DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4098#0050
COAST OF EPIROS, ISLANDS NEAR CORFU. 27
built a city, which they named Thronion, and called the tract of coun-
try which they occupied Abantis, but that they were afterwards ex-
pelled by the neighbouring Apolloniates.1 Near the Linguetta is a
fine capacious harbour, at the extremity of which is the town of
Valona, the ancient Aulon, which was formerly a large city in Chao-
nia; it is at present principally inhabited by Turks, and has six
mosques. In front of the gulph of Valona is the small rocky island
of Saseno, the ancient Sason ; the latitude of which, according to
Lechevalier, is 40° 34'; here are the remains of a Greek fort, which
has been evidently repaired in the lower ages. Polybius2 sa}'s it is
at the entrance of the Ionian Sea. Not far from Aulon there were
formerly four other cities ; Lychnidos, now supposed to be Achrida,
orOchrida; Dardania, or Orikos, now Eriko, founded by a Colchian
colony; Byllis, and Amantia, were nearer Corcyra. We clearly dis-
tinguished Achrida and Eriko ; but the position of the other cities
is unknown. Pliny3 places the beginning of Epiros at Oriciim,
from which town to the Salentinian promontory in Italy, he says is
eighty-five miles. Ceesar landed near Orikos when on his way to
attack Pompey.4
We passed near a port called Palermo, the ancient Panormos,
and saw the situation of Onchesmos, which gave the name of
Onchesmites to the wind which blew from this part of Epiros
to Italy. We had here the first view of Corfu, apparently attached
to the eastern end of the Acroceraunian range; and rising into
two points, formed by Mount Pantokrator or Salvadore, the highest
land in the island, which was near fifty miles from us. To the south
of Corfu, we distinguished the uninhabited islands of Eanu,5 Merlera,
and Samotrachi, or Samandraki, and some smaller rocks, on which
there are not the smallest remains of antiquity. This is reckoned
1 B. 5. c.22. = Hist. b. 5. p. 446. s Nat. Hist. b. 3. c. 23.
4 Caesar de Bello Civili. b. 3.
5 Supposed to be the ancient Ottanos, or Othones, which Procopius says may perhaps
be the island of Calypso ; De Bello Goth. b. 4. c. 22. p. 628. Paris edit.
E 2
built a city, which they named Thronion, and called the tract of coun-
try which they occupied Abantis, but that they were afterwards ex-
pelled by the neighbouring Apolloniates.1 Near the Linguetta is a
fine capacious harbour, at the extremity of which is the town of
Valona, the ancient Aulon, which was formerly a large city in Chao-
nia; it is at present principally inhabited by Turks, and has six
mosques. In front of the gulph of Valona is the small rocky island
of Saseno, the ancient Sason ; the latitude of which, according to
Lechevalier, is 40° 34'; here are the remains of a Greek fort, which
has been evidently repaired in the lower ages. Polybius2 sa}'s it is
at the entrance of the Ionian Sea. Not far from Aulon there were
formerly four other cities ; Lychnidos, now supposed to be Achrida,
orOchrida; Dardania, or Orikos, now Eriko, founded by a Colchian
colony; Byllis, and Amantia, were nearer Corcyra. We clearly dis-
tinguished Achrida and Eriko ; but the position of the other cities
is unknown. Pliny3 places the beginning of Epiros at Oriciim,
from which town to the Salentinian promontory in Italy, he says is
eighty-five miles. Ceesar landed near Orikos when on his way to
attack Pompey.4
We passed near a port called Palermo, the ancient Panormos,
and saw the situation of Onchesmos, which gave the name of
Onchesmites to the wind which blew from this part of Epiros
to Italy. We had here the first view of Corfu, apparently attached
to the eastern end of the Acroceraunian range; and rising into
two points, formed by Mount Pantokrator or Salvadore, the highest
land in the island, which was near fifty miles from us. To the south
of Corfu, we distinguished the uninhabited islands of Eanu,5 Merlera,
and Samotrachi, or Samandraki, and some smaller rocks, on which
there are not the smallest remains of antiquity. This is reckoned
1 B. 5. c.22. = Hist. b. 5. p. 446. s Nat. Hist. b. 3. c. 23.
4 Caesar de Bello Civili. b. 3.
5 Supposed to be the ancient Ottanos, or Othones, which Procopius says may perhaps
be the island of Calypso ; De Bello Goth. b. 4. c. 22. p. 628. Paris edit.
E 2