Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume I Part 1.djvu/341

ATTICA.

Athenian plain is watered by two rivers, the Cephissus and the Ilissus. The Cephissus (Κηφιεσός), which is the more important of the two, flows southwards from Mt Parnes on the west side of Athens, and after crossing the Long Walls falls into the Phaleric bay. Strabo (x. p. 400) places its sources at Trinermii. Leake observes: "The most distant sources of the river are on the western side of Mt. Pentelicus, and the southern side of Mt. Parnes, and in the intermediate ridge which unites them; but particularly at Kivisia, at the foot of Pentelicus, — near Fasidhero, in the part of Diacria adjoining to the same mountain, — at Tatoy, near the ancient Deceleis, and in the steepest part of Mt. Parnes, from whence descends a broad torrent, which, passing near the village Menidhi, pours a large occasional supply into the main channel of the Cephissus." Strabo says (l. c.) that "the Cephissus is only a torrent stream, and that in summer it fails altogether;" but this is not in accordance with the account of most modern trayellers, who represent it as the only river in Attica which is supplied with water during the whole year. In ancient times "it flowed in a single channel, and was probably carefully embanked: it is now allowed to find its way through the olive-groves in several streams, from which there are many smaller derivations, for the purpose of watering olive-trees and gardens." (Leake.)

The Ilissus (Ίλισσές) is a more insignificant river. It was composed of two branchies, one of which was named Eridanus (Ήριδανός, Paus. i. 19. § 5). The main branch rises at the northern extremity of Hymettus, and receives near the Lyceium, on the east side of Athens, the Eridanus, which rises on the western slope of Hymettus at a spot called Syridmi. The united stream then flows through the southern portion of the city, towards the Phaleric bay; but it scarcely ever reaches the sea, and in the neighbourhood of Athens it is always dry in the summer. The spreading plane trees, and the shady banks of this stream, which have been immortalized by the beautiful description in the Phaedrus of Plato, have been succeeded by sun-burnt rocks and stunted bushes. (Dodwell, vol. i. p. 475.) The source of the river at Syridmi is a beautiful spot, and is apparently described in the passage of Ovid (Ar. Am. iii. 687), beginning:

"Est prope purpureos colles florentis Hymetti
Fons sacer, et viridi cespite mollis humus."

There was a torrent in the Athenian plain called Cycloborus (Κυκλόβορος), described as rushing down with a great noise (Aristoph. Equit. 137, with Schol., Acharn. 381; Hesych., Suid.): it is probably the huge and deep channel, called Megalo Potamo, which descends from Parnes, and flows some miles, until lost in the olive-groves. (Dodwell, vol. i pu 477.)

Two small streams water the Eleusinian plain; one called the Cephissus (Sarandáforo)^ rises in Mt. Cithaeron, and traverses the narrow plain of Eleuitherae, before it descends into that of Eleusis (Paus. i. 28. § 5); the other, now named Ianula, has its origin in the range of Parnes, near Phyle. A small stream called Iapis (Ίαπίς) formed the boundary between the territory of Eleusis and Megaris. (Scylax, s. v. Μέγαρα; Callim. ap. Steph. B. s. v. Ίαπίς.)

The only other rivulets of Attica deserving notice are three on the eastern coast: one flowing through

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the plain of Marathon; a second rising on the south-eastern side of Pentelicus, and flowing into the sea a little below Ratina; and a third, now called the river of Vraóma, which descends from Hymettus, and flows into the bay of Livádhi: the last is probably the ancient Erasinus (Έρασίνος, Strab. viii. p. 371).

IV. Products. — The mountains of Attica are chiefly calcareous. The best marble was obtained from Mt. Pentelicus, which supplied inexhaustible materials for the public buildings and statues of Athens. The Pentelic marble is of a dazzling white colour, hard, and fine-grained; but, owing to the little pieces of quartz or flint imbedded in it, not easy to work. Hymettus also produced fine marble: it is not so brilliantly white as the Pentelic, and in some places is almost grey. It was much used by the Romans in architecture. ("Trabes Hymettiae," Hor. Carm. ii. 18. 3.) Blue or black marble, which was frequently used in the Athenian architecture, is found at Eleusis, and was also obtained from a quarry near the promontory of Amphiale. (Strab. ix. p. 395.) Marble was an article of export from Attica. (Xen. de Vect. 1. § 4.) Between Pentelicus and Parnes, the mass of rocks appears to have been mica slate, which is also the basis of Pentelicus. Near the Horns, on the boundaries of Megaris, there is a large deposit of conchiferous limestone, which Pausanias mentions (i. 44. § 6).

The hilly district of Laurium, above the promontory of Sunium, contained valuable silver mines, which contributed to raise Athens at an early period to a foremost rank among the Grecian states. These mines require a separate notice. [Laurium.]

The soil of Attica is light and dry, and produces at present little wheat. In antiquity, however, agriculture was held in great honour by the Athenians, who cultivated their land with extraordinary care. Some remarks are made elsewhere respecting the quantity of corn probably grown in Attica in ancient times. [Athenae, p. 262.]

The soil is better adapted for the growth of fruits. The olives and figs were particularly delicious; they both ripened earlier and continued longer in season than those in other countries. (Xen. de Vect. 1.) The olive-tree was regarded as the gift of Athena, and its cultivation was always under the especial care and protection of the goddess. From the olive-tree which grew in the temple of the goddess on the Acropolis, there came the Mortiae (μορίαι), or sacred olive-trees in the Academy [see p. 303]; and from these again all the other olive-trees, which grew In the precincts of the temples and the grounds of private persons. Even in the present day there are extensive groves of olive-trees along the banks of the Cephissus. The fig-tree was under the protection of Demeter, as the olive was under the care of Athena. Like the sacred olive-tree on the Acropolis, there was a sacred fig-tree at Eleusis, which the goddess Demeter is said to have produced. Olives were exported from Attica, and so probably were figs also; for the law which is said to have prohibited the exportation of the latter became obsolete in historical times, if indeed it ever existed. (Böckh, Publ. Economy of Athens. p. 41, 2nd ed.)

The wine of Attica was pleasant to the taste, though not of a superior kind. The most celebrated was grown at Icaria, where Dionysus is said to have been welcomed. [See below, No. 42.] One of the varieties of the Attic grape was called the Nicostratian (Νικοστράτιος βότρυς, Athen. xiv. p. 654.) The honey, however, was particularly fine, especially