Cato writes that Ameria above-mentioned was founded 964 years before the war with Perseus.
CHAP. 20. (15.) — THE EIGHTH REGION OF ITALY; THE PADUS.
The eighth region is bounded by Ariminum, the Padus, and the Apennines. Upon the coast we have the river Crustumium[1], and the colony of Ariminum[2], with the rivers Ariminus and Aprusa. Next comes the river Rubico[3], once the boundary of Italy, and after it the Sapis[4], the Vitis, and the Anemo, and then, Ravenna, a town of the Sabines[5], with the river Bedesis, 105 miles from Ancona; and, not far from the sea, Butrium[6], a town of the Umbri. In the interior there are the colonies of Bononia[7], formerly called Felsina, when
3 A papal decree, issued in 1756, declared the river Lusa to have been
the ancient Rubicon, but the more general opinion is that the Pisatello,
a little to the north of it, has better claims to that honour. On the north
bank of the Rubicon a pillar was placed by a decree of the Senate, with
an inscription giving notice that whoever should pass in arms into the
Roman territory would be deemed an enemy to the state. It is espe-
cially celebrated in history by Cæsar's passage across it at the head of his
army, by which act he declared war against the republic. See Lucan,
B. i. l. 200-230.
5 Strabo and Zosimus however state that it was first founded by the Thessalians. Ravenna first came into notice on being made one of the two chief stations of the Roman fleet. The harbour which was made for it was called "Classes," and between it and Ravenna sprang up the town of Cæsarea. Though not deemed unhealthy, it lay in a swampy district. Theodoric made it the capital of the kingdom of the Goths. The modern city stands on the site of the ancient town. The river Bedesis is now called the Montone.
- ↑ Now the Conca. It is called "rapax Crustumium" by Lucan, B. ii. l. 406.
- ↑ One of the most important cities of Umbria. It played a conspicuous part in most of the internal wars of the Romans. The modern city of Rimini which stands on its site, still retains two striking monuments of its grandeur; the Roman bridge of marble, which crosses the river Ariminus, erected by Augustus and Tiberius, and a triumphal arch of marble, erected in honour of Augustus. The river Ariminus is now called the Marocchia, and the Aprusa is the Ausa.
- ↑ 3
- ↑ The Sapis is the modern Savio, or Rio di Cesena; the Vitis is the Bevano, and the Anemo is the Roncone.
- ↑ 5
- ↑ No remains of it are extant; but it is supposed that it stood near the entrance of the Lagunes of Comacchio.
- ↑ The modern Bologna stands on its site, and there are but few remains of antiquity to be seen.
