DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.786#0247
230
THE MAREMMA.
[chap. xlii.
Caldane, that Vetulonia stood in this neighbourhood, as
there is no statement in ancient writers which should lead
us to look for it here, rather than elsewhere along the
coast.4 But the fashion was set by Alberti, and it has
ever since been followed—fashions in opinion not being so
easily cast aside as those in dress.5
Roman remains have also been found in this neighbour-
hood. I heard of sundry pieces of mosaic, and other
traces of Roman villas, that had been recently brought to
light.6
The summit of the hill above the town is called Cam-
piglia Vecchia, but there are no remains more ancient
than the middle ages. Forbear not, however, to ascend ;
for you will thence obtain one of the most magnificent
panoramas in all Italy—where mountain and plain, rock
4 Cluver (II. p. 473) proposes to
alter the " Velinis," which the Peutin-
gerian Table places on this coast north
of Vada Volaterrana (ut supra, p. 212),
into "Vetalonis," and to transpose it
so as to place it between Vada and
Populonia, ten miles from the latter.
Cramer (I. p. 187) and Mannert (p. 358)
agree with him. But this is a purely
arbitrary transposition, suggested by a
belief in Alberti's statements.
5 Professor Gerhard (Ann. Inst. 1829,
p. 194) suggests three causes, which
may have given rise to this opinion.
The hot springs of the Caldane—the
reported existence of the names of
Vetulia, Vetleta, &c, in the neighbour-
hood—and " the order in which Ptolemy
mentions Vetulonia, after having cited
Rusellee and Arretium and before pass-
ing to Suana, Saturaia, and Void."
With regard to the latter reason,
nothing more can be deduced from
the order of these places than from the
latitude and longitude Ptolemy assigns
them, as it is evident they follow no
geographical arrangement—" Pisse, Vo-
laterrse, Rusellse, Fsesulte, Perusia, Ar-
retium, Cortona, Acula, Biturgia, Man-
liana, Vetuloninm, Ssena, Suana, Satur-
nia, Eba, Volci, Clusium," &e.
6 Near Campiglia some ancient mines
have of late years been reopened and
worked with great success by an English
gentleman, who, as I heard the story,
was led to turn his attention to this spot
from observing the mention made by
Strabo (V. p. 223) of some abandoned
mines near Populonia. ut supra, p. 220.
According to Dempster (II. p. 432),
Campiglia could boast of mines of a
richer metal, for he calls it—" argenti
fodinis nuper ditissima, ac monetae offi-
cina." In the mountains of Campiglia
also are quarries of white marble, to
which the Duomo of Florence is more
indebted for its beautiful incrustations
than to the marble of Carrara. Repetti,
I. p. 421.
THE MAREMMA.
[chap. xlii.
Caldane, that Vetulonia stood in this neighbourhood, as
there is no statement in ancient writers which should lead
us to look for it here, rather than elsewhere along the
coast.4 But the fashion was set by Alberti, and it has
ever since been followed—fashions in opinion not being so
easily cast aside as those in dress.5
Roman remains have also been found in this neighbour-
hood. I heard of sundry pieces of mosaic, and other
traces of Roman villas, that had been recently brought to
light.6
The summit of the hill above the town is called Cam-
piglia Vecchia, but there are no remains more ancient
than the middle ages. Forbear not, however, to ascend ;
for you will thence obtain one of the most magnificent
panoramas in all Italy—where mountain and plain, rock
4 Cluver (II. p. 473) proposes to
alter the " Velinis," which the Peutin-
gerian Table places on this coast north
of Vada Volaterrana (ut supra, p. 212),
into "Vetalonis," and to transpose it
so as to place it between Vada and
Populonia, ten miles from the latter.
Cramer (I. p. 187) and Mannert (p. 358)
agree with him. But this is a purely
arbitrary transposition, suggested by a
belief in Alberti's statements.
5 Professor Gerhard (Ann. Inst. 1829,
p. 194) suggests three causes, which
may have given rise to this opinion.
The hot springs of the Caldane—the
reported existence of the names of
Vetulia, Vetleta, &c, in the neighbour-
hood—and " the order in which Ptolemy
mentions Vetulonia, after having cited
Rusellee and Arretium and before pass-
ing to Suana, Saturaia, and Void."
With regard to the latter reason,
nothing more can be deduced from
the order of these places than from the
latitude and longitude Ptolemy assigns
them, as it is evident they follow no
geographical arrangement—" Pisse, Vo-
laterrse, Rusellse, Fsesulte, Perusia, Ar-
retium, Cortona, Acula, Biturgia, Man-
liana, Vetuloninm, Ssena, Suana, Satur-
nia, Eba, Volci, Clusium," &e.
6 Near Campiglia some ancient mines
have of late years been reopened and
worked with great success by an English
gentleman, who, as I heard the story,
was led to turn his attention to this spot
from observing the mention made by
Strabo (V. p. 223) of some abandoned
mines near Populonia. ut supra, p. 220.
According to Dempster (II. p. 432),
Campiglia could boast of mines of a
richer metal, for he calls it—" argenti
fodinis nuper ditissima, ac monetae offi-
cina." In the mountains of Campiglia
also are quarries of white marble, to
which the Duomo of Florence is more
indebted for its beautiful incrustations
than to the marble of Carrara. Repetti,
I. p. 421.