a smaller history of greece-第11部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

sophy；　was　a　native　of　Miletus。　　Halicarnassus　was　one　of　the　most　important　of　the　Doric　cities；　of　which　Herodotus　was　a　native；　though　he　wrote　in　the　Ionic　dialect。

2。　The　earliest　Grecian　settlement　in　Italy　was　Cumae　in　Campania；　situated　near　Cape　Misenum；　on　the　Tyrrhenian　sea。　　It　is　said　to　have　been　a　joint　colony　from　the　AEolic　Cyme　in　Asia　and　from　Chalcis　in　Euboea；　and　to　have　been　founded；　according　to　the　common　chronology；　in　B。C。　1050。　　Cumae　was　for　a　long　time　the　most　flourishing　city　in　Campania；　and　it　was　not　till　its　decline　in　the　fifth　century　before　the　Christian　era　that　Capua　rose　into　importance。

The　earliest　Grecian　settlement　in　Sicily　was　founded　in　B。C。　735。　　The　extraordinary　fertility　of　the　land　soon　attracted　numerous　colonists　from　various　parts　of　Greece；　and　there　arose　on　the　coasts　of　Sicily　a　succession　of　flourishing　cities。　　Of　these；　Syracuse　and　Agrigentum；　both　Dorian　colonies；　became　the　most　powerful。　　The　former　was　founded　by　the　Corinthians　in　B。C。　734；　and　at　the　time　of　its　greatest　prosperity　contained　a　population　of　500；000　souls；　and　was　surrounded　by　walls　twenty…　two　miles　in　circuit。　　Its　greatness；　however；　belongs　to　a　later　period　of　Grecian　history。

The　Grecian　colonies　in　southern　Italy　began　to　be　planted　at　nearly　the　same　time　as　in　Sicily。　　They　eventually　lined　the　whole　southern　coast；　as　far　as　Cumae　on　the　one　sea　and　Tarentum　on　the　other。　　They　even　surpassed　those　in　Sicily　in　number　and　importance；　and　so　numerous　and　flourishing　did　they　become；　that　the　south　of　Italy　received　the　name　of　Magna　Graecia。　　Of　these；　two　of　the　earliest　and　most　prosperous　were　Sybaris　and　Croton；　both　situated　upon　the　gulf　of　Tarentum；　and　both　of　Achaean　origin。　　Sybaris　was　planted　in　B。C。　720　and　Croton　in　B。C。　710。　For　two　centuries　they　seem　to　have　lived　in　harmony；　and　we　know　scarcely　anything　of　their　history　till　their　fatal　contest　in　B。C。　510；　which　ended　in　the　ruin　of　Sybaris。　　During　the　whole　of　this　period　they　were　two　of　the　most　flourishing　cities　in　all　Hellas。　　Sybaris　in　particular　attained　to　an　extraordinary　degree　of　wealth；　and　its　inhabitants　were　so　notorious　for　their　luxury；　effeminacy；　and　debauchery；　that　their　name　has　become　proverbial　for　a　voluptuary　in　ancient　and　modern　times。　　Croton　was　the　chief　seat　of　the　Pythagorean　philosophy。　　Pythagroras　was　a　native　of　Samos；　but　emigrated　to　Croton；　where　he　met　with　the　most　wonderful　success　in　the　propagation　of　his　views。　　He　established　a　kind　of　religious　brotherhood；　closely　united　by　a　sacred　vow。　　They　believed　in　the　transmigration　of　souls；　and　their　whole　training　was　designed　to　make　them　temperate　and　self…denying。　　The　doctrines　of　Pythagoras　spread　through　many　of　the　other　cities　of　Magna　Graecia。

Of　the　numerous　other　Greek　settlements　in　the　south　of　Italy；　those　of　Locri；　Rhegium；　and　Tarentum　were　the　meet　important。　Locri　was　founded　by　the　Locrians　from　the　mother…country　in　B。C。　683。　　The　laws　of　this　city　were　drawn　up　by　one　of　its　citizens；　named　Zaleucus；　and　so　averse　were　the　Locrians　to　any　change　in　them；　that　whoever　proposed　a　new　law　had　to　appear　in　the　public　assembly　with　a　rope　round　his　neck；　which　was　immediately　tightened　if　he　failed　to　convince　his　fellow…citizens　of　the　necessity　of　the　alteration。　　Rhegium；　situated　on　the　straits　of　Messina；　opposite　Sicily；　was　colonised　by　the　Chalcidians；　but　received　a　large　body　of　Messenians；　who　settled　here　at　the　close　of　the　Messenian　war。　　Anaxilas；　tyrant　of　Rhegium　about　B。C。　500；　was　of　Messenian　descent。　　He　seized　the　Sicilian　Zancle　on　the　opposite　coast；　and　changed　its　name　into　Messana；　which　it　still　bears。　　Tarentum　was　a　colony　from　Sparta　and　was　founded　about　B。C。　708。　　After　the　destruction　of　Sybaris　it　was　the　most　powerful　and　flourishing　city　in　Magna　Graecia；　and　continued　to　enjoy　great　prosperity　till　its　subjugation　by　the　Romans。　　Although　of　Spartan　origin；　it　did　not　maintain　Spartan　habits；　and　its　citizens　were　noted　at　a　later　time　for　their　love　of　luxury　and　pleasure。

The　Grecian　settlements　in　the　distant　countries　of　Gaul　and　Spain　were　not　numerous。　　The　most　celebrated　was　Massalia；　the　modern　Marseilles；　founded　by　the　Ionic　Phocaeans　in　B。C。　600。

3。　The　northern　coast　of　Africa；　between　the　territories　of　Carthage　and　Egypt；　was　also　occupied　by　Greek　colonists。　　The　city　of　Cyrene　was　founded　about　B。C。　630。　　It　was　a　colony　from　the　island　of　Thera　in　the　AEgean；　which　was　itself　a　colony　from　Sparta。　　The　situation　of　Cyrene　was　well　chosen。　　It　stood　on　the　edge　of　a　range　of　hills；　at　the　distance　of　ten　miles　from　the　Mediterranean；　of　which　it　commanded　a　fine　view。　　These　hills　descended　by　a　succession　of　terraces　to　the　port　of　the　town；　called　Apollonia。　　The　climate　was　most　salubrious；　and　the　soil　was　distinguished　by　extraordinary　fertility。　　With　these　advantages　Cyrene　rapidly　grew　in　wealth　and　power；　and　its　greatness　is　attested　by　the　immense　remains　which　still　mark　its　desolate　site。　　Cyrene　planted　several　colonies　in　the　adjoining　district；　of　which　Barca；　founded　about　B。C。　560；　was　the　most　important。

4。　There　were　several　Grecian　colonies　situated　on　the　eastern　side　of　the　Ionian　sea；　in　Epirus　and　its　immediate　neighbourhood。　　Of　these　the　island　of　Corcyra；　now　called　Corfu；　was　the　most　wealthy　and　powerful。　　It　was　founded　by　the　Corinthians　about　B。C。　700；　and　in　consequence　of　its　commercial　activity　it　soon　became　a　formidable　rival　to　the　mother…city。　Hence　a　war　broke　out　between　these　two　states　at　an　early　period；　and　the　most　ancient　naval　battle　on　record　was　the　one　fought　between　their　fleets　in　B。C。　664。　　The　dissensions　between　the　mother…city　and　her　colony　are　frequently　mentioned　in　Grecian　history；　and　were　one　of　the　immediate　causes　of　the　Peloponnesian　war。　　Notwithstanding　their　quarrels　they　joined　in　planting　four　Grecian　colonies　upon　the　same　line　of　coast　Leucas；　Anactorium；　Apollonia；　and　Epidamnus。

The　colonies　in　Macedonia　and　Thrace　were　very　numerous；　and　extended　all　along　the　coast　of　the　AEgean；　of　the　Hellespont；　of　the　Propontis；　and　of　the　Euxine；　from　the　borders　of　Thessaly　to　the　mouth　of　the　Danube。　　Of　these　we　can　only　glance　at　the　most　important。　　The　colonies　on　the　coast　of　Macedonia　were　chiefly　founded　by　Chalcis　and　Eretria　in　Euboea；　and　the　peninsula　of　Chalcidice；　with　its　three　projecting　headlands；　was　covered　with　their　settlements；　and　derived　its　name　from　the　former　city。　The　Corinthians　likewise　planted　a　few　colonies　on　this　coast；　of　which　Potidaea；　on　the　narrow　isthmus　of　Pallene；　most　deserves　mention。

Of　the　colonies　in　Thrace；　the　most　flourishing　were　Selymbria　and　Byzantium；　both　founded　by　the　Megarians；　who　appear　as　an　enterprising　maritime　people　at　an　early　period。



CHAPTER　VII。

THE　PERSIAN　WARS。FROM　THE　IONIC　REVOLT　TO　THE　BATTLE　OF　MARATHON；　B。C。　500…490。

The　Grecian　cities　on　the　coast　of　Asia　Minor　were　the　neighbours　of　an　Asiatic　power　which　finally　reduced　them　to　subjection。　This　was　the　kingdom　of　Lydia；　of　which　Sardis　was　the　capital。　Croesus；　the　last　and　most　powerful　of　the　Lydian　kings；　who　ascended　the　throne　B。C。　560；　conquered　in　succession　all　the　Grecian　cities　on　the　coast。　　His　rule；　however；　was　not　oppressive；　and　he　permitted　the　cities　to　regulate　their　own　affairs。　　He　spoke　the　Greek　language；　welcomed　Greek　guests；　and　reverenced　the　Greek　oracles；　which　he　enriched　with　the　most　munificent　offerings。　　He　extended　his　dominions　in　Asia　Minor　as　far　as　the　river　Halys；　and　he　formed　a　close　alliance　with　Astyages；　king　of　the　Medes；　who　were　then　the　ruling　race　in　Asia。　　Everything　seemed　to　betoken　uninterrupted　prosperity；　when　a　people　hitherto　almost　unknown　suddenly　became　masters　of　the　whole　of　western　Asia。

The　Persians　were　of　the　same　race　as　the　Medes　and　spoke　a　dialect　of　the　same　language。　　They　inhabited　the　mountainous　region　south　of　Media；　which　slopes　gradually　down　to　the　low　grounds　on　the　coast　of　the　Persian　gulf。　　While　the　Medes　became　enervated　by　the　corrupting　influences　to　which　they　were　exposed；　the　Persians　preserved　in　their　native　mountains　their　simple　and　warlike　habits。　　They　were　a　brave　and　hardy　nation；　clothed　in　skins；　drinking　only　water；　and　ignorant　of　the　commonest　luxuries　of　life。　　Cyrus　led　these　fierce　warriors　from　their　mountain　fastnesses；　defeated　the　Medes　in　battle；　took　Astyages　prisoner；　and　deprived　him　of　his　throne。　　The　other　nations　included　in　the　Median　empire　submitted　to　the　conqueror；　and　the　sovereignty　of　Upper　Asia　thus　passed　from　the　Medes　to　the　Persians。　　The　accession　of　Cyrus　to　the　empire　is　placed　in　B。C。　559。　　A　few　years　afterwards　Cyrus　turned　his　arms　against　the　Lydians；　took　Sardis；　and　deprived　Croesus　of　his　throne　（B。C。　546）。　　The　fall　of　Croesus　was　followed　by　the　subjection　of　the　Greek　cities　in　Asia　to　the　Persian　yoke。　　They　offered　a　brave　but　ineffectual　resistance；　and　were　taken　one　after　the　other　by　Harpagus　the　Persian　general。　　Even　the　islands　of　Lesbos　and　Chios　sent　in　their　submission　to　Harpagus；　although　the　Persians　then　possessed　no　fleet　to　force　them　to　obedience。　Samos；　on　the　o