CHAPTER II.

[1] WE will now proceed to examine the statements made by Posidonius in his Treatise on the Ocean. This Treatise contains much geographical information, sometimes given in a manner conformable to the subject, at others too mathematical. It will not, therefore, be amiss to look into some of his statements, both now and afterwards, as opportunity occurs, taking care to confine ourselves within bounds. He deals simply with geography, when he tells us that the earth is spheroidal and the universe too, and admits the necessary consequences of this hypothesis, one of which is, that the earth contains five zones.

[2] Posidonius informs us that Parmenides was the first to make this division of the earth into five zones, but that he almost doubled the size of the torrid zone, which is situated between the tropics, by bringing it beyond these into the temperate zones.¹ But according to Aristotle the torrid zone is contained between the tropics, the temperate zones occupying the whole space between the tropics and the arctic circles.² Both of these divisions Posidonius justly condemns, for the torrid zone is properly the space rendered uninhabitable by the heat. Whereas more than half of the space between the tropics is inhabited, as we may judge by the Ethiopians who dwell above Egypt. The equator divides the whole of this space into two equal parts. Now from Syene, which is the limit of the summer tropic, to Meroe, there are 5000 stadia, and thence to the parallel of the Cinnamon region, where the torrid zone commences, 3000 stadia. The whole of this distance has been measured, and it may be gone over either by sea or land; the remaining portion to the equator is, if we adopt the measure of the earth supplied by Eratosthenes, 8800 stadia. Therefore, as 16,800 is to 8800, so is the space comprised between the tropics to the breadth of the torrid zone.

If of the more recent measurements we prefer those which diminish the size of the earth, such as that adopted by Posidonius, which is about 180,000 stadia,³ the torrid zone will still only occupy half, or rather more than half, of the space comprised between the tropics; but never an equal space. [Respecting the system of Aristotle, Posidonius farther says,] Since it is not every latitude which has Arctic Circles,⁴ and even those which do possess them have not the same, how can any one determine by them the bounds of the temperate zones, which are immutable? Nothing however is proved [against Aristotle] from the fact that there are not Arctic Circles for every latitude, since they exist for all the inhabitants of the temperate zone, on whose account alone the zone receives its name of temperate. But the objection that the Arctic Circles do not remain the same for every latitude, but shift their places, is excellent.⁵

[3] Posidonius, who himself divides the earth into zones, tells us that five is the number best suited for the explanation of the celestial appearances, two of these are periscii,⁶ which reach from the poles to the point where the tropics serve for Arctic Circles; two more are heteroscii,⁷ which extend from the former to the inhabitants of the tropics, and one between the tropics, which is called amrphiscius,⁸ but for matters relative to the earth, it is convenient to suppose two other narrow zones placed under the tropics, and divided by then into two halves, over which [every year] for the space of a fortnight, the sun is vertical.⁹ These zones are remarkable for being extremely arid and sandy, producing no vegetation with the exception of silphium,¹⁰ and a parched grain somewhat resembling wheat. This is caused by there being no mountains to attract the clouds and produce rain, nor any rivers flowing¹¹ through the country. The consequence is that the various species¹² are born with woolly hair, crumpled horns, protruding lips, and wide nostrils; their extremities being as, it were gnarled. Within these zones also dwell the Ichthyophagi.¹³ He further remarks, that these peculiarities are quite sufficient to distinguish the zones in question: those which are farther south having a more salubrious atmosphere, and being more fruitful and better supplied with water.

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.) — 2.2 focus

[1] ἴδωμεν δὲ καὶ Ποσειδώνιον ἅ φησιν ἐν τοῖς περὶ ὠκεανοῦ· δοκεῖ γὰρ ἐν αὐτοῖς τὰ πολλὰ γεωγραφεῖν, τὰ μὲν οἰκείως τὰ δὲ μαθηματικώτερον. οὐκ ἄτοπον οὖν ἔνια καὶ τῶν ὑπὸ τούτου λεγομένων διαιτῆσαι, τὰ μὲν νῦν τὰ δʼ ἐν τοῖς καθʼ ἕκαστα ὡς ἂν ὑποπίπτῃ, μέτρου τινὸς ἐχομένους. ἔστιν οὖν τι τῶν πρὸς γεωγραφίαν οἰκείων τὸ τὴν γῆν ὅλην ὑποθέσθαι σφαιροειδῆ καθάπερ καὶ τὸν κόσμον, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα παραδέξασθαι τὰ ἀκόλουθα τῇ ὑποθέσει ταύτῃ· τούτων δʼ ἐστὶ καὶ τὸ πεντάζωνον αὐτὴν εἶναι.

[2] φησὶ δὴ ὁ Ποσειδώνιος τῆς εἰς πέντε ζώνας διαιρέσεως ἀρχηγὸν γενέσθαι Παρμενίδην· ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνον μὲν σχεδόν τι διπλασίαν ἀποφαίνειν τὸ πλάτος τὴν διακεκαυμένην¹ ὑπερπίπτουσαν ἑκατέρων τῶν τροπικῶν εἰς τὸ ἐκτὸς καὶ πρὸς ταῖς εὐκράτοις· Ἀριστοτέλη δὲ αὐτὴν καλεῖν τὴν μεταξὺ τῶν τροπικῶν, τὰς δὲ μεταξὺ τῶν τροπικῶν καὶ τῶν ἀρκτικῶν εὐκράτους. ἀμφοτέροις δʼ ἐπιτιμᾷ δικαίως· διακεκαυμένην γὰρ λέγεσθαι τὸ ἀοίκητον διὰ καῦμα· τῆς δὲ μεταξὺ τῶν τροπικῶν πλέον ἢ τὸ ἥμισυ τοῦ πλάτους οὐκ οἰκήσιμόν ἐστιν ἐκ τῶν ὑπὲρ Αἰγύπτου στοχαζομένοις Αἰθιόπων, εἴπερ τὸ μὲν ἥμισυ τοῦ παντὸς πλάτους ἐστὶν ὃ διαιρεῖ ἐφʼ ἑκάτερα ὁ ἰσημερινός, τούτου δὲ τὸ μὲν ἀπὸ τῆς Συήνης, ἥπερ ἐστὶν ὅριον τοῦ θερινοῦ τροπικοῦ, εἰς Μερόην εἰσὶ πεντακισχίλιοι, τὸ δʼ ἐνθένδε ἕως τοῦ τῆς Κινναμωμοφόρου παραλλήλου, ὅσπερ ἐστὶν ἀρχὴ τῆς διακεκαυμένης, τρισχίλιοι. τοῦτο μὲν οὖν τὸ διάστημα πᾶν ἐστι μετρητόν, πλεῖταί τε γὰρ καὶ ὁδεύεται· τὸ δʼ ἑξῆς μέχρι τοῦ ἰσημερινοῦ λόγῳ δείκνυται κατὰ τὴν ὑπʼ Ἐρατοσθένους γενομένην ἀναμέτρησιν τῆς γῆς ὅτι ἐστὶ σταδίων ὀκτακισχιλίων ὀκτακοσίων· ὃν δὴ λόγον ἔχει τὰ μύρια ἑξακισχίλια ὀκτακόσια πρὸς τὰ ὀκτακισχίλια ὀκτακόσια, τοῦτον ἂν ἔχοι τὸ μεταξὺ τῶν τροπικῶν διάστημα πρὸς τὸ τῆς διακεκαυμένης πλάτος. κἂν τῶν νεωτέρων δὲ ἀναμετρήσεων εἰσάγηται ἡ ἐλαχίστην ποιοῦσα τὴν γῆν, οἵαν ὁ Ποσειδώνιος ἐγκρίνει περὶ ὀκτωκαίδεκα μυριάδας οὖσαν, περὶ ἥμισύ που ἀποφαίνει τὴν διακεκαυμένην τῆς μεταξὺ τῶν τροπικῶν ἢ μικρῷ τοῦ ἡμίσους μείζονα, ἴσην δὲ καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν οὐδαμῶς. τοῖς τε ἀρκτικοῖς οὔτε παρὰ πᾶσιν οὖσιν οὔτε τοῖς αὐτοῖς πανταχοῦ τίς ἂν διορίζοι τὰς εὐκράτους, αἵπερ εἰσὶν ἀμετάπτωτοι; τὸ μὲν οὖν μὴ παρὰ πᾶσιν εἶναι τοὺς ἀρκτικούς, οὐδὲν ἂν εἴη πρὸς τὸν ἔλεγχον· δεῖ γὰρ παρὰ τοῖς τὴν εὔκρατον οἰκοῦσιν εἶναι πᾶσι, πρὸς οὕσπερ καὶ λέγεται μόνους εὔκρατος. τὸ δὲ μὴ πανταχοῦ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον, ἀλλὰ μεταπίπτειν, καλῶς εἴληπται.

[3] αὐτὸς δὲ διαιρῶν εἰς τὰς ζώνας πέντε μέν φησιν εἶναι χρησίμους πρὸς τὰ οὐράνια, τούτων δὲ περισκίους δύο τὰς ὑπὸ τοῖς πόλοις μέχρι τῶν ἐχόντων τοὺς τροπικοὺς ἀρκτικούς, ἑτεροσκίους δὲ τὰς ἐφεξῆς ταύταις δύο μέχρι τῶν ὑπὸ τοῖς τροπικοῖς οἰκούντων, ἀμφίσκιον δὲ τὴν μεταξὺ τῶν τροπικῶν· πρὸς δὲ τὰ ἀνθρώπεια ταύτας τε καὶ δύο ἄλλας στενὰς τὰς ὑπὸ τοῖς τροπικοῖς, καθʼ ἃς ἥμισύ πως μηνὸς κατὰ κορυφήν ἐστιν ὁ ἥλιος, δίχα διαιρουμένας ὑπὸ τῶν τροπικῶν. ἔχειν γάρ τι ἴδιον τὰς ζώνας ταύτας, αὐχμηράς τε ἰδίως καὶ ἀμμώδεις ὑπαρχούσας καὶ ἀφόρους πλὴν σιλφίου καὶ πυρωδῶν τινων καρπῶν συγκεκαυμένων· ὄρη γὰρ μὴ εἶναι πλησίον ὥστε τὰ νέφη προσπίπτοντα ὄμβρους ποιεῖν, μηδὲ δὴ ποταμοῖς διαρρεῖσθαι· διόπερ οὐλότριχας καὶ οὐλόκερως καὶ προχείλους καὶ πλατύρρινας γεννᾶσθαι· τὰ γὰρ ἄκρα αὐτῶν συστρέφεσθαι· καὶ τοὺς ἰχθυοφάγους δὲ κατὰ ταύτας τὰς ζώνας οἰκεῖν. ὅτι δὲ ταῦτʼ ἴδια τῶν ζωνῶν τούτων, δηλοῦν φησὶ τὸ τοὺς νοτιωτέρους αὐτῶν ἔχειν τὸ περιέχον εὐκρατότερον καὶ τὴν γῆν καρπιμωτέραν καὶ εὐυδροτέραν.

Notes on the current edition

Geography

1. According to Plutarch, both Thales and Pythagoras had divided the earth into five zones. Since Parmenides lived one hundred and fifty years after the first of these philosophers, he cannot be considered the author of this division. As Posidonius and Strabo estimated the breadth of the torrid zone at 8800 stadia, and Parmenides is said to have nearly doubled it, this would give 17,600 stadia, or 25° 8′ 34″, taking this at 25° it would appear that Parmenides extended the torrid zone one degree beyond the tropics.

2. The Arctic Circles of the ancients were not the same as ours, but varied for every latitude. Aristotle limited the temperate zone to those countries which had the constellation of the crown in their Arctic Circle, the brilliant star of that constellation in his time had a northern declination of about 36° 30′, consequently he did not reckon that the temperate zone reached farther north or south than 53° and a half. We shall see that Strabo adopted much the same opinion, fixing the northern bounds of the habitable earth at 54° 25′ 42″. Gosselin.

3. For the circumference.

4. Viz. none for those who dwell under the equator, or at the poles.

5. Strabo’s argument seems to be this. It matters but little that there may not be Arctic Circles for every latitude, since for the inhabitants of the temperate zone they do certainly exist, and these are the only people of whom we have any knowledge. But at the same time the objection is unanswerable, that as these circles differ in respect to various countries, it is quite impossible that they can fix uniformly the limits of the temperate zone.

6. The polar circles, where the shadow, in the summer season, travels all round in the twenty-four hours.

7. Those who live north and south of the tropics, or in the temperate zones, and at noon have a shadow only falling one way.

8. Having at mid-day in alternate seasons the shadow falling north and south.

9. Viz. Posidonius allowed for each of these small zones a breadth of about 30′, or 350 stadia, of 700 to a degree.

10. A plant, the juice of which was used in food and medicine. Bentley supposes it to be the asa-foetida, still much eaten as a relish in the East.

11. Posidonius was here mistaken; witness the Niger, the Senegal, the Gambia, etc.

12. The expression of Strabo is so concise as to leave it extremely doubtful whether or not he meant to include the human race in his statement. Looking at this passage, however, in connexion with another in the 15th Book, we are inclined to answer the question in the affirmative.

13. Or living on fish, a name given by the Greek geographers to various tribes of barbarians; but it seems most frequently to a people of Gedrosia on the coast of the Arabian Gulf. It is probably to these that Strabo refers.

Strabo Geography 2.2

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

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