B. v. c. iv. $ 2. ITALY. PICENUM. MAKSI. 359 cause that nation commenced the insurrection, and particularly on account of Pompasdius. 1 These nations live generally in villages, nevertheless they are possessed of certain cities, some of which are at some little distance from the sea, as Cor- finium, Sulmo, 2 Maruvium, 3 and Teatea 4 the metropolis of the Marrucini. Others are on the coast, as Aternum 5 on the Picentine boundary, so named from the river [Aternus], which separates the Vestini from the Marrucini. This river flows from the territory of Amiternum and through the Ves- tini, leaving on its right the Marrucini, who lie above the Peligni, [at the place where the river] is crossed by a bridge. The city, which bears the same name, (viz. Aternum,) be- longs to the Vestini, but its port is used in common both by the Peligni and the Marrucini. The bridge I have men- tioned is about 24 stadia from Corfinium. After Aternum is Orton, 6 a naval arsenal of the Frentani, and Buca, 7 which be- longs to the same people, and is conterminous with the Apulian Teanum. 8 fOrtonium 9 is situated in the territory of the Frentani. It is rocky, and inhabited by banditti, who con- struct their dwellings of the wrecks of ships, and lead other- called Marsian, because it had been commenced by the Marsi, 'Qvo/ta<r0a <$g tj)T]<Tt Mapaticov [i. e. TroXtpov] IK TWV ap^avTwv TTJQ aTroaraffeuQ . however, Velleius Paterculus asserts that the people of Asculum com- menced the war, which was continued by the Marsi ; and Livy (Epit. lib. Ixxii.) makes the Picentini the first to raise the standard of revolt. 1 Quintus PompaBdius Silo.
- Now Sulmona, about seven miles south-east of Corfinium. It was the
birth-place of Ovid. Sulmo mihi patria est gelidis uberrimus undis. Ovid. Trist. iv. El. 9. Marruvium, veteris celebratum nomine Marri, Urbibus est illis caput. Sil. Ital. viii. 507. We must place this city, with Holstenius, at San Benedetto, on the east- ern shore of the lake, where inscriptions have been found which leave no doubt on the subject. The coins of Marruvium have MARUB on the reverse and a head of Pluto.
- Now Chieti, on the right bank of the Pescara. The family of Asinius
Pollio came originally from this place.
- Pescara. 6 Ortona-a-Mare.
7 Romanelli, (torn. iii. p. 40,) founding his opinion on ancient ecclesias- tical records and the reports of local antiquaries, informs us that the ruins of Buca exist at the present Penna. 8 According to Holstenius and Romanelli, Civitate; according to others, Ponte Rotto. 9 Kramer is of opinion that this passage, from "Ortonium" to " life," is an interpolation posterior to the age of Strabo.
