Page:History of Art in Phœnicia and Its Dependencies Vol 1.djvu/368

HISTORY ART i PIKKXICIA AND ITS DKI-KNOKNCIKS walls. Of this the best instance is afforded by the curious ruins of Lix, the Lixus of Greek and Latin geographers. Lix was a Phoenician colony, as we know from a text of Scylax and from certain medals on which its name appears in Phoenician characters. Near the Phoenician settlement, but separated from it by the river, the indigenous tribes built a town which lived upon its relations with the stranger merchants. 1 The latter were strongly fortified on a lofty hill commanding the mouth of the Lixus, now the Oued-Loukos. The position vas admirably chosen ; the I'Hi. 244. 'Ihc temple and ramparts of Eryx. From a coin.- Phcenician ships could at all times find a secure refuge in the river's mouth, while the windings of the stream covered the town and made it difficult of access on the land side (Fig. 246). Lixus was divided into two distinct parts ; the Acropolis, standing upon the lofty plateau which forms the northern half of the hill, and the town proper, whose remains are to be traced on the slopes facing south and north-east. Besides this it seems that there vas a suburb of considerable size on the river bank to the north of the town. The greater part of the site is now covered with a dense growth 1 .... KCU TToA.1,5 (ftOlVlKOlV AlfoS, KOL Te'/)O. TToAlS L/3ru>V tOTt TT(.f>n.V TOT 7TOTtt//.or. ' 2 Enlarged from DONALDSON. Anhitectura niiininnatica, No. 32.