The Same Author
Informs Us, That The Samians Had A Settlement In Upper Egypt, And That One
Of Their Merchant Ships, On Its Passage Thither, Was Driven By Contrary
Winds, Beyond The Pillars Of Hercules, To The Island Of Tartessus, Which
Till Then Was Unknown To The Greeks.
This island abounded in gold; of the
value of which, the inhabitants were so utterly ignorant, that they readily
allowed the Samians to carry home with them sixty talents, or about
13,500_l_.
According to Pliny, they first built vessels fit to transport
cavalry. We are not informed of what articles their exports and imports
consisted, except that their earthen-ware was in great repute among the
ancients, in their most splendid entertainments, and was exported in great
quantities for this purpose. The Samian earth, from which these vessels
were made, was itself also exported, on account of its medicinal
properties. It is well known that the victory obtained by the Greeks over
the Persians, at the sea-fight of Mycale, was chiefly owing to the Samians.
The commerce of the Black Sea was of so much importance and value to the
Greeks, that we cannot be surprised that they founded several colonies on
its shores, and in the adjacent countries. Heraclea, in this sea, is said
to have been founded by the Beotians: the inhabitants availed themselves of
their situation to engage very extensively in maritime affairs and in
commerce, so that in a short time they were not inferior in wealth or power
to any of the Greek states in Asia. When Xenophon was obliged to retreat
after his expedition into Asia Minor, the Heracleans supplied him with
ships, to transport his army into Greece. Their maritime strength and
skill, or their commercial pursuits, involved them in almost every maritime
war, their friendship and support being sought after by all the Asiatic
princes. When the war broke out between Ptolemy and Antigonus, they sent to
the assistance of the former a numerous fleet, all of which were well
equipped and manned. Some were of an extraordinary size, especially one,
which had on each side 800 oars, besides 1200 fighting men.
Trapezus was a Greek city, in Pontus, situated on a peninsula, in the Black
Sea, where it begins to turn to the east: it had a large and convenient
port, and carried on a considerable trade. But the most celebrated of the
Grecian colonies in this part of the world, was Byzantium: it was anciently
founded by the Megareans, and successively rebuilt by the Milesians and
other nations of Greece. Its harbour, which was in fact an arm of the
Bosphorus, obtained, at a very remote period, the appellation of the Golden
Horn; most of the recesses, which were compared to the horn of a stag, are
now filled up. The epithet "golden" was given to it as expressive of the
riches, which (to use the language of Gibbon) every wind wafted from the
most distant countries into its secure and capacious port. Never was there
a happier or more majestic situation. The river Lycus, which was formed by
the junction of two small streams, pouring into the harbour, every tide, a
regular supply of fresh water, cleansed the bottom; while the tides in
those seas being very trifling, the constant depth of the harbour allowed
goods to be landed on the quay without the assistance of boats: and in some
parts, the depth near the shore was so considerable, that the prows of the
vessels touched the houses, while they were fully afloat. The distance from
the mouth of the river to that of the harbour, or the length of this arm of
the Bosphorus is seven miles; the entrance, about 500 yards broad, was
defended, when necessary, by a strong chain drawn across it. The city of
Byzantium was situated on a promontory, nearly of a triangular form; on the
point of the promontory stood the citadel. The walls of the city itself
were very strong, but not so lofty towards the sea as towards the land,
being on the former side defended by the waves, and in some places by the
rocks on which they were built, and which projected into the sea.
Thus favoured by nature, and strengthened by art, and situated in a
territory abounding in grain and fruits, Byzantium was crowded with
merchants, and supported and enriched by an active and flourishing
commerce: its harbour, which was sheltered on every side from tempests,
besides being easy of access and capacious, attracted to it ships from all
the states of Greece, while its situation at the head of the strait
enabled, and seemed to authorize it to stop and subject to heavy duties,
the foreign merchants who traded to the Euxine, or to reduce the nations
who depended on the countries bordering on this sea for their supplies of
corn to great difficulties, and in some cases, even to famine. On these
accounts the Athenians and Lacedaemonians were generally rivals for its
alliance and friendship. Besides the necessary article of grain and
abundance of rich and valuable fruit, the Byzantines derived great wealth
from their fisheries: these were carried on with great spirit, enterprize,
and success. A surprising quantity of fish was caught in the harbour
itself, in autumn, when they left the Euxine for the Archipelago; and in
the spring, on their return to Pontus. A great many people were employed
both in this fishery, and in the curing of the fish: great sums were
derived from this source, as well as from the sale of salt provisions; for
the quality of which, Byzantium was in greater renown than even
Panticapeum. The only disadvantage under which the Byzantines laboured, to
counterbalance the excellence of their harbour, the fertility of their
soil, the productiveness of their fisheries, and the extent of their
commerce, arose from the frequent excursions of the Thracians, who
inhabited the neighbouring villages.
There were many other Grecian colonies on the Bosphorus and the adjacent
seas.
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