BOOK FIFTH. THE HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN AND SETTLEMENT OF THE SEVERAL STATES AND GOVERNMENTS OF GREECE. Or all the countries of antiquity, none have been so highly celebrated, or furnished history with so many valuable monuments and illustrious examples, as Greece. In whatever light she is considered, whether for the glory of her arms, the wisdom of her laws, or the study and improvement of arts and sciences, we must allow that she carried them to the utmost degree of perfection; and it may truly be said, that in all these respects, she has, in some measure been the school of mankind. It is impossible not to be very much affected with the history of such a nation; especially when we consider, that it has been transmitted to us by writers of extraordinary merit, many of whom distinguished themselves as much by their swords, as by their pens, and were as great commanders and able statesmen, as excellent historians. I confess, it is a vast advantage to have such men for guides; men of an exquisite judgment and consummate prudence; of a just and perfect taste in every respect; and who furnish not only the facts and thoughts, as well as the expressions wherewith they are to be represented; but, what is more important, the proper reflections that are to accompany those facts, and which are the great advantages resulting from history. These are the rich sources from whence I shall draw all that I have to say, having previously, however, inquired into the first origin and establishment of the Grecian states. As this inquiry must be dry, and not capable of affording much delight to the reader, I shall be as brief as possible. But before I enter upon that, I think it necessary to draw a kind of short plan of the situation of the country, and of the several parts that compose it. ARTICLE I. A GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION OF ANCIENT GREECE. ANCIENT Greece, which is now the south part of Turkey in Europe, was bounded on the east by the Ægean sea, now called the Arcnipelago: on the south by the Cretan, or Candian sea; on the west by the Ionian sea, and on the north by Illyria and Thrace. The constituent parts of ancient Greece are, Epirus, Peloponnesus, Greece properly so called, Thessaly, and Macedonia. EPIRUS. This province is situated to the west, and divided from Thessaly and Macedonia by Mount Pindus and the Acroceraunian mountain. The most remarkable inhabitants of Epirus are, the MOLOSSIANS, whose chief city is Dodona, famous for the temple and oracle of Jupiter. The CHA ONIANS, whose principal city is Oricum. The THESPROTIANS, whose city is Buthrotum, where was the palace and residence of Pyrrhus. The ACARNANIANS, whose city was Ambracia, which gives its name to the gulf. Near to this stood Actium, famous for the victory of Augustus Cæsar, who built opposite to that city, on the other side of the gulf, a city named Nicopolis. There were two little rivers in Epirus, very famous in fabulous story, Cocytus and Acheron. Epirus must have been very well peopled in former times; as Polybius reJates, that Paulus Emilius, after having defeated Perseus, the last king of Macedonia, destroyed seventy cities in that country, the greatest part of which belonged to the Molossians; and that he carried away from thence no less than a hundred and fifty thousand prisoners.* PELOPONNESUS. This is a peninsula, now called the Morea, joined to the rest of Greece only by the Isthmus of Corinth, which is but six iniles broad. It is well known that several princes have attempted in vain to cut through this Isthmus. The parts of Peloponnesus are ACHAIA, properly so called, whose chief cities are, Corinth, Sicyon, Patræ, &c. ELIS, which is Olympia, otherwise called Pisa, seated on the river Alpheus, upon the banks of which the Olympic games used to be celebrated. MESSENIA, in which are the cities of Messene, and Pylos, the birth-place of Nestor and Corona. ARCADIA, in which was Cyllene, the mountain where Mercury was born, the cities of Tegea, Stymphalus, Mantinea, and Megalopolis, the native place of Polybius. LACONIA, wherein stood Sparta, or Lacedæmon, and Amycle; Mount Taygetus; the river Eurotas, and the cape of Tenarus. ARGOLIS, in which was the city of Argos, called also Hippium, famous for the temple of Juno; Nemea, Mycena, Nauplia, Trazene, and Epidaurus, wherein was the temple of Esculapius. GREECE, properly so called. The principal parts of this country were, ETOLIA, in which were the cities of Chalcis, Calydon, and Olenus. DORIS. LOCRIS, inhabited by the OZOLE. Naupactum, now called Lepanto, famous for the defeat of the Turks in 1571. PHOCIS. Anticyra. Delphos, at the foot of Mount Parnassus, famous for the oracles delivered there. In this country also was Mount Helicon. BOTIA. Mount Citharon, Orchomenus. Thespia. Chæronea, Plutarch's native country. Platæa, famous for the defeat of Mardonius. Thebes. Aulis, famous for its port, from whence the Grecian army set sail for the siege of Troy. Leuctra, celebrated for the victory of Epaminondas. ATTICA. Megara. Eleusis. Decelia. Marathon, where Miltiades defeated the Persian army. Athens, whose ports were Piræus, Munychia, and Phalerus. The mountain Hymettus, famous for its excellent honey. LOCRIS. THESSALY. The most remarkable towns of this province were Gomphi, Pharsalia, near which Julius Cæsar defeated Pompey. Magnesia. Methone, at the siege of which Philip lost his eye. Thermopylæ, a narrow strait, famous for the defeat of Xerxes's numerous army by the vigorous resistance of three hundred Spartans. Phthia. Thebes. Larissa. Demetrias. The delightful valleys of Tempe, near the banks of the river Peneus. Olympus, Pelion, and Ossa, three mountains celebrated in fabulous story for the battle of the giants. MACEDONIA. I shall only mention a few of the principal towns of this country. Epidamnus, or Dyrrachium, now called Durazzo. Apollonia. Pella, the capital of the country, and the native place of Philip, and of his son Alexander the Great. Egæa. Edessa. Pallene. Olinthus, from whence the Olynthiacs of Demosthenes took their name. Torone. Arcanthus. Thessalonica, now called Salonichi. Stagira, the place of Aristotle's birth. Amphipolis. Philippi, famous for the victory gained there by Augustus and Anthony over Brutus and Cassius. Scotussa. Mount Athos; and the river Strymon. * Apud. Strab. 1. vii. p. 322. THE GRECIAN ISLES. THERE are a great number of islands, contiguous to Greece, that are very famous in history. In the Ionian sea, Corcyra, with a town of the same name, now called Corfu. Cephalene and Zacynthus, now Cephalonia and Zante. Ithaca, the country of Ulysses, and Dulichium. Near the promontory Malea, opposite to Laconia, is Cythera. In the Saronic gulf, are Ægina and Salamin, so famous for the naval battle between Xerxes and the Grecians. Between Greece and Asia lie the Sporades, and the Cyclades, the most noted of which are Andros, Delos, and Paros, anciently famous for fine marble. Higher up in the Egean sea is Euboea, now Negropont, separated from the main land by a small arm of the sea called Euripus. The most remarkable city of this isle was Chalcis. Towards the north is Skyros, and beyond is Lemnos, now called Stalimene; and still farther, Samothrace. Lower down is Lesbos, whose principal city was Mitylene, from whence the isle has since taken the name of Metelin. Chios, now Scio, renowned for excellent wine; and lastly, Samos. Some of these last-mentioned isles are reckoned to belong to Asia. The island of Crete, now Candia, is the largest of all the isles contiguous to Greece. It has to the north the Egean sea, or the Archipelago; and to the south the African ocean. Its principal towns were, Gortyna, Cydon, Gnossus; its mountains, Dicte, Ida, and Corycus. Its labyrinth is famous throughout the world. The Grecians had colonies in most of these isles. They had likewise settlements in Sicily, and in part of Italy towards Calabria,* which places are for that reason called Græcia Magna. But their grand settlement was in Asia Minor, and particularly in Æolis, Ionia, and Doris. The principal towns of Eolis, are Cuma, Chocæa, Elea. Of lonia, Smyrna, Clazomenæ, Teos, Lebedus, Colophon, and Ephesus. Of Doris, Halicarnassus and Cnidos. They had also a great number of colonies in different parts of the world, of which I shall give some account as occasion shall offer. ARTICLE II. DIVISION OF THE GRECIAN HISTORY INTO FOUR SEVERAL AGES. THE Grecian history may be divided into four different ages, noted by se many memorable epochs, all which together include the space of 2154 years. The first age extends from the foundation of the several petty kingdoms of Greece, beginning with that of Sicyon, which is the most ancient, to the siege of Troy, and comprehends about a thousand years, namely, from the year of the world 1820 to the year 2820. The second begins at the taking of Troy and reaches to the reign of Darius, the son of Hystaspes, at which period the Grecian history begins to be intermixed with that of the Persians, and contains the space of six hundred and sixty-three years, from the year of the world 2820 to the year 3493. The third is dated from the beginning of the reign of Darius to the death of Alexander the Great, which is the finest part of Grecian history, and takes in the term of one hundred and ninety-eight years, from the year of the world 3483 to the year 3681. The fourth and last age commences from the death of Alexander, at which time the Grecians began to decline, and continues to their final subjection by the Romans. The epoch of the utter ruin and downfal of the Greeks may be dated, partly from the taking and destruction of Corinth by the consul L. Mummius in 3858, partly from the extinction of the kingdom of the Seleucida in Asia, by Fompey, in the year of the world 3939; and of the kingdom of the Lagidæ in Egypt, by Augustus, A. M. 3974. This last age includes, in all, two hundred and ninety-three years. Of these four distinct ages, I shall in this place only touch upon the two first in a very succinct manner, just to give the reader some general idea of that obscure period; because those times, at least a great part of them, partake more of fable than of real history: and are wrapped up in a darkness and obscurity, which it is very difficult, if not impossible, to penetrate: and I have often declared already, that such a dark and laborious inquiry, though very useful for those that are entering deep into history, does not come within the plan of my design. ARTICLE III. THE PRIMITIVE ORIGIN OF THE GRECIANS. In order to arrive at any certain knowledge concerning the derivation of the Grecian nations, we must necessarily have recourse to the account we have of it in the holy Scriptures. Javan or Ion, for in the Hebrew the same letters differently pointed, form hese two different names, the son of Japhet, and grandson of Noah, was certainly the father of all those nations that went under the general denomination of Greeks, though he has been looked upon as the father of the Ionians only, which were but one particular nation of Greeks.* But the Hebrews, the Chaldeans, Arabians, and others, give no other appellation to the whole body of the Grecian nations, than that of Ionians. And for this reason, Alexander, in the predictions of Daniel,† is mentioned under the name of the king of Javan.‡ Javan had four sons, Elisha, Tarsis, Chittim, and Dodanim.§ As Javan was the original father of the Grecians in general, no doubt but his four sons were the heads and founders of the chief tribes and principal branches of that nation, which became, in succeeding ages, so renowned for arts and arms. Elisha is the same as Ellas, as it is rendered in the Chaldee translation; and the word "EAAVES, which was used in the common appellation of the whole people, in the same manner as the word "Exxas was of the whole country, has no other derivation. The city of Elis, very ancient in Peloponnesus, the Elysian fields, the river Elissus, or Ilissus, have long retained the marks of their being derived from Elisha, and have contributed more to preserve his memory, than the historians themselves of the nation, who were inquisitive after foreign affairs, and but little acquainted with their own original; because, as they had little or no knowledge of the true religion, they did not carry their inquiries so high. Upon which account, they themselves derived the words Hellenes and lones from another source, as we shall see in the sequel; for I think myself obliged to give some account of their opinions also in this respect. Tarsis was the second son of Javan. He settled, as his brethren did, in some parts of Greece, perhaps in Achaia or the neighbouring provinces, as Elisha did in Peloponnesus. It is not to be doubted but that Chittim was the father of the Macedonians, according to the authority of the first book of the Maccabees, in the beginning of which it is said, that Alexander, the son of Philip, the Macedonian, went out of his country, which was that of Cetthim, T or Chittim, to make war_against Darius, king of Persia. And in the eighth chapter, speaking of the Romans and their victories over the last kings of Macedonia, Philip and Perseus,** the two last-mentioned princes, are called kings of the Cetheans. Doaanim. It is very probable, that Thessaly and Epirus were the portion of the fourth son of Javan. The impious worship of Jupiter of Dodona, as well as the city of Dodonatt itself, are proofs that some remembrance of Dodanim had remained with the people, who derived their first establishment from him. This is all that can be said with any certainty concerning the true origin of the Grecian nation. The holy Scripture, whose design is not to satisfy our cu * Gen. x. 2. Gen. x. 4. † Dan. viii. 21. Hircus caprarum rex Grecia: in the Hebrew, rex Javan. Maccab. i. 1. Egressus de terra Cethim. Philippum et Perseum, Cetheorum reges.-V.5. †† Awdwvn åre Audŵve to Aids xal Eugárns.-Sto Prosity, but to cherish and improve our piety, after scattering these few rays of light, leaves us in utter darkness concerning the rest of their history, which therefore can only be collected from profane authors. If we may believe Pliny, the Grecians were so called from the name of an ancient king, of whom they had but a very uncertain tradition.* Homer, in his poems, calls them Hellenes, Danai, Argives, and Achaians. It is observa ble, that the word Græcus is not once used in Virgil. The exceeding rusticity of the first Grecians would appear incredible, if we could call in question the testimony of their own historians upon that article. But a people so vain of their origin, as to adorn it with fiction and fable, we may be sure, would never think of inventing any thing to its disparagement. Who would imagine, that the people to whom the world is indebted for all her knowledge in literature and the sciences, should be descended from mere say ages, who knew no other law than force, and were ignorant even of agriculture ?† And yet this appears plainly to be the case, from the divine honours they decreed to Pelasgus, who first taught them to feed upon acorns, as a more delicate and wholesome nourishment than herbs. There was still a great distance from this first improvement to a state of urbanity and politeness. Nor did they indeed arrive at the latter, till after a long process of time. The weakest were not the last to understand the necessity of living together in society, in order to defend themselves against violence and oppression. At first they built single houses at a distance from one another, the number of which insensibly increasing, formed in time, towns and cities. But the bare living together in society was not sufficient to polish such a people. Egypt and Phoenicia had the honour of doing this. Both these nations contributed to instruct and civilize the Grecians, by the colonies they sent among them. The latter taught them navigation, writing, and commerce; the former the knowledge of their laws and polity, gave them a taste for arts and sciences, and initiated them into their mysteries.‡ Greece, in her infant state, was exposed to great commotions and frequent revolutions; because, as the people had no settled correspondence, and no superior power to give laws to the rest, every thing was determined by force and violence. The strongest invaded those lands of their neighbours, which they thought most fertile and delightful, and dispossessed the lawful owners, who were obliged to seek new settlements elsewhere. As Attica was a dry and barren country, its inhabitants had not the same invasions and outrages to fear, and therefore consequently kept themselves in possession of their ancient territories; for which reason they took the name of roxoves, that is, men born in the country where they lived, to distinguish themselves from the rest of the nations, that had almost all transplanted themselves from place to place.§ Such were in general the first beginnings of Greece. We must now enter into a more particular detail, and give a brief account of the establishment of the several different states, which constituted the whole country. ARTICLE IV. THE DIFFERENT STATES INTO WHICH GREECE WAS DIVIDED. In those early times, kingdoms were but inconsiderable, and of very small extent, the title of kingdom being often given to a single city, with a few leagues of land depending upon it. SICYON. The most ancient kingdom of Greece was that of Sicyon, whose commencement is dated by Eusebius one thousand three hundred and thirteen years before the first Olympiad. Its duration is believed to have been about a thousand years. ARGOS. The kingdom of Argos in Peloponnesus, began one thousand and eighty years before the first Olympiad, in the time of Abraham. The first king Lib. iv. c. 7. † Pausan. 1. viii. p. 455, 456. |