DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4098#0617
562 ISLAND OF ^GINA.
the first nation which coined silver money, which for that reason
was called Atyivxwv.
iEgina, which was celebrated for its widely extended commerce,1
became the emporium of Greece. At one period its naval power
was superior2 to that of the Athenians ; but the increasing grandeur
and opulence3 of the island soon excited the jealousy of its power-
ful neighbours, which broke out in open hostility, till the mighty
invasion of Xerxes united for a time those discordant rivals in the
common cause of Greece. They had eighteen ships at the battle of
Artemision ; thirty at that of Salamis; and five hundred men at
the battle of Plataea.4 The rich spoils of the Persians were sold in
iEgina, and made a considerable addition to its wealth.5 Long
after this glorious epoch of confederate power, the Athenians gained
a naval victory over the iEginetans,6 took seventy of their vessels,
and laid siege to their capital, which, after some time, was sur-
rendered7 by capitulation. In the first year of the Peloponnesian
war the Athenians drove them from their island, which they colo-
nized with other inhabitants. The fugitives settled at Thyrea, a
district on the gulph of Hermione, bordering on Argolis and
Laconia :8 about seven years after the Athenians besieged and
destroyed their new establishment; and the remnant of the iEgi-
netan stock was either dispersed or put to the sword. It once9
more recovered its independence after the conquest of Athens by
Lysander. It was given by the Romans to Attalus, king of Per-
gamos ;10 and long after it was subjected to the Athenians by
Anthony; but Augustus again restored them to liberty. The
1 Aristot. UoXitlk. b. 4. and Pausan. b. 2. c. 29. b. 8. c. 5. s Pausan. b. 2. c. 29.
3 Athenaaus says, that the orator Demades termed iEgina the eye-sore of Piraeus, Xi/niv tov
Uupatws, Deipnosoph. b. 3. c.21. Aristotle attributes this saying to Pericles, de Rhetor,
b. 3. c. 10.
* Herodot. * Herodot. b. 9. e Thucyd. b. 1. c. 105.
7 Thucyd. b. 1. c. 108. and Pausan. b. 2. c. 29.
8 See Pausan. b. 2. c. 38. and b. 8. c. 3. 9 Pausan. b. 2. c. 29.
10 Livy, b. 33. c. 30.
the first nation which coined silver money, which for that reason
was called Atyivxwv.
iEgina, which was celebrated for its widely extended commerce,1
became the emporium of Greece. At one period its naval power
was superior2 to that of the Athenians ; but the increasing grandeur
and opulence3 of the island soon excited the jealousy of its power-
ful neighbours, which broke out in open hostility, till the mighty
invasion of Xerxes united for a time those discordant rivals in the
common cause of Greece. They had eighteen ships at the battle of
Artemision ; thirty at that of Salamis; and five hundred men at
the battle of Plataea.4 The rich spoils of the Persians were sold in
iEgina, and made a considerable addition to its wealth.5 Long
after this glorious epoch of confederate power, the Athenians gained
a naval victory over the iEginetans,6 took seventy of their vessels,
and laid siege to their capital, which, after some time, was sur-
rendered7 by capitulation. In the first year of the Peloponnesian
war the Athenians drove them from their island, which they colo-
nized with other inhabitants. The fugitives settled at Thyrea, a
district on the gulph of Hermione, bordering on Argolis and
Laconia :8 about seven years after the Athenians besieged and
destroyed their new establishment; and the remnant of the iEgi-
netan stock was either dispersed or put to the sword. It once9
more recovered its independence after the conquest of Athens by
Lysander. It was given by the Romans to Attalus, king of Per-
gamos ;10 and long after it was subjected to the Athenians by
Anthony; but Augustus again restored them to liberty. The
1 Aristot. UoXitlk. b. 4. and Pausan. b. 2. c. 29. b. 8. c. 5. s Pausan. b. 2. c. 29.
3 Athenaaus says, that the orator Demades termed iEgina the eye-sore of Piraeus, Xi/niv tov
Uupatws, Deipnosoph. b. 3. c.21. Aristotle attributes this saying to Pericles, de Rhetor,
b. 3. c. 10.
* Herodot. * Herodot. b. 9. e Thucyd. b. 1. c. 105.
7 Thucyd. b. 1. c. 108. and Pausan. b. 2. c. 29.
8 See Pausan. b. 2. c. 38. and b. 8. c. 3. 9 Pausan. b. 2. c. 29.
10 Livy, b. 33. c. 30.