This Island
Is Divided From The Mainland Of Greece By The Euripus, Which The Ancients
Represented To Be So Extremely Narrow, That A Galley Could Scarcely Pass
Through It:
Its frequent and irregular tides were, also the subject of
their wonder, and the cause of them, of their fruitless researches and
conjectures.
It hits several promontories, the doubling of one of which,
Cape Catharius, was reckoned by the ancients very dangerous, on account of
the many rocks and whirlpools on the const. Of all the cities of Euboea,
Chalcis was the most famous: its inhabitants applied themselves, at a very
early period, to navigation, and sent numerous colonies to Thrace, Macedon,
Italy, &c. In the vicinity of another of its towns, Carystus, there were
quarries of very fine marble, the exportation of which seems to have been a
lucrative trade: in the same part of the island also was found the
asbestos. Euboea possessed several rich copper and iron mines; and as the
inhabitants were very skilful in working these metals, the exportation of
armour, and various vessels made from them, was also one important branch
of their commerce.
Of the numerous colonies sent out by the Greeks, we shall notice only those
which were established for the purposes of commerce, or which, though not
established for this express purpose, became afterwards celebrated for it.
None of the Athenian colonies, which they established expressly for the
purpose of trading with the capital, was of such importance as Amphipolis.
This place was situated at the mouth of the river Strymon, on the borders
of Macedonia.
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