶ Φίρμον Πικηνόν· ἐπίνειον δὲ ταύτης Κάστελλον. 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. 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. ὑπὲρ δὲ τῆς Πικεντίνης Ὀυηστῖνοι τε καὶ Μαρσοὶ καὶ Πελίγνοι καὶ Μαρρουκῖνοι καὶ Φρεντανοί, Σαυνιτικὸν ἔθνος, τὴν ὀρεινὴν κατέχουσιν ἐφαπτόμενοι μικρὰ τῆς θαλάττης. 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. Μαρσικὸν δὲ ὠνόμασαν τὸν πόλεμον ἀπὸ τῶν ἀρξάντων τῆς ἀποστάσεως, καὶ μάλιστα ἀπὸ Πομπαιδίου. 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. ἐπʼ αὐτῇ δὲ τῇ θαλάττῃ τό τε Ἄτερνον, ὅμορον τῇ Πικεντίνῃ, ὁμώνυμον δὲ τῷ ποταμῷ τῷ διορίζοντι τήν τε Ὀυηστίνην καὶ τὴν Μαρρουκίνην. ῥεῖ γὰρ ἐκ τῆς Ἀμιτερνίνης, διὰ δὲ Ὀυηστίνων, παραλιπὼν ἐν δεξιᾷ τοὺς Μαρρουκίνους ὑπὲρ τῶν Πελίγνων κειμένους, ζεύγματι περατός. 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. μετὰ δὲ Ἄτερνον Ὄρτων ἐπίνειον Φρεντανῶν, καὶ Βοῦκα καὶ αὐτὴ Φρεντανῶν, ὅμορος Τεάνῳ τῷ Ἀπούλῳ. μεταξὺ δὲ Ὄρτωνος καὶ Ἀτέρνου ὁ Σάγρος ποταμὸς ὁρίζων τοὺς Φρεντανοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν Πελίγνων. ὁ δὲ παράπλους ἀπὸ τῆς Πικεντίνης ἐπὶ τοὺς Ἀπούλους, οὓς οἱ Ἕλληνες Δαυνίους καλοῦσι, σταδίων ἐστὶν ὅσον τετρακοσίων ἐνενήκοντα.
After the cities of the Ombrici, which are comprised between Ariminum and Ancona, comes Picenum. The Picentini proceeded originally from the land of the Sabini. A woodpecker led the way for their chieftains, and from this bird they have taken their name, it being called in their language Picus, and is regarded as sacred to Mars. They inhabit the plains extending from the mountains to the sea; the length of their country considerably exceeds its breadth; the soil is every where good, but better fitted for the cultivation of fruits than grain. Its breadth, from the mountains to the sea varies in different parts. But its length; from the river Aesis to Castrum, sailing round the coast, is 800 stadia. Of its cities, Ancona is of Grecian origin, having been founded by the Syracusans who fled from the tyranny of Dionysius. It is situated upon a cape, which bending round towards the north forms a harbour; and it abounds in wine and wheat. Near to it is the city of Auxumon, at a little distance from the sea. After it are Septempeda, Pneuentia, Potentia, and Firmum Picenum, with its port of Castellum. Beyond, is the temple of Cupra, built and dedicated by the Tyrrheni to Juno, who is named by them Cupra; and after it the river Tronto, with a city of the same name. Beyond this is Castrum Novum, and the river Piomba, flowing from the city of Adria, and having [at its mouth] the naval station of Adria, which bears the same name as itself. In the interior is [the city of Adria] itself and Asculum Picenum, a very strong position, upon which is built a wall: the mountains which surround it are not accessible to armies. Above Picenum are the Vestini, the Marsi, the Peligni, the Marucini, and the Frentani, a Samnitic nation possessing the hill-country, and extending almost to the sea. All these nations are small, but extremely brave, and have frequently given the Romans proofs of their valour, first as enemies, afterwards as allies; and finally, having demanded the liberty and rights of citizens, and being denied, they revolted and kindled the Marsian war. They decreed that Corfinium, the metropolis of the Peligni, should be the capital for all the Italians instead of Rome: made it their place d’armes, and new-named it Italica. Then, having convoked deputies from all the people friendly to their design, they created consuls and pretors, and maintained the war for two years, until they had obtained the rights for which they struggled. The war was named the Marsian war, because that nation commenced the insurrection, and particularly on account of Pompaedius. These nations live generally in villages, nevertheless they are possessed of certain cities, some of which are at some little distance from the sea, as Corfinium, Sulmo, Maruvium, and Teatea the metropolis of the Marrucini. Others are on the coast, as Aternum on the Picentine boundary, so named from the river [Aternus], which separates the Vestini from the Marrucini. This river flows from the territory of Amiternum and through the Vestini, leaving on its right the Marrucini, who lie above the Peligni, [at the place where the river] is crossed by a bridge. The city, which bears the same name, (viz. Aternum,) belongs to the Vestini, but its port is used in common both by the Peligni and the Marrucini. The bridge I have mentioned is about 24 stadia from Corfinium. After Aternum is Orton, a naval arsenal of the Frentani, and Buca, which belongs to the same people, and is conterminous with the Apulian Teanum. † Ortonium is situated in the territory of the Frentani. It is rocky, and inhabited by banditti, who construct their dwellings of the wrecks of ships, and lead otherwise a savage life. † Between Orton and Aternum is the river Sagrus, which separates the Frentani from the Peligni. From Picenum to the Apuli, named by the Greeks the Daunii, sailing round the coast, is a distance of about 490 stadia.
Cite This Text