It is more
extraordinary
that this mis-
take, after being adopted by Ptolemy, should be con-
tinued down to ages not very remote from our own.
take, after being adopted by Ptolemy, should be con-
tinued down to ages not very remote from our own.
Charles - 1867 - Classical Dictionary
, Fin.
, 5, 3, et 25.
)
Stasixus, an early poet of Cyprus, the author, ac-
lording to some, of the Cyprian Epics, which others
ascribe tc Hegesias. This poem, entitled in Greek ru
Kvnota lirf, was in eleven books, and comprehended
for its subject the whole period from tho nuptials of
Peleus and Thetis to the time when Jupiter resolved
to excite the quarrel between Achilles and Agamem-
non. It would appear from a passage in Herodotus
(2, 117), that this poem was ascribed by some to Ho-
mer. The Hymn to Venus is thought to have formed
part of the Cyprian Epics. We have only a few
verses otherwise remaining of the poem. (Schbll,
Hitt. Lit. Gr. , vol. I, p. 166, teq. )
Statira, I. the sister and wife of Darius, taken
captive by Alexander, who treated her with the utmost
respect. She died in childbed, end was buried by the
conqueror with great magnificence. (Pint. , Vit. Alex.
--Consult, however, the remarks of Bougainville, as
to the accuracy of Plutarch's statement respecting the
cause of her death, Mem. de I'Acad, dtt Inner. , vol.
25, p. 34, scqq. )--II. The eldest daughter of Da-
rius, taken in marriage by Alexander. 'The nuptials
were celebrated at Susa with great magnificence.
She appears to have changed her name to Arsinoe
after this union. This is Droysen's conjecture, which
seems happily to explain the variations in the name
which we find in Arrian (7, 4), compared with Pho-
tiua (p. 686, teq. ) and other authors. (ThirlwalCt
Greece, vol 7, p 77. ) She was murdered by Rox-
lna, who was aided in this by Perdiccas. (Plul. , Vit.
Alex. , sub fin. )--III. A wife of Artaxerxes Mnemon,
poisoned by her mother-in-law. Queen Parvsatis.
(PliU. , Vit. Arlax. )--lV. A sister of Miihradates the
Great, celebrated for the fortitude with which she met
her end, when Mithradates, after his defeat by Lucul-
lus, sent Hacchides, the eunuch, with orders to put his
wives and sistors to death. (Plul. , Vit. Lucull. )
Statius. Pubi. Iu8 Papimus, a Latin epic poet, born
at Neapohs A. D. 61, and descended from a family
that came originally from Epirus. His father, who
was distinguished by bis talent for poetry, taught at
Neapolis the Greek and Latin languages and litera-
ture. Statius received his education at Rome, his
father having, gone with him to this city, where he be-
came one of the preceptors of the young Domitian.
This prince fixed his attention on the son of his in-
structed who had been recommended to him by Paris,
a celebrated comedian, and a favourite of Domitian.
Statius, who was very poor, had sold to this actor his
tragedy of Agave, which Paris published as his own
composition Out of gratitude, he invited the poet to
a grand imperial banquet. --Statius gained the prize
three times in the Alban games, but was defeated in
the Capitoline. At the age of nineteen years he mar-
ried the widow of a musician; her name was Claudia;
a. id he extols, in many of his productions, her abilities
and virtues. Disgusted at last, as he himself informs
us, at the luxury of the Romans, he retired, a year be-
? ? fore his death, to a small estate in the vicinilv of Na-
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? 3TH
STI
be Empsvor Justinian. This work was known by the
? tie Kepi lloXeuv, de Urbibus, but that. jf the original
mas Etlfuid; bonce it has been inferred that the au-
thor s intention was to write a geographical work. It
seems that Stephanus, who is usually quoted by the
title of Stephanus Byzantinus, or Stephanus of Byzan-
tium, Dot only gave in his original work a catalogue
of countries, cities, nations, and colonies, but, as op-
portunity offered, he described the characters of dif-
ferent nations, mentioned the founders of cities, and
related the mythological traditions connected with
each place, mingled with grammatical and etymologi-
cal remarks. All this appears not in the meager
abridgment of Hermolaus. We have a fragment,
however, remaining of the original work relative to
Dodona. The best edition of Stephanus is that of
Berkell, completed by Gronovius, L. Bat. , 1688, fol.
There is a very recent edition of the text by Weater-
mann. Lips , 1839, 8vo. (Seholl, Hist. Lit. Gr. , vol.
T, p. 36. )
Stesichorus, a Greek lyric poet, born at Himera,
in Sicily, and who flourished about 570 B. C. He
lived in the time of Phalaris, and was contemporary
with Sappho, AIcsbus, and Pittacus. (Clinton, Fast.
Hellen. , p. 5. ) His special business was the training
and directing of choruses, and he assumed the name
of Stesichorus, or " leader of choruses," his original
name being Tisias. This occupation must have re-
mained hereditary in his family in Himera; a younger
Stesichorus of Himera came, in Olympiad 73. 1 (B. C
485), to Greeco as a poet (Marm. , Par. , ep. 60);
and a third Stesichorus of Himera was victor at
Athens in Olympiad 102. 3 (B. C. 370). The eldest
of them, Stesichorus-Tisias, made a great change in
the artistical form of the chorus. He it was who first
broke the monotonous alternation of the strophe and
antistrcphe through a whole poem, by the introduc-
tion of the epode, differing in meaaure, and by this
means made the chorus stand still. The chorus of
Stesichorus seems to havo consisted of a combination
of several rows or members of eight dancers; the
. lumber eight appears, indeed, from various traditions,
to have been, as it were, consecrated by him. The
musical accompaniment was the cithara. On his ar-
rangement of the strophe, antistrophe, and epode, was
founded the Greek proverb, "the three things of Ste-
sichorus" (rci rpia Ln/ffiropov). His compositions,
which consisted of hymns in honour of the gods, odes
in praise of heroes, lyrico-epic poems, such as an 'IXiov
n-ipatc (" Destruction of Troy"), an Orestiad, &. C. ,
were written in the Doric dialect, and are all now lost
except a few fragments. Stesichorus possessed, ac-
cording to Dionysius, all the excellences and graces of
Pindar and Simonides, and surpassed them both in
the grandeur of his subjects, in which he well pre-
served the characteristics of manners and persons;
and Quintilian represents him as having displayed the
sublimity of his genius by the selection of weighty
topics, such as important wars and the actions of
great commanders, in which he sustained with his lyre
the dignity of epic poetry. Accordingly, Alexander
the Great ranks him among those who were the proper
study of princes. He was the inventor of the fable
of the horse and the stag, which Horace and some
other poets have imitated, and this he wrote to pre-
vent his countrymen from making an alliance with
Phalaris. Ttit j<<sl collections of the fragments of
? ? Stesichorus are given by Blomfjcld, in the Museum
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? STO
STR
*iacojrses. On moral topics Slilpo is said to have
taught, that the highest felicity consists in a mind free
from the dominion of passion, a doctrine similar to
that of the Stoics. (Enfield's His'ory of Philosophy,
toI. 1, p. 202. )
Stob<<os, Joannes, a native of Stohi, in Macedonia,
whence his name Stobauis. The particulars of his
life are unknown, and we are even ignorant of the
age in which he lived. All that can lie said of his era
is, that he was subsequent to Hieroclrs of Alexandres,
since he has left us extracts from his works; and as
he cites no more recent writer, it is probable that he
lived not long after him. Stobasus had read much;
he had acquired the habit of reading with a pen in his
hand, and of making extracts from whatever seemed
to him remarkable. Having made a large collection
of these extracts, he arranged them in systematic or-
der for the use of his son, whose education seems to
have constituted the father's principal employment.
This was the origin of a collection in four books,
which he published under the title of 'kv8oX6ytov Ik-
Aoyuv, airotpdeyaaruv, viro6ijKuv (" An Anthology of
Extracts, Sentences, and Precepts"). This work has
come down to us, but under a form somewhat differ-
ent, and which has consequently embarrassed the com-
mentators. We have three books of extracts made
by Stobseus, but they are given in the manuscripts as
two distinct works: one composed of two books, the
other ol a single one. The former is entitled "Phys-
ical, Dialectic, and Moral Selections," the latter
"Discourses. " There exists, however, some confu-
sion in this respect in the manuscripts. Some, which
contain merely the Ecloga? or Extracts, call them the
first and second books of Stobxus, without any more
particular designation. Others give both works the
title of Anthology. --In the Eclogre and Discourses,
Stobeus appears to have proposed to himself two dif-
ferent objects. The Ecloga; form, so to speak, an his-
torical work, because they make us acquainted with
toe opinions of ancient authors on questions of a phys-
ical, speculative, and moral nature, whereas the Dis-
courses constitute merely a moral work. It is on ac-
count of this diversity that some critics have thought
that the Eclogas never formed part of the Anthology,
but originally made a separate work, and that the third
and fourth books of the Anthology are lost. This hy-
pothesis, however, seems at variance with the account
that Photius gives of the Anthology of Stobsus.
"The first book," says he, "is entirely physical; the
commencement of the second is strictly philosophical
(koymoc), but the greater part is moral. The third
and fourth books are aitnost entirely devoted to moral
and political subjects. " It would seem from this that
it is wrong to divide the extracts of Stobseus into two
works, and that we possess actually, under two titles,
his Anthology in four books, excepting that the copy-
ists have united the third and fourth books into one. --
It is from Photius also that we learn the object which
Stobxus had in view when he made these selections,
for we have not the beginning of the first book, where
no doubt it was stated. Stobseus had devoted this
part to a eulogium on philosophy, which was followed
by an historical sketch of the ancient schools, end of
their doctrines in relation to geometry, music, and
arithmetic: of this chapter we have only the end, in
which the subject of arithmetic is treated. The object
of Stohasus, according to Photius, was to erect a col-
? ? umn which might serve as a landmark to his son Sep-
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? 8TRAB0
STRABO
Arabia. At i subsequent period, Strabo travelled
over Greece, Macedonia, and Italy with the exception
of Cisalpine Gaul and I. iguria. It is important to
determine the extent of Strabo's travels, that we may
know when he speaks as an eyewitness, and when
he merely copies the accounts of his predecessors, or
gives the narratives of oilier travellers. At an ad-
vanced period of life he compiled a work on Geogra-
phy (I"fuypaQind), in seventeen bonks, which has come
down to us complete, with the exception of the seventh
book, which is imperfect. --It is remarkable that, du-
t. ng a space of near five hundred years, from the time
of Herodotus to that of Strabo, so little should have
been added to the science of geography. The con-
quests of the Romans westward did certainly bring
them acquainted with parts of Europe hitherto little
known; but in the East, neither the Macedonian nor
the Roman expeditions seem to have brought much to
light that was before unknown of the state of Asia;
while in Africa, as Rennell justly observes, geography
lost ground. In the course of this period, indeed,
many writers on this subject appeared; but, whatever
were their merits (and the merits even of the most
eminent among them seem to be not highly rated by
Strabo), it is certain that they are all lost. We may
collect, indeed, from a curious circumstance little
known or regarded, that no complete or systematic
work on geography at that time existed: for it appears
from two or three of Cicero's letters to Aniens, that he
once entertained thoughts of writing a treatise himself
on the subject. He was deterred, however, he says,
whenever he considered it, by the magnitude of the
undertaking, and by perceiving how severely even
Eratosthenes had been censured by the writers who
succeeded him. In fact, he was probably restrained by
a consciousness of his own incompetency in point of
ccience, of which he makes a pretty broad confession to
hie friend; and whoever values the reputation of Cice-
ro cannot regret that it was never risked on a system
of geography, to be got up, as he himself hints it was
intended to be, during a short summer tour among his
country-houses in Italy. --It is not, however, merely
to the respective character of the two individuals that
we must attribute the inferiority of the geography of
Herodotus, in all essential requisites, to that of Strabo.
Much undoubtedly is owing to the manners and com-
nexion of the times in which they respectively lived.
The former -came to the task with few materials sup-
ilied to his hands. Everything was to be collected
iy his own industry, without the aid of previous his-
tory, without political documents or political authori-
ty. The taste, moreover, and the habits of the people
for whom he wrote, which must ever have a powerful
influence over the composition of any writer, demanded
other qualities than rigid authenticity, and a judicious
selection of facts. It should be remembered that he
wis hardly yet emerged from the story-lclling age;
tho pleasure of wondering had not yet been superse-
ded by the pleasure of knowing; and the nine deities
who give name to his books might be allowed to im-
part some share of their privilege of fiction, when-
ever sober truth has been insufficient to complete or
adorn his narrative. Before the age of Augustus,
however, an entire revolution had been effected in the
intellectual habits and literary pursuits of men. The
world had become in a manner, what it now is, a read-
ing world. Books of every kind were to he had in
? ? every place. Accordingly, it became the chief busi-
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? STHABU.
STRABO.
sistance. The proportion of the length of the gnomon
to that of its meridian shadow at the solstice and the
equinoxes, afforded the-principal method of determin-
ing the distance of places from the equator, and these
were, indeed, under a clear sky, a bright sun, and con-
tinued opportunities of repeating observations, laid
down, in many instances, more nearly to the truth
than could be expected from eo simple and so rude an*
instrument. Still, however, they were liable to great
ancartainty. The penumbra at the extremity of the
? W :nv made the proportions doubtful. The semi-di
amrti1! of the sun (although Cleomedes seemed to be
tware that this should be taken into the account)
does not appear to be added to the altitude, and the
circumstances, less important, indeed, though not to
be neglected, of parallax and refraction, were altogeth-
er unknown. Instances of the incorrectness of gno-
monic or sciqlhenic observations may he given, too
gross to be ascribed to any of these defects, and cvi-
Jently owing to inaccuracy in the observers. Strabo
mentions, in no less than four places, that the same
proportion of the length of the gnomon to its solstitial
shadow was found at Byzantium and at Marseilles,
though the former was situated in 41? 11', and the
other in 43? 17'of latitude, a difference of no less
than 136' on the equator, equal to 158 English miles;
and this fact is reported on the authority of Hippar-
<<hus and Eratosthenes, in a case, too, which was ob-
vious to the senses, and depended neither on hypothesis
nor calculation.
It is more extraordinary that this mis-
take, after being adopted by Ptolemy, should be con-
tinued down to ages not very remote from our own.
A still greater error is to be found in Straho respecting
the situation of Carthage. He says that the propor-
tion of the length of the gnomon to that of the equi-
noctial shadow is as eleven to seven. This gives by
plane trigonometry a latitude of 32? 20', which is
v<ry near to the one adopted by Ptolemy. The true
latitude of Carthage, according to the best observa-
tions, is 36? y. The error, therefore, is 272', or 313
English miles. These, and other remarks which might
ae here made, tend fully to show, that the ancient ge-
ographers are more deserving of praise when they ex-
press distances by measurements, in the correctness
of which they excelled, than when they give them by
calculations or observations, the principles of which
they understood, but had not the means of reducing to
practice (Quarterly Review, vol. 5, p. 274, seqq. )--
Bui to return more immediately to Strabo. A cir-
currslance which cannot fail to surprise us is the lit-
tle success with which Strabo's work appears to have
met among the ancients, as far, at least, as we may
infer from the silence which their writers for the most
part preserve in relation to his labours. Marcianus of
Herailea, AthencEus, and Harpocration are the only
? nriui. t authors that cite him. Pliny and Pausanias
do nol even appear to have been acquainted with him
? v name. Josephus and Plutarch make mention of
jlrabo, but it is only to speak of his Historical Me-
noii. -i. The celebrity of Strabo dates from the middle
agea: it was then so universal, that the custom arose
of designating him by the simple title of " the Geog-
rapher. "--The Geography of Slrabo consists of two
parts; '. he first, cosmogrcphical, giving a description
cf the world, and comprising the first and second
looks- the second, chorographical, furnishing a de-
tailed account of particular countries. This latter part
? ? commences with the third and ends with the seven-
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? STRABO.
STRABO.
Capsar was his principal gaide, especially in the de-
scription of the Silva Arduenna, and the account of
the manners and customs of the Germans in general.
He makes use, also, of the same geographers that had
aided him in the third book. For example, his de-
scription of the Rhone and here, of their embou-
chures, snd of the countries lying between these rivers,
appears to be taken from Artemidorus. In the de-
scription of Gallia Narbonensis, of which Caesar does
not treat, Polybius is his authority. In what relates
to the ancient constitution of Massilia (Marseille) he
has followed Polybius, or perhaps Aristotle's work on
Governments. Strabo, it is true, does not cite the
Utter writer on this occasion, but we see from another
passage that he had consulted his work. (Strabo,
321. ) The other accounts that he gives respecting
Massilia are obtained from travellers with whom
Strabo was personally acquainted. He gives the nar-
rative of Timagenes, according to whom the treasure
which Caepio found at Tolosa made part of the plun-
der which the Tectosages had carried off from Delphi.
With respect to Britain, the description of which fol-
lows that of Gaul, aa this country was not yet sub-
jected to the Romans, Strabo had no other sources of
inforrhation than the fifth book of Cesar's Commen-
taries, and the verbal accounts of travellers. He
confesses, also, that he has but scanty materials for Ire-
land. In speaking of Thule, be makes mention of
Pytheas, whom . he unjustly considers as a writer deal-
ing altogether in fable. For the description of the
Alps, and of their inhabitants, which terminates the
fourth book, his authority was Polybius. --The fifth
and sixth, books are devoted to Italy. The sixth ends
with a survey of the Roman power. With the ex-
ception of Cisalpine Gaul and Liguria, Strabo knew
Italy from personal observation. Polybius is his prin-
cipal guide among the writers whom he cites, partic-
ularly for Cisalpine Gaul: in his description of Ligu-
ria he quotes also from Posidonius. What be says
respecting the origin of the Etrurians is found in He-
rodotus: his account of the early kings of Rome is
probably abridged from Dionysius of Halicamassus.
In treating of the Etrurians, he makes a digression
concerning the Pelasgi, and cites Ephorus, Anticlides,
and others. For the descrip\ an of Etruria he has con-
sulted Polybius, Eratosthenes, and Artemidorus. In
giving the dimensions of Corsica and Sardinia, he re-
fers, for the first time, to an author whom he merely
cites under the title of a " Chorographer," but whom
ho distinguishes from Eratosthenes, Polybius, and Ar-
temidorus. This is a Roman writer, for his measure-
ments are not in stadia, but in miles ; ana perhaps he is
the same with the Agrippa who prepared a description
of the Roman empire, which Augustus caused to be
placed in the portico commenced by his sister. (Plin. ,
3, 2. ) Fabius Pictor and Caecilius are his authorities
for what he says respecting the origin of the Romans;
and for the rest of Central Italy and Magna Graecia,
he follows Polybius, Artemidorus, Ephorus, Timreus,
Apollodorus, but, above all, Antiochus of Syracuse.
For Sicily he cites Posidonius, Artemidorus, Ephorus,
and Timaeus. --The seventh book commences with a
description of the countries situate along the Ister or
Danube, and inhabited by the Germans, Cimbri, Getae,
and Tauri: it then proceeds to notice the regions be-
tween this river, the Euxine, the Adriatic, Illyricuip,
and Epirus. The chapters on Thrace and Macedonia
? ? are lost. Here Strabo was unable to procure as good
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? STRABO.
fried By Tartar and Mongul tribes: he knew merely a
portion of Southern Asia. What he s'atcs respecting
the shores of the Palus Maeotis and E jxine, is drawn,
for the most part, if not altogether, from the narra-
tives of travellers; perhaps, also, from his own per-
sonal observations. For the measurement of distan-
ces he follows Artemidorus. In relation to Iberia and
Albania, Slrabo consulted, besides Artemidorus, the
historians of the Mithradatic war, of whom Theophanes
and Posidonius were the two principal ones. To these
must be added Mctrodorus of Scepsis, and Hypsicrates
of Amisa. From the Utter is taken the digression re-
specting the Amazons. In his description of the Caspi-
an Sea, Strabo has followed very bad guides. His prej-
udice against Herodotus prevented him from following
that historian, who knew very well that the Caspian is a
lake, and who gives its dimensions with tolerable accu-
racy. The opinion which made it a gulf of the North-
ern Ocean originated very probably with the followers
of Alexander, who were either deceived as to its na-
ture, or misled by national vanity. The chief author
>>f Strabo's mistake relative to the Caspian appears
to have been Palroclus, the admiral of Seleucus and
Antiochus. Pliny states that this navigator entered
into the Northern Ocean by the way of the Caspian
Sea; but Strabo corrects Pliny's error, by making
Patroclus merely conjecture that one might sail by this
route to India. The description of Hyrcania and
the neighbouring countries is taken from Patroclus,
Eratosthenes, Arislobulus, and Polycletus; that of
the Massagftts from Herodotus; that of Bactriana
from Eratostnenes. For Parthia, Strabo's authority
was Apollodorus of Artemis, whom we know merely
. through the medium of the geographer, but who would
seem to have lived only a short time before him, since
he had written the history of the war between the Ro-
mans and Parthians. An extract from the same his-
torian, on the kingdom of Bactria, is almost all the in-
formation that is given us respecting this state. The
exact ideas which Strabo has in relation to the Oxus
and Iaxartes are owing to Patroclus; the fables re-
specting the Derbices, Caspii, and Hyrcanii are found
n Herodotus. For the description of Media he cites
Apollonides, and especially Q. Dellius, the friend and
companion of Marc Antony, whom Plutarch mentions
in his life of the triumvir. In place of Q. Dellius,
some editions of Strabo hare the corrupt reading Adel-
phius. --In the Iwdfth book commences the description
of Asia Minor. Here Strabo finds himself in the
country of his youth, and relates much that he him-
self had seen. As regards the earlier periods, he re-
lies on the authority of Hellanicus, Ephorus, Theo-
pompus, the historians of the Mithradatic wars, and
particularly Theophanes. When treating of the Mys-
ians, to whom some writers join the Lydians, he
speaks of Xanthus the I. ydian, ai. d of Menecrates of
Elea, his contemporary, who had written an 'Kk'h/a-
ttovTiatTi xepioios, and a work on the origin of cities
(jrepi KTtaeuv). --In the thirteenth book Strabo returns
towards the Fropontis, and describes the seacoast from
Cyzicus to Cumae, comprehending the Troad and AZo-
lis. To this he adds an account of Losbos, which lies
opposite. From thence, turning towards the interior,
be stops by the way at the cities of Pergamus, Sardis,
Hierapolis, and some others. In his description of
the Troad, Homer is Strabo's first and leading author-
ity; the . commentators on the poet, namely, Eudoxus
of Cnidus. Damastes of Siga>>um, Charon of Lampsa-
? ? cus, Scylax, and Ephorus, occupy the second rank.
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? STRABO
STR
inem than Eratosthenes had, who himself derived his
own information from the historians of Alexander.
For the dimensions of the country he cites Baeton
ind Diognetes. His authorities for the description
of Persia Proper (ot Persis) are Eratosthenes and
Polyclitus: his account of Persepolis and Pasargada
w borrowed from Aristobulus, a. id is found also in
Arrian. In speaking of the worship of fire, he gives
as to understand that he has been an eyewitness of the
(. eremony, since he remarks that Cappadocia, a prov-
ince over which he had travelled, contained many Ma-
gi, or worshippers of fire (irvpatBoi). The remainder
of his account of Persian manners is taken from He-
rodotus and Xenophon. -- The sixteenth look termi-
nates the account of Asia: it contains a description
of Assyria, a name under which Strabo, besides Adia-
bene, comprehends also Babylonia and Mesopotamia;
to this succeeds an account of Syria, together with
Phoenicia and Palestine; and last of all comes Arabia.
The description of Aturia, or the Assyrian province in
which was situate the city of Ninus, is taken from an
historian of Alexander, who, together with Hetodotus,
Polyclitus, and Eratosthenes, has also been his author-
ity for Babylonia. What he states concerning the
Parthian empire is probably taken from Posidonius;
for mention is made, in the course of it, of the war
waged by Pompey against Tigranes. The account
which he gives of the stone dikes, by which the As-
syrians had fettered the navigation of the Tigris, is
found also in Arrian, and appears to havo been bor-
rowed from Aristobulus and Nearchus. The picture
of Babylonian manners is traced after the original
drawn by Herodotus, and also after that of Posidonius.
Strabo had travelled in Syria, and therefore speaks of
it as an eyewitness. He gives the distances accord-
ing to Eratosthenes and Artemidorus; in the history
of the Seleucidfe he follows Posidonius. We find
here a remarkable passage respecting Mosea and the
Jews, taken from some author who wrote after the
capture of Jerusalem by Pompey. --What Strabo men-
tions under the head of Arabia w taken from Eratos-
thenes, with the exception of the account that is given
of the western part of the country; this appears to
have been drawn from Artemidorus, who had himself
copied it from Agatharchidas. The book concludes
with accounts derived by Strabo from conversations
with travellers, particularly with the Stoic philosopher,
Athenodorus of Tarsus, the friend end preneptor of Au-
gustus, who had visited Petra, the chief city of the
Nabathffii, and in company with jElius Gallus, with
whom Strabo became acquainted in Egypt. --The sev-
enteenth and last book comprehends Egypt, Ethiopia,
and Libya, which we call Africa, and which comprised
under the name of Libya the countries of Cyrenaica,
Mauritania, and the territories of Carthage. The di-
vision of the Roman empire into provinces terminates
the work. What Strabo relates concerning the Nile
is obtained from Eratosthenes, Eudoxus, and Ariston.
Strabo. moreover, was personally acquainted with the
course of the stream as far as the Cataracts. His ac-
count of the Ptolemies is based upon the testimony of
Polybius, and in part, very probably, upon his contin-
nalor, Posidonius. In the narrative of Alexander's
march across the desert to the oracle of A mmon, Stra-
bo follows Callisthenes and the other companions of
the prince. The recital of Petronius, who, during the
reign of Augustus, carried on war against the Ethio-
? ? pians, the work of Agatharchidas, and the history of
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? STR
STY
Byna, and previously the wife of Seleucus. (Con-
sult remarks at tbe commencement of the article An-
tiochus. )
Stratonicia, I. a city of Caria, between Alabanda
and Atlinda, and one of the three most important
cities in the interior of the country. It was founded
and fortified by Antiochus Soter, and called after his
wile Stratonice. The modern Eskihtssar marks the
ancient site. It wo rid seem from Stephanus of Byzan-
tium (. <<. v. 'Knarrjnia), that an earlier city called Irdias,
and also Hecatesia and Chrysaoris, occupied the spot
where Stratonicca was afterward founded. In con-
sequence of some restorations by Hadrian, this latter
city received the name of Hadrianopolis, but did not
long retain it. (Htcrocl. -- Strabo, 660. --Polyb. , 30,
19. --Plin. , 5, 29. ) Ptolemy gives the name of the
place as Stratonice. (Leake's Tour, p. 235. -- Chis-
kull, Antiq. Asiat. , p. 155. )--II. A city near Mount
Taurus, called Stratonicea ad Taurum (SrpaTOvUeia
r/ jrpor rCi Tai'pw), to distinguish it from the former.
(Strabo, I. e. ) .
Stratonis Torris, a city of Judaea, afterward
called Ctesarea by Herod, in honour of Augustus.
(Vid. Caesarea. )
Stronoylr, one of the Lipari isles, or the first of
the A'. ohx Insula; to the northeast. It was called
Strongyle CSrooyyvXi]) by the Greeks on account of
its round figure, whence, by corruption, the modern
name Stromboli. It is celebrated for its extraordinary
volcano, which is the only one known whose erup-
tions are continued and uninterrupted. The island is,
in fact, merely a single mountain, whose base is about
nine miles in circumference. The crater is supposed
to have been anciently situated on the summit of the
mountain; it is now on the side. From various tes-
imonies collected by Spallanzani, he concludes that
he volcano has burned. for more than a century where
it now does, without any sensible change in its situa-
tion. The same writer is of opinion that the material
origin and increase of Stromboli is to be attributed
to porphyry, which, melted by subterraneous confla-
grations, and rarefied by elastic gaseous substances,
arose from the bottom of the sea, and, extending itself
on the sides in lava and scoriae, has formed an island
of its present size. The earliest eruptions of Strom-
boli, authenticated by historical accounts, are prior
to the Christian era by about 290 years, the date of
the reign of Agathocles of Syracuse. (Schol. ad
Apoil. Wind, 4, 761. ) It burned, likewise, in the
time of Augustus and Tiberius. After this latter pe-
riod, a long succession of ages ensued, during which,
from the want of historical documents, we are ignorant
of the state of Stromboli. In the seventeenth century
we again know that it ejected fire, which it has con-
tinued to do to the present time. The ancients made
this island the residence of ^Eolus, monarch of the
winds; and Pliny gives us the germe of the whole fa-
ble when he states that the inhabitants could tell three
days beforehand, from the smoke of the volcano, what
winds were going to blow. (Plin. , 3, 8. )--Strongyle
was inhabited as early as the days of Thucydides.
About twenty-five years ago, Stromboli didnot con-
tain more than two hur. dre5 inhabitants; b* at pres-
ent mors than two thousand are collected in a single
town. (Mannert, Geogr. , vol. 9, pi. 2, p.
Stasixus, an early poet of Cyprus, the author, ac-
lording to some, of the Cyprian Epics, which others
ascribe tc Hegesias. This poem, entitled in Greek ru
Kvnota lirf, was in eleven books, and comprehended
for its subject the whole period from tho nuptials of
Peleus and Thetis to the time when Jupiter resolved
to excite the quarrel between Achilles and Agamem-
non. It would appear from a passage in Herodotus
(2, 117), that this poem was ascribed by some to Ho-
mer. The Hymn to Venus is thought to have formed
part of the Cyprian Epics. We have only a few
verses otherwise remaining of the poem. (Schbll,
Hitt. Lit. Gr. , vol. I, p. 166, teq. )
Statira, I. the sister and wife of Darius, taken
captive by Alexander, who treated her with the utmost
respect. She died in childbed, end was buried by the
conqueror with great magnificence. (Pint. , Vit. Alex.
--Consult, however, the remarks of Bougainville, as
to the accuracy of Plutarch's statement respecting the
cause of her death, Mem. de I'Acad, dtt Inner. , vol.
25, p. 34, scqq. )--II. The eldest daughter of Da-
rius, taken in marriage by Alexander. 'The nuptials
were celebrated at Susa with great magnificence.
She appears to have changed her name to Arsinoe
after this union. This is Droysen's conjecture, which
seems happily to explain the variations in the name
which we find in Arrian (7, 4), compared with Pho-
tiua (p. 686, teq. ) and other authors. (ThirlwalCt
Greece, vol 7, p 77. ) She was murdered by Rox-
lna, who was aided in this by Perdiccas. (Plul. , Vit.
Alex. , sub fin. )--III. A wife of Artaxerxes Mnemon,
poisoned by her mother-in-law. Queen Parvsatis.
(PliU. , Vit. Arlax. )--lV. A sister of Miihradates the
Great, celebrated for the fortitude with which she met
her end, when Mithradates, after his defeat by Lucul-
lus, sent Hacchides, the eunuch, with orders to put his
wives and sistors to death. (Plul. , Vit. Lucull. )
Statius. Pubi. Iu8 Papimus, a Latin epic poet, born
at Neapohs A. D. 61, and descended from a family
that came originally from Epirus. His father, who
was distinguished by bis talent for poetry, taught at
Neapolis the Greek and Latin languages and litera-
ture. Statius received his education at Rome, his
father having, gone with him to this city, where he be-
came one of the preceptors of the young Domitian.
This prince fixed his attention on the son of his in-
structed who had been recommended to him by Paris,
a celebrated comedian, and a favourite of Domitian.
Statius, who was very poor, had sold to this actor his
tragedy of Agave, which Paris published as his own
composition Out of gratitude, he invited the poet to
a grand imperial banquet. --Statius gained the prize
three times in the Alban games, but was defeated in
the Capitoline. At the age of nineteen years he mar-
ried the widow of a musician; her name was Claudia;
a. id he extols, in many of his productions, her abilities
and virtues. Disgusted at last, as he himself informs
us, at the luxury of the Romans, he retired, a year be-
? ? fore his death, to a small estate in the vicinilv of Na-
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? 3TH
STI
be Empsvor Justinian. This work was known by the
? tie Kepi lloXeuv, de Urbibus, but that. jf the original
mas Etlfuid; bonce it has been inferred that the au-
thor s intention was to write a geographical work. It
seems that Stephanus, who is usually quoted by the
title of Stephanus Byzantinus, or Stephanus of Byzan-
tium, Dot only gave in his original work a catalogue
of countries, cities, nations, and colonies, but, as op-
portunity offered, he described the characters of dif-
ferent nations, mentioned the founders of cities, and
related the mythological traditions connected with
each place, mingled with grammatical and etymologi-
cal remarks. All this appears not in the meager
abridgment of Hermolaus. We have a fragment,
however, remaining of the original work relative to
Dodona. The best edition of Stephanus is that of
Berkell, completed by Gronovius, L. Bat. , 1688, fol.
There is a very recent edition of the text by Weater-
mann. Lips , 1839, 8vo. (Seholl, Hist. Lit. Gr. , vol.
T, p. 36. )
Stesichorus, a Greek lyric poet, born at Himera,
in Sicily, and who flourished about 570 B. C. He
lived in the time of Phalaris, and was contemporary
with Sappho, AIcsbus, and Pittacus. (Clinton, Fast.
Hellen. , p. 5. ) His special business was the training
and directing of choruses, and he assumed the name
of Stesichorus, or " leader of choruses," his original
name being Tisias. This occupation must have re-
mained hereditary in his family in Himera; a younger
Stesichorus of Himera came, in Olympiad 73. 1 (B. C
485), to Greeco as a poet (Marm. , Par. , ep. 60);
and a third Stesichorus of Himera was victor at
Athens in Olympiad 102. 3 (B. C. 370). The eldest
of them, Stesichorus-Tisias, made a great change in
the artistical form of the chorus. He it was who first
broke the monotonous alternation of the strophe and
antistrcphe through a whole poem, by the introduc-
tion of the epode, differing in meaaure, and by this
means made the chorus stand still. The chorus of
Stesichorus seems to havo consisted of a combination
of several rows or members of eight dancers; the
. lumber eight appears, indeed, from various traditions,
to have been, as it were, consecrated by him. The
musical accompaniment was the cithara. On his ar-
rangement of the strophe, antistrophe, and epode, was
founded the Greek proverb, "the three things of Ste-
sichorus" (rci rpia Ln/ffiropov). His compositions,
which consisted of hymns in honour of the gods, odes
in praise of heroes, lyrico-epic poems, such as an 'IXiov
n-ipatc (" Destruction of Troy"), an Orestiad, &. C. ,
were written in the Doric dialect, and are all now lost
except a few fragments. Stesichorus possessed, ac-
cording to Dionysius, all the excellences and graces of
Pindar and Simonides, and surpassed them both in
the grandeur of his subjects, in which he well pre-
served the characteristics of manners and persons;
and Quintilian represents him as having displayed the
sublimity of his genius by the selection of weighty
topics, such as important wars and the actions of
great commanders, in which he sustained with his lyre
the dignity of epic poetry. Accordingly, Alexander
the Great ranks him among those who were the proper
study of princes. He was the inventor of the fable
of the horse and the stag, which Horace and some
other poets have imitated, and this he wrote to pre-
vent his countrymen from making an alliance with
Phalaris. Ttit j<<sl collections of the fragments of
? ? Stesichorus are given by Blomfjcld, in the Museum
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? STO
STR
*iacojrses. On moral topics Slilpo is said to have
taught, that the highest felicity consists in a mind free
from the dominion of passion, a doctrine similar to
that of the Stoics. (Enfield's His'ory of Philosophy,
toI. 1, p. 202. )
Stob<<os, Joannes, a native of Stohi, in Macedonia,
whence his name Stobauis. The particulars of his
life are unknown, and we are even ignorant of the
age in which he lived. All that can lie said of his era
is, that he was subsequent to Hieroclrs of Alexandres,
since he has left us extracts from his works; and as
he cites no more recent writer, it is probable that he
lived not long after him. Stobasus had read much;
he had acquired the habit of reading with a pen in his
hand, and of making extracts from whatever seemed
to him remarkable. Having made a large collection
of these extracts, he arranged them in systematic or-
der for the use of his son, whose education seems to
have constituted the father's principal employment.
This was the origin of a collection in four books,
which he published under the title of 'kv8oX6ytov Ik-
Aoyuv, airotpdeyaaruv, viro6ijKuv (" An Anthology of
Extracts, Sentences, and Precepts"). This work has
come down to us, but under a form somewhat differ-
ent, and which has consequently embarrassed the com-
mentators. We have three books of extracts made
by Stobseus, but they are given in the manuscripts as
two distinct works: one composed of two books, the
other ol a single one. The former is entitled "Phys-
ical, Dialectic, and Moral Selections," the latter
"Discourses. " There exists, however, some confu-
sion in this respect in the manuscripts. Some, which
contain merely the Ecloga? or Extracts, call them the
first and second books of Stobxus, without any more
particular designation. Others give both works the
title of Anthology. --In the Eclogre and Discourses,
Stobeus appears to have proposed to himself two dif-
ferent objects. The Ecloga; form, so to speak, an his-
torical work, because they make us acquainted with
toe opinions of ancient authors on questions of a phys-
ical, speculative, and moral nature, whereas the Dis-
courses constitute merely a moral work. It is on ac-
count of this diversity that some critics have thought
that the Eclogas never formed part of the Anthology,
but originally made a separate work, and that the third
and fourth books of the Anthology are lost. This hy-
pothesis, however, seems at variance with the account
that Photius gives of the Anthology of Stobsus.
"The first book," says he, "is entirely physical; the
commencement of the second is strictly philosophical
(koymoc), but the greater part is moral. The third
and fourth books are aitnost entirely devoted to moral
and political subjects. " It would seem from this that
it is wrong to divide the extracts of Stobseus into two
works, and that we possess actually, under two titles,
his Anthology in four books, excepting that the copy-
ists have united the third and fourth books into one. --
It is from Photius also that we learn the object which
Stobxus had in view when he made these selections,
for we have not the beginning of the first book, where
no doubt it was stated. Stobseus had devoted this
part to a eulogium on philosophy, which was followed
by an historical sketch of the ancient schools, end of
their doctrines in relation to geometry, music, and
arithmetic: of this chapter we have only the end, in
which the subject of arithmetic is treated. The object
of Stohasus, according to Photius, was to erect a col-
? ? umn which might serve as a landmark to his son Sep-
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? 8TRAB0
STRABO
Arabia. At i subsequent period, Strabo travelled
over Greece, Macedonia, and Italy with the exception
of Cisalpine Gaul and I. iguria. It is important to
determine the extent of Strabo's travels, that we may
know when he speaks as an eyewitness, and when
he merely copies the accounts of his predecessors, or
gives the narratives of oilier travellers. At an ad-
vanced period of life he compiled a work on Geogra-
phy (I"fuypaQind), in seventeen bonks, which has come
down to us complete, with the exception of the seventh
book, which is imperfect. --It is remarkable that, du-
t. ng a space of near five hundred years, from the time
of Herodotus to that of Strabo, so little should have
been added to the science of geography. The con-
quests of the Romans westward did certainly bring
them acquainted with parts of Europe hitherto little
known; but in the East, neither the Macedonian nor
the Roman expeditions seem to have brought much to
light that was before unknown of the state of Asia;
while in Africa, as Rennell justly observes, geography
lost ground. In the course of this period, indeed,
many writers on this subject appeared; but, whatever
were their merits (and the merits even of the most
eminent among them seem to be not highly rated by
Strabo), it is certain that they are all lost. We may
collect, indeed, from a curious circumstance little
known or regarded, that no complete or systematic
work on geography at that time existed: for it appears
from two or three of Cicero's letters to Aniens, that he
once entertained thoughts of writing a treatise himself
on the subject. He was deterred, however, he says,
whenever he considered it, by the magnitude of the
undertaking, and by perceiving how severely even
Eratosthenes had been censured by the writers who
succeeded him. In fact, he was probably restrained by
a consciousness of his own incompetency in point of
ccience, of which he makes a pretty broad confession to
hie friend; and whoever values the reputation of Cice-
ro cannot regret that it was never risked on a system
of geography, to be got up, as he himself hints it was
intended to be, during a short summer tour among his
country-houses in Italy. --It is not, however, merely
to the respective character of the two individuals that
we must attribute the inferiority of the geography of
Herodotus, in all essential requisites, to that of Strabo.
Much undoubtedly is owing to the manners and com-
nexion of the times in which they respectively lived.
The former -came to the task with few materials sup-
ilied to his hands. Everything was to be collected
iy his own industry, without the aid of previous his-
tory, without political documents or political authori-
ty. The taste, moreover, and the habits of the people
for whom he wrote, which must ever have a powerful
influence over the composition of any writer, demanded
other qualities than rigid authenticity, and a judicious
selection of facts. It should be remembered that he
wis hardly yet emerged from the story-lclling age;
tho pleasure of wondering had not yet been superse-
ded by the pleasure of knowing; and the nine deities
who give name to his books might be allowed to im-
part some share of their privilege of fiction, when-
ever sober truth has been insufficient to complete or
adorn his narrative. Before the age of Augustus,
however, an entire revolution had been effected in the
intellectual habits and literary pursuits of men. The
world had become in a manner, what it now is, a read-
ing world. Books of every kind were to he had in
? ? every place. Accordingly, it became the chief busi-
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? STHABU.
STRABO.
sistance. The proportion of the length of the gnomon
to that of its meridian shadow at the solstice and the
equinoxes, afforded the-principal method of determin-
ing the distance of places from the equator, and these
were, indeed, under a clear sky, a bright sun, and con-
tinued opportunities of repeating observations, laid
down, in many instances, more nearly to the truth
than could be expected from eo simple and so rude an*
instrument. Still, however, they were liable to great
ancartainty. The penumbra at the extremity of the
? W :nv made the proportions doubtful. The semi-di
amrti1! of the sun (although Cleomedes seemed to be
tware that this should be taken into the account)
does not appear to be added to the altitude, and the
circumstances, less important, indeed, though not to
be neglected, of parallax and refraction, were altogeth-
er unknown. Instances of the incorrectness of gno-
monic or sciqlhenic observations may he given, too
gross to be ascribed to any of these defects, and cvi-
Jently owing to inaccuracy in the observers. Strabo
mentions, in no less than four places, that the same
proportion of the length of the gnomon to its solstitial
shadow was found at Byzantium and at Marseilles,
though the former was situated in 41? 11', and the
other in 43? 17'of latitude, a difference of no less
than 136' on the equator, equal to 158 English miles;
and this fact is reported on the authority of Hippar-
<<hus and Eratosthenes, in a case, too, which was ob-
vious to the senses, and depended neither on hypothesis
nor calculation.
It is more extraordinary that this mis-
take, after being adopted by Ptolemy, should be con-
tinued down to ages not very remote from our own.
A still greater error is to be found in Straho respecting
the situation of Carthage. He says that the propor-
tion of the length of the gnomon to that of the equi-
noctial shadow is as eleven to seven. This gives by
plane trigonometry a latitude of 32? 20', which is
v<ry near to the one adopted by Ptolemy. The true
latitude of Carthage, according to the best observa-
tions, is 36? y. The error, therefore, is 272', or 313
English miles. These, and other remarks which might
ae here made, tend fully to show, that the ancient ge-
ographers are more deserving of praise when they ex-
press distances by measurements, in the correctness
of which they excelled, than when they give them by
calculations or observations, the principles of which
they understood, but had not the means of reducing to
practice (Quarterly Review, vol. 5, p. 274, seqq. )--
Bui to return more immediately to Strabo. A cir-
currslance which cannot fail to surprise us is the lit-
tle success with which Strabo's work appears to have
met among the ancients, as far, at least, as we may
infer from the silence which their writers for the most
part preserve in relation to his labours. Marcianus of
Herailea, AthencEus, and Harpocration are the only
? nriui. t authors that cite him. Pliny and Pausanias
do nol even appear to have been acquainted with him
? v name. Josephus and Plutarch make mention of
jlrabo, but it is only to speak of his Historical Me-
noii. -i. The celebrity of Strabo dates from the middle
agea: it was then so universal, that the custom arose
of designating him by the simple title of " the Geog-
rapher. "--The Geography of Slrabo consists of two
parts; '. he first, cosmogrcphical, giving a description
cf the world, and comprising the first and second
looks- the second, chorographical, furnishing a de-
tailed account of particular countries. This latter part
? ? commences with the third and ends with the seven-
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? STRABO.
STRABO.
Capsar was his principal gaide, especially in the de-
scription of the Silva Arduenna, and the account of
the manners and customs of the Germans in general.
He makes use, also, of the same geographers that had
aided him in the third book. For example, his de-
scription of the Rhone and here, of their embou-
chures, snd of the countries lying between these rivers,
appears to be taken from Artemidorus. In the de-
scription of Gallia Narbonensis, of which Caesar does
not treat, Polybius is his authority. In what relates
to the ancient constitution of Massilia (Marseille) he
has followed Polybius, or perhaps Aristotle's work on
Governments. Strabo, it is true, does not cite the
Utter writer on this occasion, but we see from another
passage that he had consulted his work. (Strabo,
321. ) The other accounts that he gives respecting
Massilia are obtained from travellers with whom
Strabo was personally acquainted. He gives the nar-
rative of Timagenes, according to whom the treasure
which Caepio found at Tolosa made part of the plun-
der which the Tectosages had carried off from Delphi.
With respect to Britain, the description of which fol-
lows that of Gaul, aa this country was not yet sub-
jected to the Romans, Strabo had no other sources of
inforrhation than the fifth book of Cesar's Commen-
taries, and the verbal accounts of travellers. He
confesses, also, that he has but scanty materials for Ire-
land. In speaking of Thule, be makes mention of
Pytheas, whom . he unjustly considers as a writer deal-
ing altogether in fable. For the description of the
Alps, and of their inhabitants, which terminates the
fourth book, his authority was Polybius. --The fifth
and sixth, books are devoted to Italy. The sixth ends
with a survey of the Roman power. With the ex-
ception of Cisalpine Gaul and Liguria, Strabo knew
Italy from personal observation. Polybius is his prin-
cipal guide among the writers whom he cites, partic-
ularly for Cisalpine Gaul: in his description of Ligu-
ria he quotes also from Posidonius. What be says
respecting the origin of the Etrurians is found in He-
rodotus: his account of the early kings of Rome is
probably abridged from Dionysius of Halicamassus.
In treating of the Etrurians, he makes a digression
concerning the Pelasgi, and cites Ephorus, Anticlides,
and others. For the descrip\ an of Etruria he has con-
sulted Polybius, Eratosthenes, and Artemidorus. In
giving the dimensions of Corsica and Sardinia, he re-
fers, for the first time, to an author whom he merely
cites under the title of a " Chorographer," but whom
ho distinguishes from Eratosthenes, Polybius, and Ar-
temidorus. This is a Roman writer, for his measure-
ments are not in stadia, but in miles ; ana perhaps he is
the same with the Agrippa who prepared a description
of the Roman empire, which Augustus caused to be
placed in the portico commenced by his sister. (Plin. ,
3, 2. ) Fabius Pictor and Caecilius are his authorities
for what he says respecting the origin of the Romans;
and for the rest of Central Italy and Magna Graecia,
he follows Polybius, Artemidorus, Ephorus, Timreus,
Apollodorus, but, above all, Antiochus of Syracuse.
For Sicily he cites Posidonius, Artemidorus, Ephorus,
and Timaeus. --The seventh book commences with a
description of the countries situate along the Ister or
Danube, and inhabited by the Germans, Cimbri, Getae,
and Tauri: it then proceeds to notice the regions be-
tween this river, the Euxine, the Adriatic, Illyricuip,
and Epirus. The chapters on Thrace and Macedonia
? ? are lost. Here Strabo was unable to procure as good
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? STRABO.
fried By Tartar and Mongul tribes: he knew merely a
portion of Southern Asia. What he s'atcs respecting
the shores of the Palus Maeotis and E jxine, is drawn,
for the most part, if not altogether, from the narra-
tives of travellers; perhaps, also, from his own per-
sonal observations. For the measurement of distan-
ces he follows Artemidorus. In relation to Iberia and
Albania, Slrabo consulted, besides Artemidorus, the
historians of the Mithradatic war, of whom Theophanes
and Posidonius were the two principal ones. To these
must be added Mctrodorus of Scepsis, and Hypsicrates
of Amisa. From the Utter is taken the digression re-
specting the Amazons. In his description of the Caspi-
an Sea, Strabo has followed very bad guides. His prej-
udice against Herodotus prevented him from following
that historian, who knew very well that the Caspian is a
lake, and who gives its dimensions with tolerable accu-
racy. The opinion which made it a gulf of the North-
ern Ocean originated very probably with the followers
of Alexander, who were either deceived as to its na-
ture, or misled by national vanity. The chief author
>>f Strabo's mistake relative to the Caspian appears
to have been Palroclus, the admiral of Seleucus and
Antiochus. Pliny states that this navigator entered
into the Northern Ocean by the way of the Caspian
Sea; but Strabo corrects Pliny's error, by making
Patroclus merely conjecture that one might sail by this
route to India. The description of Hyrcania and
the neighbouring countries is taken from Patroclus,
Eratosthenes, Arislobulus, and Polycletus; that of
the Massagftts from Herodotus; that of Bactriana
from Eratostnenes. For Parthia, Strabo's authority
was Apollodorus of Artemis, whom we know merely
. through the medium of the geographer, but who would
seem to have lived only a short time before him, since
he had written the history of the war between the Ro-
mans and Parthians. An extract from the same his-
torian, on the kingdom of Bactria, is almost all the in-
formation that is given us respecting this state. The
exact ideas which Strabo has in relation to the Oxus
and Iaxartes are owing to Patroclus; the fables re-
specting the Derbices, Caspii, and Hyrcanii are found
n Herodotus. For the description of Media he cites
Apollonides, and especially Q. Dellius, the friend and
companion of Marc Antony, whom Plutarch mentions
in his life of the triumvir. In place of Q. Dellius,
some editions of Strabo hare the corrupt reading Adel-
phius. --In the Iwdfth book commences the description
of Asia Minor. Here Strabo finds himself in the
country of his youth, and relates much that he him-
self had seen. As regards the earlier periods, he re-
lies on the authority of Hellanicus, Ephorus, Theo-
pompus, the historians of the Mithradatic wars, and
particularly Theophanes. When treating of the Mys-
ians, to whom some writers join the Lydians, he
speaks of Xanthus the I. ydian, ai. d of Menecrates of
Elea, his contemporary, who had written an 'Kk'h/a-
ttovTiatTi xepioios, and a work on the origin of cities
(jrepi KTtaeuv). --In the thirteenth book Strabo returns
towards the Fropontis, and describes the seacoast from
Cyzicus to Cumae, comprehending the Troad and AZo-
lis. To this he adds an account of Losbos, which lies
opposite. From thence, turning towards the interior,
be stops by the way at the cities of Pergamus, Sardis,
Hierapolis, and some others. In his description of
the Troad, Homer is Strabo's first and leading author-
ity; the . commentators on the poet, namely, Eudoxus
of Cnidus. Damastes of Siga>>um, Charon of Lampsa-
? ? cus, Scylax, and Ephorus, occupy the second rank.
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? STRABO
STR
inem than Eratosthenes had, who himself derived his
own information from the historians of Alexander.
For the dimensions of the country he cites Baeton
ind Diognetes. His authorities for the description
of Persia Proper (ot Persis) are Eratosthenes and
Polyclitus: his account of Persepolis and Pasargada
w borrowed from Aristobulus, a. id is found also in
Arrian. In speaking of the worship of fire, he gives
as to understand that he has been an eyewitness of the
(. eremony, since he remarks that Cappadocia, a prov-
ince over which he had travelled, contained many Ma-
gi, or worshippers of fire (irvpatBoi). The remainder
of his account of Persian manners is taken from He-
rodotus and Xenophon. -- The sixteenth look termi-
nates the account of Asia: it contains a description
of Assyria, a name under which Strabo, besides Adia-
bene, comprehends also Babylonia and Mesopotamia;
to this succeeds an account of Syria, together with
Phoenicia and Palestine; and last of all comes Arabia.
The description of Aturia, or the Assyrian province in
which was situate the city of Ninus, is taken from an
historian of Alexander, who, together with Hetodotus,
Polyclitus, and Eratosthenes, has also been his author-
ity for Babylonia. What he states concerning the
Parthian empire is probably taken from Posidonius;
for mention is made, in the course of it, of the war
waged by Pompey against Tigranes. The account
which he gives of the stone dikes, by which the As-
syrians had fettered the navigation of the Tigris, is
found also in Arrian, and appears to havo been bor-
rowed from Aristobulus and Nearchus. The picture
of Babylonian manners is traced after the original
drawn by Herodotus, and also after that of Posidonius.
Strabo had travelled in Syria, and therefore speaks of
it as an eyewitness. He gives the distances accord-
ing to Eratosthenes and Artemidorus; in the history
of the Seleucidfe he follows Posidonius. We find
here a remarkable passage respecting Mosea and the
Jews, taken from some author who wrote after the
capture of Jerusalem by Pompey. --What Strabo men-
tions under the head of Arabia w taken from Eratos-
thenes, with the exception of the account that is given
of the western part of the country; this appears to
have been drawn from Artemidorus, who had himself
copied it from Agatharchidas. The book concludes
with accounts derived by Strabo from conversations
with travellers, particularly with the Stoic philosopher,
Athenodorus of Tarsus, the friend end preneptor of Au-
gustus, who had visited Petra, the chief city of the
Nabathffii, and in company with jElius Gallus, with
whom Strabo became acquainted in Egypt. --The sev-
enteenth and last book comprehends Egypt, Ethiopia,
and Libya, which we call Africa, and which comprised
under the name of Libya the countries of Cyrenaica,
Mauritania, and the territories of Carthage. The di-
vision of the Roman empire into provinces terminates
the work. What Strabo relates concerning the Nile
is obtained from Eratosthenes, Eudoxus, and Ariston.
Strabo. moreover, was personally acquainted with the
course of the stream as far as the Cataracts. His ac-
count of the Ptolemies is based upon the testimony of
Polybius, and in part, very probably, upon his contin-
nalor, Posidonius. In the narrative of Alexander's
march across the desert to the oracle of A mmon, Stra-
bo follows Callisthenes and the other companions of
the prince. The recital of Petronius, who, during the
reign of Augustus, carried on war against the Ethio-
? ? pians, the work of Agatharchidas, and the history of
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? STR
STY
Byna, and previously the wife of Seleucus. (Con-
sult remarks at tbe commencement of the article An-
tiochus. )
Stratonicia, I. a city of Caria, between Alabanda
and Atlinda, and one of the three most important
cities in the interior of the country. It was founded
and fortified by Antiochus Soter, and called after his
wile Stratonice. The modern Eskihtssar marks the
ancient site. It wo rid seem from Stephanus of Byzan-
tium (. <<. v. 'Knarrjnia), that an earlier city called Irdias,
and also Hecatesia and Chrysaoris, occupied the spot
where Stratonicca was afterward founded. In con-
sequence of some restorations by Hadrian, this latter
city received the name of Hadrianopolis, but did not
long retain it. (Htcrocl. -- Strabo, 660. --Polyb. , 30,
19. --Plin. , 5, 29. ) Ptolemy gives the name of the
place as Stratonice. (Leake's Tour, p. 235. -- Chis-
kull, Antiq. Asiat. , p. 155. )--II. A city near Mount
Taurus, called Stratonicea ad Taurum (SrpaTOvUeia
r/ jrpor rCi Tai'pw), to distinguish it from the former.
(Strabo, I. e. ) .
Stratonis Torris, a city of Judaea, afterward
called Ctesarea by Herod, in honour of Augustus.
(Vid. Caesarea. )
Stronoylr, one of the Lipari isles, or the first of
the A'. ohx Insula; to the northeast. It was called
Strongyle CSrooyyvXi]) by the Greeks on account of
its round figure, whence, by corruption, the modern
name Stromboli. It is celebrated for its extraordinary
volcano, which is the only one known whose erup-
tions are continued and uninterrupted. The island is,
in fact, merely a single mountain, whose base is about
nine miles in circumference. The crater is supposed
to have been anciently situated on the summit of the
mountain; it is now on the side. From various tes-
imonies collected by Spallanzani, he concludes that
he volcano has burned. for more than a century where
it now does, without any sensible change in its situa-
tion. The same writer is of opinion that the material
origin and increase of Stromboli is to be attributed
to porphyry, which, melted by subterraneous confla-
grations, and rarefied by elastic gaseous substances,
arose from the bottom of the sea, and, extending itself
on the sides in lava and scoriae, has formed an island
of its present size. The earliest eruptions of Strom-
boli, authenticated by historical accounts, are prior
to the Christian era by about 290 years, the date of
the reign of Agathocles of Syracuse. (Schol. ad
Apoil. Wind, 4, 761. ) It burned, likewise, in the
time of Augustus and Tiberius. After this latter pe-
riod, a long succession of ages ensued, during which,
from the want of historical documents, we are ignorant
of the state of Stromboli. In the seventeenth century
we again know that it ejected fire, which it has con-
tinued to do to the present time. The ancients made
this island the residence of ^Eolus, monarch of the
winds; and Pliny gives us the germe of the whole fa-
ble when he states that the inhabitants could tell three
days beforehand, from the smoke of the volcano, what
winds were going to blow. (Plin. , 3, 8. )--Strongyle
was inhabited as early as the days of Thucydides.
About twenty-five years ago, Stromboli didnot con-
tain more than two hur. dre5 inhabitants; b* at pres-
ent mors than two thousand are collected in a single
town. (Mannert, Geogr. , vol. 9, pi. 2, p.
