the two to which the Greeks have given the name of Pityussæ[1], from the pine-tree[2], which they produce. These islands now bear the name of Ebusus, and form a federate state. They are separated by a narrow strait[3] of the sea, and are forty-six[4] miles in extent. They are distant from Dianium[5] 700 stadia, Dianium being by land the same distance[6] from New Car- thage. At the same distance[7] from the Pityssæ, lie, in the open sea, the two Baleares, and, over against the river Sucro[8], Colubraria[9]. The Baleares[10], so formidable in war with their slingers[11] have received from the Greeks the name of Gymnasiæ.
The larger island is 100[12] miles in length, and 475 in circumference. It has the following towns; Palma[13] and Pollentia[14], enjoying the rights of Roman citizens, Cinium[15] and Tucis, with Latin rights : Bocchorum, a federate town, is no longer in existence. At thirty miles' distance is the
- ↑ The modern Iviza and Fonnentera.
- ↑ The Greek for which is (
Greek characters).
- ↑ Less than two leagues in width.
- ↑ The real distance is 34 miles from the northern point of Iviza, called Punta de Sen-a, to the southern point of Formentera, namely—across Iviza 22 miles, across the sea 5, and across Formentera 7.
- ↑ Now Denia.
- ↑ This is not correct: the distance is but 45 miles.
- ↑ This is incorrect:taken at the very greatest, the distance is only 522 stadia, eight to the mile.
- ↑ The Xucar in Spain.
- ↑ We more generally find it stated that the isle of Formentera, one of the Pityussæ, was called Colubraria. He probably refers to the islands of the group about twenty leagues from the coast of Spain, now known by the name of Columbrete; but they are not near the Xucar, from which, as well as from the Pityussæ, they are distant about seventy miles. The latter islands are now generally considered as part of the group of the Baleares.
- ↑ Now Majorca and Minorca, with the ancient Pityussæ.
- ↑ They served as mercenaries, first under the Carthaginians and afterwards under the Romans. The ancient writers generally derive the name of the people from their skill as archers—(Greek characters), from (Greek characters), "to
throw"; but Strabo assigns to the name a Phœnician origin, as being
equivalent to the Greek (Greek characters), "light-armed soldiers." It is probably from their light equipment that the Greeks gave to the islands the name of (Greek characters). Livy says that they used to go naked during the summer.
- ↑ Seventy miles is the real length of Majorca, and the circumference is barely 250 miles.
- ↑ Still called Palnia. This and Pollentia were Roman colonies settled by Metellus.
- ↑ Now Pollenza.
- ↑ Now Sineu on the Borga. p2
