Strabo, Geography, Hans Claude Hamilton (Translator), William Falconer (Translator), 7.5.2

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[2] The Daci depopulated a part of this country in their wars with the Boii and Taurisci, Keltic tribes whose chief was Critasirus. The Daci claimed the country, although it was separated from them by the river Parisus,¹ which flows from the mountains to the Danube, near the Galatae Scordisci, a people who lived intermixed with the Illyrian and the Thracian tribes. The Illyrians were destroyed by the Daci, while the Scordisci were frequently their allies.

The rest of the country as far as Segestica,² and the Danube, towards the north and east, is occupied by Pannonii, but they extend farther in an opposite direction. The city Segestica, belonging to the Pannonii, is situated at the confluence of several rivers, all of which are navigable. It is in a convenient situation for carrying on war against the Daci, for it lies at the foot of the Alps, which extend to the Iapodes,³ a mixed Keltic and Illyrian tribe. Thence also flow the rivers by which is conveyed to Segestica a great quantity of merchandise, and among the rest, commodities from Italy. The distance from Aquileia to Nauportus,⁴ a settlement of the Taurisci, across the mountain Ocra,⁵ is 350, or, according to some writers, 500 stadia. Merchandise is transported to Nauportus in waggons. The Ocra is the lowest part of the Alps, which extend from Rhaetica to the Iapodes, where the mountains rise again, and are called Albii. From Tergeste,⁶ a village of the Carni,⁷ there is a pass across and through the Ocra to a marsh called Lugeum.⁸ A river, the Corcoras, flows near Nauportus, and conveys the merchandise from that place. It discharges itself into the Save, and this latter river into the Drave; the Drave again into the Noarus at Segestica. Here the Noarus, having received the Colapis⁹ as it descends in its full stream from the mountain Albius through the Iapodes, enters the Danube among the Scordisci. The navigation on the rivers is in general towards the north. The journey from Tergeste to the Danube is about 1200 stadia. Near Segestica is Siscia, a strong-hold, and Sirmium, both situated on the road to Italy.

Geography. Strabo. Hans Claude Hamilton (Translator), William Falconer (Translator). London. 1854-1857.

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Current edition Perseus

Geography (English) (Strabo. The Geography of Strabo, Vols. 1-3. Hamilton, Hans Claude, translator; Falconer, William, translator. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1854-1857.)

Editions (1)

Γεωγραφικά Perseus (Strabo. Strabonis Geographica, Vols. 1-3. Meineke, August, editor. Leipzig: Teubner. 1877.) — 7.5.2 focus

[2] μέρος μὲν δή τι τῆς χώρας ταύτης ἠρήμωσαν οἱ Δακοὶ καταπολεμήσαντες Βοίους καὶ Ταυρίσκους, ἔθνη Κελτικὰ τὰ ὑπὸ Κριτασίρῳ, φάσκοντες εἶναι τὴν χώραν σφετέραν, καίπερ ποταμοῦ διείργοντος τοῦ Παρίσου, ῥέοντος ἀπὸ τῶν ὀρῶν ἐπὶ τὸν Ἴστρον κατὰ τοὺς Σκορδίσκους καλουμένους Γαλάτας· καὶ γὰρ οὗτοι τοῖς Ἰλλυρικοῖς ἔθνεσι καὶ τοῖς Θρᾳκίοις ἀναμὶξ ᾤκησαν· ἀλλʼ ἐκείνους μὲν οἱ Δακοὶ κατέλυσαν, τούτοις δὲ καὶ συμμάχοις ἐχρήσαντο πολλάκις. τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν ἔχουσι Παννόνιοι μέχρι Σεγεστικῆς καὶ Ἴστρου πρὸς ἄρκτον καὶ ἕω· πρὸς δὲ τἆλλα μέρη ἐπὶ πλέον διατείνουσιν. ἡ δὲ Σεγεστικὴ πόλις ἐστὶ Παννονίων ἐν συμβολῇ ποταμῶν πλειόνων, ἁπάντων πλωτῶν, εὐφυὲς ὁρμητήριον τῷ πρὸς Δακοὺς πολέμῳ· ὑποπέπτωκε γὰρ ταῖς Ἄλπεσιν, αἳ διατείνουσι μέχρι τῶν Ἰαπόδων, Κελτικοῦ τε ἅμα καὶ Ἰλλυρικοῦ ἔθνους· ἐντεῦθεν δὲ καὶ ποταμοὶ ῥέουσι πολλοὶ καταφέροντες εἰς αὐτὴν τόν τε ἄλλον καὶ τὸν ἐκ τῆς Ἰταλίας φόρτον. εἰς γὰρ Ναύπορτον ἐξ Ἀκυληίας ὑπερτιθεῖσι τὴν Ὄκραν εἰσὶ στάδιοι τριακόσιοι πεντήκοντα, εἰς ἣν αἱ ἁρμάμαξαι κατάγονται, τῶν Ταυρίσκων οὖσαν κατοικίαν· ἔνιοι δὲ πεντακοσίους φασίν. ἡ δʼ Ὄκρα ταπεινότατον μέρος τῶν Ἄλπεών ἐστι τῶν διατεινουσῶν ἀπὸ τῆς Ῥαιτικῆς μέχρι Ἰαπόδων· ἐντεῦθεν δʼ ἐξαίρεται τὰ ὄρη πάλιν ἐν τοῖς Ἰάποσι καὶ καλεῖται Ἄλβια. ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ἐκ Τεργέστε κώμης Καρνικῆς ὑπέρθεσίς ἐστι διὰ τῆς Ὄκρας εἰς ἕλος Λούγεον καλούμενον. πλησίον δὲ τοῦ Ναυπόρτου ποταμός ἐστι Κορκόρας ὁ δεχόμενος τὰ φορτία· οὗτος μὲν οὖν εἰς τὸν Σάβον ἐμβάλλει, ἐκεῖνος δʼ εἰς τὸν Δράβον, ὁ δὲ εἰς τὸν Νόαρον κατὰ τὴν Σεγεστικήν. ἐντεῦθεν δʼ ἤδη ὁ Νόαρος πλήθει προσλαβὼν τὸν διὰ τῶν Ἰαπόδων ῥέοντα ἐκ τοῦ Ἀλβίου ὄρους Κόλαπιν συμβάλλει τῷ Δανουίῳ κατὰ τοὺς Σκορδίσκους. ὁ δὲ πλοῦς τὰ πολλὰ τοῖς ποταμοῖς ἐπὶ τὰς ἄρκτους ἐστίν· ὁδὸς δʼ ἀπὸ Τεργέστε ἐπὶ τὸν Δανούιον σταδίων ὅσον χιλίων καὶ διακοσίων. ἐγγὺς δὲ τῆς Σεγεστικῆς ἐστι καὶ ἡ Σισκία φρούριον καὶ Σίρμιον ἐν ὁδῷ κείμεναι τῇ εἰς Ἰταλίαν.

Translations (1)

Geography (Books 6-14) Perseus (Strabo. The Geography of Strabo, Vols. 3-6. Jones, Horace Leonard, translator. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd., 1924-1929 (printing).) — 7.5.2 focus

[2] A part of this country was laid waste by the Dacians when they subdued the Boii and Taurisci, Celtic tribes under the rule of Critasirus.¹ They alleged that the country was theirs, although it was separated from theirs by the River Parisus,² which flows from the mountains to the Ister near the country of the Scordisci who are called Galatae,³ for these too⁴ lived intermingled with the Illyrian and the Thracian tribes. But though the Dacians destroyed the Boii and Taurisci, they often used the Scordisci as allies. The remainder of the country in question is held by the Pannonii as far as Segestica⁵ and the Ister, on the north and east, although their territory extends still farther in the other directions. The city Segestica, belonging to the Pannonians, is at the confluence of several rivers,⁶ all of them navigable, and is naturally fitted to be a base of operations for making war against the Dacians; for it lies beneath that part of the Alps which extends as far as the country of the Iapodes, a tribe which is at the same time both Celtic and Illyrian. And thence, too, flow rivers which bring down into Segestica much merchandise both from other countries and from Italy. For if one passes over Mount Ocra⁷ from Aquileia to Nauportus,⁸ a settlement of the Taurisci, whither the wagons are brought, the distance is three hundred and fifty stadia, though some say five hundred. Now the Ocra is the lowest part of that portion of the Alps which extends from the country of the Rhaeti to that of the Iapodes. Then the mountains rise again, in the country of the Iapodes, and are called “Albian.”⁹ In like manner, also, there is a pass which leads over Ocra from Tergeste,¹⁰ a Carnic village, to a marsh called Lugeum.¹¹ Near Nauportus there is a river, the Corcoras,¹² which receives the cargoes. Now this river empties into the Saus, and the Saus into the Dravus, and the Dravus into the Noarus¹³ near Segestica. Immediately below Nauportus the Noarus is further increased in volume by the Colapis,¹⁴ which flows from the Albian Mountain through the country of the Iapodes and meets the Danuvius near the country of the Scordisci. The voyage on these rivers is, for the most part, towards the north. The road from Tergeste to the Danuvius is about one thousand two hundred stadia. Near Segestica, and on the road to Italy, are situated both Siscia,¹⁵ a fort, and Sirmium.¹⁶

Notes on the current edition

Geography

1. The Margus? See chap. v. § 12.

2. At the confluence of the Kalpa and the Save, afterwards Siscia, now Sizsek.

3. Occupied the coast of Morlacca from the Gulf of Quarnero to Zara.

4. According to Pliny, the name of this place is derived from the fable of the ship Argo, which was brought up the Danube and the Save, and thence carried on men’s shoulders to the Adriatic. Now Porto Quieto.

5. To the north of Trieste.

6. Trieste.

7. Carniola.

8. The Czirknitz-See.

9. The Kuipa.

Strabo Geography 7.5.2

Hans Claude Hamilton (Translator), William Falconer (Translator)

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