Pliny the Elder, Natural History 5.14.68-69
created: This entry is taken from Natural History 5.14.68-69 written by Pliny the Elder i
edition published: 2022-10-19-05:00
language: la; la
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https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/43

Stratonis Turris

,

Caesarea

, and

Strato’s Tower

are directly attested at Pliny the Elder, Natural History 5.14.68-69. This passage was written ca. 70-77 CE possibly in Rome. Gaius Plinius Secundus, or Pliny the Elder, from a family of the equestian class in northern Italy, was a luminary in the fields of natural history and philosophy. Later in life, as a close associate of Vespasian, he served several governorships in the western provinces. Around the time of his last posts in Spain and northern Europe and his return to living in Rome, he finished the research and writing of his renowned encyclopedia of the world in 37 books. The first part, including this passage, was published in 77 C.E. In his long discourse on the physical geography of the known world, Pliny surveys the eastern Mediterranean seaboard from the eastern Nile Delta to Phoenicia and Samaria.

(68) A Pelusio Chabriae castra, Casius mons, delubrum Iovis Casii, tumulus Magni Pompei. Ostracine Arabia finitur, a Pelusio LXV p. mox Idumaea incipit et Palaestina ab emersu Sirbonis lacus, quem quidam CL circuitu tradidere. Herodotus Casio monti adplicuit, nunc est plaus modica. oppida Rhinocolura et intus Rhaphaea, Gaza et intus Anthedon, mons Argaris. regio per oram Samaria; oppidum Ascalo liberum, Azotos, Iamneae duae, altera intus. (69) Iope Phoenicum, antiquior terrarum inundatione, ut ferunt, insidet collem, praeiacente saxo, in quo vinculorum Andromedae vestigia ostendit. colitur illic fabulosa Ceto. inde Apollonia, Stratonis Turris, eadem Caesarea ab Herode rege condita, nunc colonia Prima Flavia a Vespasiano Imperatore deducta, finis Palaestines, CLXXXVIIII p. a confinio Arabiae. dein Phoenice; intus autem Samariae oppida Neapolis, quod antea Mamortha dicebatur, Sebaste in monte, et altiore Gamala.

[Ed. Mayhoff 1906]

(68) After Pelusium comes the Camp of Chabrias, Mount Casius, the shrine of Jupiter of Casius, and the tumulus of Pompey the Great. Ostrakine marks the border of Arabia, 65 miles from Pelusium. Then begins Idumaea, and Palestine from where Lake Sirbon comes into view. Some record that this lake is 150 miles in circumference; Herodotus put it near Mount Casius; now it is an inconsiderable marsh. There are the towns Rhinocolura and Rhaphea inland, Gaza and Anthedon inland, and Mount Argaris. Then along the coast is the region Samaria, the free town Ascalo, Azotos, two called Iamnea, one inland. (69) Iope of the Phoenicians, older than the flood of the world, they say, is located on a hill with a projecting rock where traces of Andromeda’s chains can be seen. There the mythic goddess Ceto is worshipped. Next the Apollonia, and Strato’s Tower, the same place as Caesarea, founded by King Herod, now the colony Prima Flavia founded by the emperor Vespasian. The border of Palestine is 189 miles from bordering Arabia. Then Phoenice and inland Samaria; the towns are Neapolis, previously called Mamortha, Sebaste on a mountain, and higher up Gamala.

[Trans. J. L. Rife with ref. to Rackham 1942]

Works Cited

[...] 5.14.68-69
[...]

Additional Bibliography

[...] 5.14.68-69

[Gamala

Anthedon

Apollonia

Arabia

Argaris, Mount

Ascalon

Azotus (Azotos, Ashdod)

Casius, Mount (al-Kas)

Gaza

Iamnia

Idumaea

Iope (Ioppe, Joppa, Jaffa)

Neapolis (Mamortha)

Ostrakine

Palestine

Pelusium

Phoenice

Rhaphea

Rhinocolura

Samaria

Samaria Sebaste

Sirbon, Lake]

[Andromeda

Ceto

Chabrias

Herod I

Jupiter

Phoenicians

Pompey the Great

Vespasian, Emperor]

[Death and Burial

Classical History

Geography

Government and Law

Herodian Dynasty

Natural Environment

Paganism

Roman History

Travel]