43. The superficial extent, and estimated population of the British Empire, may be seen in the following table: 1. GERMANIA1 was separated from Gaul on the W., by Rhenus fl. Rhine; from Vindelicia, Noricum, and Pannonia on the S., by Danubius fl. Danube; and from Sarmatia on the E., by a spur of the Carpathians, called the Sarmatici Montes, and by the whole course of the river Vistula Vistula: the Oceanus Germanicus German Ocean, and Sinus Codanus Baltic Sea, were it's boundaries on the North. 2. Germania comprised within these limits, was sometimes called Transrhenana, in contradistinction to the Germania Cisrhenana, in Gaul; it was also styled Transdanubiana, to distinguish it from the country between the Danube and the Alps, which bore the general name Germania: the epithets Magna and Barbara were also applied 1 Quis Parthum paveat? Quis gelidum Scythen? Hor. Carm. IV. v. 26. Id. Epod. XVI. 7. Nec fera cæruleâ domuit Germania pubc, to it. Though the above limits contained what the ancients generally understood by Germania, they occasionally included Scandinavia Sweden and Norway in it, as well as those various nations, which extended under the name of Bastarna, to the mouth of the Danube, and to the Black Sea. 3. The name of Germani, first applied by the Celta, and afterwards by the Romans, to the Tungri, when they invaded Gaul, is said to have been derived from a word signifying "warrior," and not to have been used by the people of this extensive country, who, deducing their origin from their deity Tuisco, called themselves Teuscones, or Teutones 3, still preserved in Teutschen, or Deutschen, the name applied by the modern Germans to themselves. Teutones, was the name, by which that body of Germans was known, who, in conjunction with the Cimbri, once threatened the destruction of Italy. The term Allemagne, applied by the French to Germany, is from the Alemanni, a rabble collected from Germany and Gaul, that settled in the Decumates Agri Swabia, and under this title denoting their multifarious origin, formed a league to oppose the Roman power. 4. The Germans, however, are generally considered to have derived both their name and origin from Gomer, the son of Japhet, and grand-son of Noah; whose posterity having first settled in Asia Minor, gradually spread farther and farther, and obtained settlements in several parts of Europe. Herodotus has informed us, that a people called Cimmerii, who dwelt in Asia Minor, sent a colony to the shores of the Palus Mæotis, and so gave the name of Bosporus Cimmerius to the strait between the Euxine Sea and the Mæotic Lake, now commonly called the Strait of Enikale. This colony of the Cimmerii, increasing in progress of time, and spreading themselves still by new colonies, farther Westward, came along the Danube, and settled in the country which from them has been called Germany. For Diodorus Siculus affirms, that the Germans are descended from the Cimmerians; and certain of the Jews to this day, are said to call them Ashkenazim, as being the posterity of Ashkenaz, the son of Gomer. Indeed, they themselves retain plain marks enough of 2 Ipsos Germanos indigenas crediderim, minimeque aliarum gentium adventibus et hospitiis mixtos: quia nec terra olim, sed classibus advehebantur, qui mutare sedes quærebant: et immensus ultra, utque sie dixerim, adversus Oceanus raris ab orbe nostro navibus aditur. Quis porro præter periculum horridi et ignoti maris, Asia, aut Africa, aut Italia relicta, Germaniam peteret? informem terris, asperam cœlo, tristem cultu aspectuque, nisi si patria sit. Celebrant carminibus antiquis (quod unum apud illos memoriæ et annalium genus est) Tuisconem deum terra editum, et filium Mannum, originem gentis conditoresque. &c. Tacit. de Mor. Germ. 2. aut si tibi terga dedisset Cantaber exiguis, aut longis Teutonus armis. Lucan VI. 259. Caustica Teutonicos accendit spuma capillos, Mart. XIV. Ep. 26. In reference to the custom, which obtained amongst the Germans, of using a quantity of soap in dressing their hair. Ovid (Amor. I. xiv. 45) has a similar allusion. quoties sociare catervas Oravit, jungique tuis Alamannia signis! Claudian. in I. Stil. I. 233. their descent, as well in the names of Cimbri and Cimmerii, as in their common one of Germans; this last is but a small variation from Gemren or Gomren, which again may be easily contracted from Gomeren, or Gomeræans. 5. The Hercynia, or Orcynia Silva, the largest of forests, was at one time represented as covering nearly the whole of Germany, occupying nine days for crossing it's breadth, and sixty for it's length. The name seems to have been a generic appellation for that vast range of hills, running from the neighbourhood of the Rhine to the borders of Sarmatia and Dacia, and which is still observed in that of Harz and Erz. Hercynia Silva, (or Hercynus Saltus) was afterwards used in a more confined sense, being applied by some, to the ranges between the Thuringer Wald, and Carpathian M3., and by others, only to the hills bordering upon Moravia and Bohemia, including the Erz, Riesen (or Giant,) Wild, and Bahmerwald M. As the country became better known, the various hills and woods received special appellations. In the N. W. part of the country, was the Silva Herculi Sacra, or that range of hills, through which the Weser makes it's way near Minden, and part of which, Deusberg, retains the name of the adjoining Idistavisus Campus", where Germanicus defeated Arminius. Parallel with it, and to the S. of it, was Saltus Teutoburgiensis7 Teutoburger Wald, in which are the sources of the Ems and Lippe; it was here, that Varus, with three Roman legions, was completely routed by the Cherusci under Arminius, A. D. 10. 6. Silva Cæsia, near Soest, was a spur of this range, which passed off to the South West, by Rhetico Mons Westerwald, and terminated opposite Bonn, in the Siebenbergen. Taunus M. Die Höhe was a continuation of Vocesus M. in Gaul, which crossed the Rhine at Bingen, and passing off to the E., under the names Semana Vogelsberg, and Bacenis Höhe Rhöne, connected itself with Melibocus M. or Thuringer Wald; it's course was generally parallel with, and N. of the Mayn, the waters of which river it separated from those of the Weser. Abnoba Mons stretched in a line parallel with the Rhine, from the neighbourhood of Maynz, to Basel; it is now called the Oden Wald and Black Forest, in the S. part of which last, are the springs of the Danube. Marciana Silva was a name likewise applied to the Schwarzwald or Black Forest there also, was the country formerly occupied by the Helvetii, but deserted by them for settlements in Gaul, whence it was called Helvetiorum Deserta. 5 Ut procul Hercyniæ per vasta silentia silvæ Relligione truces — Claudian. in I. Stil. I. 227. See also Cæsar. Bell. Gall. VI. 22. Sic accensos, et prælium poscentes in campum, cui Idistaviso nomen, deducunt. Tacit. Annal. II. 16. 7 Teutoburgiensi saltu, in quo reliquiæ Vari legionumque insepultæ dicebantur. Id. 1. 60. Abnoba mons Istro pater est: cadit Abnobæ hiatu. Avien. Orb. Des. 437. 7. Alpes Montes Rauhe Alpe, was that range of hills parallel with the Danube, and separating it from the Neckar and Mayn; it stretched from the S. part of the Black Forest to the Fichtel Berg, and Thuringer Wald or Melibocus, which last range divided the Weser and Saale, and terminated Northward, in the Harz. Two ranges diverged from the Fichtel Berg Eastwards, and united again at the source of the Elbe, thus forming the great valley of Bohemia; of these, the Northern one, called Hercynii9 or Sudeti Mtes., now bears the names Erz, and Riesen or Giant M"., whilst the Southern one, called also Hercynii Mtes., (and it's E. part Gabreta Silva,) is now known as the Bohmerwald and Wild Mns. The continuation of this range Eastward, towards Sarmatia, was distinguished as Asciburgius Mons, and is the W. extremity of the Carpathian Mns; a spur of it struck off from the source of the Oder, to Presburg on the Danube, under the name of Luna Silva Jablunka Berg, and another, the Sarmatici Montes, a little farther Eastward, crossed the Danube North of Buda, and joined Pannonius Mons in Pannonia; the Sarmatici Montes have been already mentioned, as forming the S. E. limit of Germany. 8. The largest river in Germany, and in Europe, is Danubius 10 fl. Danube, which is said to have been called Ister in the latter part of it's course, from the Cataracts downwards, but, where one name commenced, and the other terminated, is very uncertain: indeed, the two names are frequently confused, or used indifferently, the Greeks generally calling the river Ister11, and the Latins, Danubius. It rises in Abnoba Mons, the Black forest, and, after a course of 1,700 miles, generally in a South-Easterly direction, enters Pontus Euxinus Black Sea, by several mouths: it was worshipped as a deity, by the Scythians, and was for some time the boundary of the Roman 1 Στρυμόνα, Μαίανδρόν τε, καὶ Ιστρον καλλιρέεθρον. Hesiod. Theog. 339. arsit Orontes, Thermodonque citus, Gangesque, et Phasis, et Ister. Ovid. Met. II. 249. Empire. The next river in magnitude, is the Rhine Rhenus 1o, which rises in Adula M. St. Gothard, and after traversing Venetus L. L. of Constance, runs with a Northerly course into the German Ocean; it is 737 miles long. 9. The Danube, after running about 600 miles, generally in a North Easterly and Easterly direction, turns suddenly to the South, in the neighbourhood of Aquincum or Buda, and continues to flow so till it is joined by the R. Savus or Save. It then assumes a South Easterly, and Easterly direction for about 500 miles, after which it turns suddenly to the N. at Axiopolis or Rassova, pursues a Northern course for about 100 miles, and then, with a like distance, runs Eastward into the Euxine. The number of it's mouths is variously stated, by different authors, as five, six, and seven; but, in fact, there are but three, and these are caused by it's three great arms, which diverge from each other not far from the Bridge built over the river by Darius Hystaspis, when marching against the Scythians. The Northernmost mouth was Psilon Ostium, called also Steno Stoma, from it's narrowness, and sometimes Thiagole Ostium, from the neighbouring lake Thiagole, which entered the left bank of the river, not far from it; Boreum Ostium, the next mouth, is now called Kilia, and then followed Pseudo Ostium Stamboul Mouth, opposite the island Conopum Diabasis: all these mouths were formed by the Northern arm of the river. Calum Ostium, the Soulineh Mouth, was formed by the middle arm of the river, between which and the preceding, was Sarmatica I., now called Leti. Farther South, were Naracum Ostium, where now is the small lake Litnegele, and Sacrum or Peuce Ostium Edrillis, or St. George's Mouth, both of which were formed by the Southern arm of the Danube: between the Southern and Middle arms, lay Peuce I. Pitzina, giving name to the neighbouring Peucini, traces of which appellation still exist in the small lake Pouszit, as well as in the name of the island itself. Connected with the Southern branch of the river, is the large salt lake Halmyris Rassein, upwards of 60 miles in circuit. Opposite these mouths, lies a small island 13, now known as Adasi or Serpent's I., but formerly called Leuce; it was here, that some authors represent Achilles to have celebrated his nuptials with Iphigenia, or rather Helen, and shared the pleasures of the place with the manes of Ajax and other illustrious heroes. The poets generally represented it as the place where the souls of Heroes enjoyed perpetual felicity after their death, and hence it is frequently called the island of the Blessed.-The Rhine formerly entered the North Sea by two mouths-hence the appellation of bicornis applied to it by Virgil 12. Of these, the Southern one was that of the present R. Maas, then called Helium Ostium; the Northern one was that which we now call the Old Rhine. To these, another was subsequently added, called Flevum Ostium, the remains of which, and of it's name, may be observed in the Vlie Stroom, between the islands Vlieland and Schelling, off the N. extremity of Holland. This last mouth was effected by the Fossa Drusiana, cut by Drusus, from the right bank of the Rhine, below it's separation from the Whaal, to the Issel near Doesburg. The Issel, thus increased by the waters of the Rhine, flowed Northward, through a considerable lake, called Flevo; at it's issue from which, it was reduced to a canal, preserving the name of Flevo, and then entered the sea, having first formed an island, likewise called Flevo. It's junction with the ocean was fortified by Flevum Castellum. In the progress of time, the sea made great and rapid inroads upon the land round this new mouth of the Rhine, till, at 12 Euphrates ibat jam mollior undis, Nil, qua fuerat sede, reliquit 13 Εν δ' Εὐξένῳ πελάγει Νάσον. Senec. Med. 374. Pind. Nem. IV. 80. |