Maps, Plans, Views and Coins; Illustrative of the Travels of Anacharsis the Younger in Greece, During the Middle of the Fourth Century Before the Chri

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1825 Excerpt: ... therefore now only necessary to inquire whether my measures will be found exact, if we cross to the eastern side. I have already determined the breadth of Greece; first in Peloponnesus, by the distance of Argos from Olympia; and, afterwards, in the middle of Greece itself, by that of the Gulf of Ambracia from Thermopylas. I shall now proceed to ascertain it in the most northern part, by the extent of the Egnatian way, which went from Apollonia and Epidamnus to Thessalonica or Therma, at the bottom of the Thermaic Gulf, and even beyond. This way indeed was made by the Romans, and did not exist till a long time after the aera of the Travels of Anacharsis: yet the measure of its length to Thessalonica will enable us to determine the space which separates the two seas. This measure is given in Roman miles. Polybius, according to Strabo,1 reckoned two hundred and sixty-seven miles on this road from Apollonia in Illyricum to Thessalonica. Strabo afterwards remarks that the road was not longer from Dyrrachium or Epidamnus, than from Apollonia;m it will therefore be indifferent whether we take the measure of it from one or the other of those cities. I shall take it from Epidamnus, because I have already determined the position of that place. The 267 Roman miles, at 756 toises each, at which they are estimated by M. d'Anville, make 201852 toises; and on my map the distance between Epidamnus and Therma, in a right line, is 167200. The reduction of the itinerary measure to the right line is about one-sixth, which I imagine will appear a suitable proportion in a mountainous country, and where the road passes through several defiles. Alberghetti, besides, says that the distance from Durazzo to Salonichi is little more than two hundred Italian miles. 1 Polyb. ap. Strab...