Strabo, Geography
H.C. Hamilton, Esq., W. Falconer, M.A., Ed.

1 [11]

Immediately beyond the Garganum comes a deep bay.¹ Those who dwell round it call themselves Apuli,² they speak the same language as the Daunii and Peucetii, and at the present time resemble them in every other particular; however it is likely that they were formerly distinct, since their names completely differ from those of the others. In ancient times the whole of this country was flourishing, but Hannibal and the wars which subsequently occurred have wasted it. Here too was fought the battle of Cannæ, where there was so great a slaughter of the Roman forces and their allies.³ Near this gulf there is a lake,⁴ and above the lake in the interior is the Apulian Teanum,⁵ having a like name with that of the Sidicini.⁶ It is between this and the neighbourhood of Dicæ- archia⁷ that the breadth of Italy is so contracted as to form an isthmus of less than 1000 stadia from sea to sea.⁸ Leaving the lake we sail next to Buca,⁹ and the country of the Frentani. There are 200 stadia from the lake both to Buca and to the Garganum. The remainder of the towns in the vicinity of Buca have been before described.¹⁰

2 Doubtless the bight between the, shore, adjacent to Peschioi, to the north of Viesti, and the Punta d' Asinella.

3 A note in the French translation observes that the Apuli, properly so called, could but have occupied the shore of half this bay, for the Fortore falls into it just about the centre, which river was a common boundary between the Apuli and Frentani.

4 B. C. 216.

5 Cramer says, the lake which Strabo speaks of as being near Teanum, but without mentioning its name, is called by Pliny Lacus Pontanus, (iii. 11,) now Lago di Lesina.

6 The city of Teanum stood on the right bank of the Fortore, the ancient Frento; its ruins are stated to exist on the site of Civitate, about a mile from the right bank of the Fortore, and ten miles from the sea. Cramer, vol. ii. p. 273.

7 Now Teano, six miles from Sessa, and fifteen from Capua.

8 Pozzuolo.

9 M. Gossellin observes that from the head of the bay of Naples to the shores bordering the ancient Teanum, there are 80 minutes, or 933 stadia of 700.

10 Romanelli is of opinion that the ruins of Buca exist at the present Penna.

11 Book v. chap. iv. § 2, p. 359.