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https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.786#0095
CHAP. XXXV.]
LUNA, AND ITS PORT.
79
renowned for size or power;3 its importance seems to
have been derived chiefly from its vast and commodious
port, truly "worthy of a people who long held dominion of
the sea," 4 and which is now known as the Gulf of Spezia.5
Insignis portu, quo non spatiosior alter
Innumeras cepisse rates, et claudere pontum.6
But its size and security are the least of its charms. To
the tranquil beauty of a lake it unites the majesty of the
sea. No fairer bay could poet sigh for, " to float about the
summer-waters." Never did purer wave mirror more
glorious objects. Shining towns—pine-crested convents—
luxuriant groves—storm-defying forts—castled-crags—
3 Dempster erroneously classed it
among the Twelve chief cities of the
Etruscan Confederation (II. pp. 41,80) ;
so also Targioni Tozzetti (Viaggi in
Toscana, X. p. 406) ; and to this opinion
even a recent writer is inclined, on ac-
count of the port. Promis, Memorie della
Citta di Luni, p. 24. But Strabo testi-
fies to the small size of Luna. Tozzetti
says it was not more than two miles in
circuit.
4 Strabo, loc. cit.
5 As that Gulf lies on the Ligurian,
and Luna on the Etruscan side of the
Macra, it has been supposed either that
there was anciently a port, properly
that of Luna, at the mouth of the river,
on the spot now called the Marsh of Sec-
cagna (Holsten. ad Cluver. p. 25. Tar-
gioni, Viaggi in Toscana, X. pp. 406,440),
or that the town occupied another site.
It is true, as Promis observes (p. 15) that
the alluvial deposits of the Magra have
encroached much upon the sea, so as to
have altered the course of the stream,
and to have removed the site of the
ancient town to a considerable distance
from the shore. The whole plain in
which it stands seems to have been
formed by these deposits. Yet no har-
bour within the mouth of the stream
would answer to Strabo's description,
which manifestly refers to the Gulf of
Spezia. Holstenius (pp. 26, 277), how-
ever, insists on the port being at the
mouth of the Magra, and declares he saw
the posts with rings attached, to which
the ancient shipping had been moored.
Cluver (II. p. 456) placed the site of
Luna at Lerici, in which he is fol-
lowed by Mannert (Geog. p. 288), who
thinks this the reason why the Latin
corrector of Ptolemy, instead of Lunse
Portus puts Ericis Portus. Others
have also placed it on the right bank of
the Magra; while Sarzana, Avenza,
Spezia, even Carrara, have respectively
been indicated as its site ; and Scaliger
went so far as to deny it a local habita-
tion, and to submerge it beneath the sea.
See Repetti, v. Luni, II. p. 936. Cramer
(I. p. 171) however and Miiller (Etrusk.
einl. 2, 13) think its site is clearly esta-
blished at Luni.
« Sil. Ital. VIII. 483. Pliny (III. 8)
also speaks of Luna as—oppidum portu
nobile.
LUNA, AND ITS PORT.
79
renowned for size or power;3 its importance seems to
have been derived chiefly from its vast and commodious
port, truly "worthy of a people who long held dominion of
the sea," 4 and which is now known as the Gulf of Spezia.5
Insignis portu, quo non spatiosior alter
Innumeras cepisse rates, et claudere pontum.6
But its size and security are the least of its charms. To
the tranquil beauty of a lake it unites the majesty of the
sea. No fairer bay could poet sigh for, " to float about the
summer-waters." Never did purer wave mirror more
glorious objects. Shining towns—pine-crested convents—
luxuriant groves—storm-defying forts—castled-crags—
3 Dempster erroneously classed it
among the Twelve chief cities of the
Etruscan Confederation (II. pp. 41,80) ;
so also Targioni Tozzetti (Viaggi in
Toscana, X. p. 406) ; and to this opinion
even a recent writer is inclined, on ac-
count of the port. Promis, Memorie della
Citta di Luni, p. 24. But Strabo testi-
fies to the small size of Luna. Tozzetti
says it was not more than two miles in
circuit.
4 Strabo, loc. cit.
5 As that Gulf lies on the Ligurian,
and Luna on the Etruscan side of the
Macra, it has been supposed either that
there was anciently a port, properly
that of Luna, at the mouth of the river,
on the spot now called the Marsh of Sec-
cagna (Holsten. ad Cluver. p. 25. Tar-
gioni, Viaggi in Toscana, X. pp. 406,440),
or that the town occupied another site.
It is true, as Promis observes (p. 15) that
the alluvial deposits of the Magra have
encroached much upon the sea, so as to
have altered the course of the stream,
and to have removed the site of the
ancient town to a considerable distance
from the shore. The whole plain in
which it stands seems to have been
formed by these deposits. Yet no har-
bour within the mouth of the stream
would answer to Strabo's description,
which manifestly refers to the Gulf of
Spezia. Holstenius (pp. 26, 277), how-
ever, insists on the port being at the
mouth of the Magra, and declares he saw
the posts with rings attached, to which
the ancient shipping had been moored.
Cluver (II. p. 456) placed the site of
Luna at Lerici, in which he is fol-
lowed by Mannert (Geog. p. 288), who
thinks this the reason why the Latin
corrector of Ptolemy, instead of Lunse
Portus puts Ericis Portus. Others
have also placed it on the right bank of
the Magra; while Sarzana, Avenza,
Spezia, even Carrara, have respectively
been indicated as its site ; and Scaliger
went so far as to deny it a local habita-
tion, and to submerge it beneath the sea.
See Repetti, v. Luni, II. p. 936. Cramer
(I. p. 171) however and Miiller (Etrusk.
einl. 2, 13) think its site is clearly esta-
blished at Luni.
« Sil. Ital. VIII. 483. Pliny (III. 8)
also speaks of Luna as—oppidum portu
nobile.