Dalmatia，towhichthenameofIllyricummoreproperlybelonged，wasalong，butnarrowtract，betweentheSaveandtheAdriatic。Thebestpartofthesea—coast，whichstillretainsitsancientappellation，isaprovinceoftheVenetianstate，andtheseatofthelittlerepublicofRagusa。TheinlandpartshaveassumedtheSclavoniannamesofCroatiaandBosnia；theformerobeysanAustriangovernor，thelatteraTurkishpacha；butthewholecountryisstillinfestedbytribesofbarbarians，whosesavageindependenceirregularlymarksthedoubtfullimitoftheChristianandMahometanpower。^80
[Footnote80:AVenetiantraveller，theAbbateFortis，haslatelygivenussomeaccountofthoseveryobscurecountries。ButthegeographyandantiquitiesofthewesternIllyricumcanbeexpectedonlyfromthemunificenceoftheemperor，itssovereign。]
AftertheDanubehadreceivedthewatersoftheTeyssandtheSave，itacquired，atleastamongtheGreeks，thenameofIster。^81ItformerlydividedMaesiaandDacia，thelatterofwhich，aswehavealreadyseen，wasaconquestofTrajan，andtheonlyprovincebeyondtheriver。Ifweinquireintothepresentstateofthosecountries，weshallfindthat，onthelefthandoftheDanube，TemeswarandTransylvaniahavebeenannexed，aftermanyrevolutions，tothecrownofHungary；whilsttheprincipalitiesofMoldaviaandWallachiaacknowledgethesupremacyoftheOttomanPorte。OntherighthandoftheDanube，Maesia，which，duringthemiddleages，wasbrokenintothebarbariankingdomsofServiaandBulgaria，isagainunitedinTurkishslavery。
[Footnote81:TheSaverisesneartheconfinesofIstria，andwasconsideredbythemoreearlyGreeksastheprincipalstreamoftheDanube。]
TheappellationofRoumelia，whichisstillbestowedbytheTurksontheextensivecountriesofThrace，Macedonia，andGreece，preservesthememoryoftheirancientstateundertheRomanempire。InthetimeoftheAntonines，themartialregionsofThrace，fromthemountainsofHaemusandRhodope，totheBosphorusandtheHellespont，hadassumedtheformofaprovince。
Notwithstandingthechangeofmastersandofreligion，thenewcityofRome，foundedbyConstantineonthebanksoftheBosphorus，haseversinceremainedthecapitalofagreatmonarchy。ThekingdomofMacedonia，which，underthereignofAlexander，gavelawstoAsia，derivedmoresolidadvantagesfromthepolicyofthetwoPhilips；andwithitsdependenciesofEpirusandThessaly，extendedfromtheAegeantotheIonianSea。
WhenwereflectonthefameofThebesandArgos，ofSpartaandAthens，wecanscarcelypersuadeourselves，thatsomanyimmortalrepublicsofancientGreecewerelostinasingleprovinceoftheRomanempire，which，fromthesuperiorinfluenceoftheAchaeanleague，wasusuallydenominatedtheprovinceofAchaia。
SuchwasthestateofEuropeundertheRomanemperors。TheprovincesofAsia，withoutexceptingthetransientconquestsofTrajan，areallcomprehendedwithinthelimitsoftheTurkishpower。But，insteadoffollowingthearbitrarydivisionsofdespotismandignorance，itwillbesaferforus，aswellasmoreagreeable，toobservetheindeliblecharactersofnature。ThenameofAsiaMinorisattributedwithsomeproprietytothepeninsula，which，confinedbetwixttheEuxineandtheMediterranean，advancesfromtheEuphratestowardsEurope。Themostextensiveandflourishingdistrict，westwardofMountTaurusandtheRiverHalys，wasdignifiedbytheRomanswiththeexclusivetitleofAsia。ThejurisdictionofthatprovinceextendedovertheancientmonarchiesofTroy，Lydia，andPhrygia，themaritimecountriesofthePamphylians，Lycians，andCarians，andtheGreciancoloniesofIonia，whichequalledinarts，thoughnotinarms，thegloryoftheirparent。ThekingdomsofBithyniaandPontuspossessedthenorthernsideofthepeninsulafromConstantinopletoTrebizond。Ontheoppositeside，theprovinceofCiliciawasterminatedbythemountainsofSyria:theinlandcountry，separatedfromtheRomanAsiabytheRiverHalys，andfromArmeniabytheEuphrates，hadonceformedtheindependentkingdomofCappadocia。Inthisplacewemayobserve，thatthenorthernshoresoftheEuxine，beyondTrebizondinAsia，andbeyondtheDanubeinEurope，acknowledgedthesovereigntyoftheemperors，andreceivedattheirhandseithertributaryprincesorRomangarrisons。Budzak，CrimTartary，Circassia，andMingrelia，arethemodernappellationsofthosesavagecountries。^82
[Footnote82:SeethePeriplusofArrian。HeexaminedthecoastsoftheEuxine，whenhewasgovernorofCappadocia。]
UnderthesuccessorsofAlexander，SyriawastheseatoftheSeleucidae，whoreignedoverUpperAsia，tillthesuccessfulrevoltoftheParthiansconfinedtheirdominionsbetweentheEuphratesandtheMediterranean。WhenSyriabecamesubjecttotheRomans，itformedtheeasternfrontieroftheirempire:nordidthatprovince，initsutmostlatitude，knowanyotherboundsthanthemountainsofCappadociatothenorth，andtowardsthesouth，theconfinesofEgypt，andtheRedSea。PhoeniciaandPalestineweresometimesannexedto，andsometimesseparatedfrom，thejurisdictionofSyria。Theformerofthesewasanarrowandrockycoast；thelatterwasaterritoryscarcelysuperiortoWales，eitherinfertilityorextent。YetPhoeniciaandPalestinewillforeverliveinthememoryofmankind；sinceAmerica，aswellasEurope，hasreceivedlettersfromtheone，andreligionfromtheother。^83Asandydesert，alikedestituteofwoodandwater，skirtsalongthedoubtfulconfineofSyria，fromtheEuphratestotheRedSea。ThewanderinglifeoftheArabswasinseparablyconnectedwiththeirindependence；andwherever，onsomespotslessbarrenthantherest，theyventuredtoformanysettledhabitations，theysoonbecamesubjectstotheRomanempire。^84
[Footnote*:Thiscomparisonisexaggerated，withtheintention，nodoubt，ofattackingtheauthorityoftheBible，whichboastsofthefertilityofPalestine。Gibbon'sonlyauthoritieswerethatofStrabol。xvi。1104andthepresentstateofthecountry。ButStraboonlyspeaksoftheneighborhoodofJerusalem，whichhecallsbarrenandaridtotheextentofsixtystadiaroundthecity:inotherpartshegivesafavorabletestimonytothefertilityofmanypartsofPalestine:thushesays，"NearJerichothereisagroveofpalms，andacountryofahundredstadia，fullofsprings，andwellpeopled。"Moreover，StrabohadneverseenPalestine；hespokeonlyafterreports，whichmaybeasinaccurateasthoseaccordingtowhichhehascomposedthatdescriptionofGermany，inwhichGluveriushasdetectedsomanyerrors。Gluv。Germ。iii。1。Finally，histestimonyiscontradictedandrefutedbythatofotherancientauthors，andbymedals。Tacitussays，inspeakingofPalestine，"Theinhabitantsarehealthyandrobust；therainsmoderate；thesoilfertile。"Hist。v。6。AmmianusMacellinussaysalso，"ThelastoftheSyriasisPalestine，acountryofconsiderableextent，aboundingincleanandwell—cultivatedland，andcontainingsomefinecities，noneofwhichyieldstotheother；
but，asitwere，beingonaparallel，arerivals。"—xiv。8。SeealsothehistorianJosephus，Hist。vi。1。ProcopiusofCaeserea，wholivedinthesixthcentury，saysthatChosroes，kingofPersia，hadagreatdesiretomakehimselfmasterofPalestine，onaccountofitsextraordinaryfertility，itsopulence，andthegreatnumberofitsinhabitants。TheSaracensthoughtthesame，andwereafraidthatOmar。whenhewenttoJerusalem，charmedwiththefertilityofthesoilandthepurityoftheair，wouldneverreturntoMedina。Ockley，Hist。ofSarac。i。232。TheimportanceattachedbytheRomanstotheconquestofPalestine，andtheobstaclestheyencountered，provealsotherichnessandpopulationofthecountry。VespasianandTituscausedmedalstobestruckwithtrophies，inwhichPalestineisrepresentedbyafemaleunderapalm—tree，tosignifytherichnessofhecountry，withthislegend:Judeacapta。Othermedalsalsoindicatethisfertility；forinstance，thatofHerodholdingabunchofgrapes，andthatoftheyoungAgrippadisplayingfruit。Astothepresentstateofhecountry，oneperceivesthatitisnotfairtodrawanyinferenceagainstitsancientfertility:thedisastersthroughwhichithaspassed，thegovernmenttowhichitissubject，thedispositionoftheinhabitants，explainsufficientlythewildanduncultivatedappearanceoftheland，where，nevertheless，fertileandcultivateddistrictsarestillfound，accordingtothetestimonyoftravellers；amongothers，ofShaw，Maundrel，LaRocque，&c。—G。TheAbbeGuenee，inhisLettresdequelquesJuifsaMons。deVoltaire，hasexhaustedthesubjectofthefertilityofPalestine；forVoltairehadlikewiseindulgedinsarcasmonthissubject。Gibbonwasassailedonthispoint，not，indeed，byMr。Davis，who，heslylyinsinuates，waspreventedbyhispatriotismasaWelshmanfromresentingthecomparisonwithWales，butbyotherwriters。InhisVindication，hefirstestablishedthecorrectnessofhismeasurementofPalestine，whichheestimatesas7600squareEnglishmiles，whileWalesisabout7011。Astofertility，heproceedsinthefollowingdexterouslycomposedandsplendidpassage:"TheemperorFrederickII。，theenemyandthevictimoftheclergy，isaccusedofsaying，afterhisreturnfromhiscrusade，thattheGodoftheJewswouldhavedespisedhispromisedland，ifhehadonceseenthefruitfulrealmsofSicilyandNaples。"SeeGiannone，Istor。
Civ。delR。diNapoli，ii。245。Thisraillery，whichmalicehas，perhaps，falselyimputedtoFrederick，isinconsistentwithtruthandpiety；yetitmustbeconfessedthatthesoilofPalestinedoesnotcontainthatinexhaustible，and，asitwere，spontaneousprincipleoffertility，which，underthemostunfavorablecircumstances，hascoveredwithrichharveststhebanksoftheNile，thefieldsofSicily，ortheplainsofPoland。TheJordanistheonlynavigableriverofPalestine:aconsiderablepartofthenarrowspaceisoccupied，orratherlost，intheDeadSeawhosehorridaspectinspireseverysensationofdisgust，andcountenanceseverytaleofhorror。ThedistrictswhichborderonArabiapartakeofthesandyqualityoftheadjacentdesert。Thefaceofthecountry，exceptthesea—coast，andthevalleyoftheJordan，iscoveredwithmountains，whichappear，forthemostpart，asnakedandbarrenrocks；andintheneighborhoodofJerusalem，thereisarealscarcityofthetwoelementsofearthandwater。SeeMaundrel'sTravels，p。65，andReland'sPalestin。
i。238，395。Thesedisadvantages，whichnowoperateintheirfullestextent，wereformerlycorrectedbythelaborsofanumerouspeople，andtheactiveprotectionofawisegovernment。
Thehillswereclothedwithrichbedsofartificialmould，therainwascollectedinvastcisterns，asupplyoffreshwaterwasconveyedbypipesandaqueductstothedrylands。Thebreedofcattlewasencouragedinthosepartswhichwerenotadaptedfortillage，andalmosteveryspotwascompelledtoyieldsomeproductionfortheuseoftheinhabitants。
PaterispecolendiHaudfacilemesseviamvoluit，primusqueparartemMovitagros；curisacuensmortaliacorda，NectorperegravipassussuaRegnaveterno。
Gibbon，Misc。Works，iv。540。
ButGibbonhashereeludedthequestionabouttheland"flowingwithmilkandhoney。"HeisdescribingJudaeaonly，withoutcomprehendingGalilee，ortherichpasturesbeyondtheJordan，evennowproverbialfortheirflocksandherds。SeeBurckhardt'sTravels，andHistofJews，i。178。Thefollowingisbelievedtobeafairstatement:"Theextraordinaryfertilityofthewholecountrymustbetakenintotheaccount。Nopartwaswaste；verylittlewasoccupiedbyunprofitablewood；themorefertilehillswerecultivatedinartificialterraces，otherswerehungwithorchardsoffruittreesthemorerockyandbarrendistrictswerecoveredwithvineyards。"Eveninthepresentday，thewarsandmisgovernmentofageshavenotexhaustedthenaturalrichnessofthesoil。"Galilee，"saysMalteBrun，"wouldbeaparadisewereitinhabitedbyanindustriouspeopleunderanenlightenedgovernment。Nolandcouldbelessdependentonforeignimportation；itborewithinitselfeverythingthatcouldbenecessaryforthesubsistenceandcomfortofasimpleagriculturalpeople。Theclimatewashealthy，theseasonsregular；theformerrains，whichfellaboutOctober，afterthevintage，preparedthegroundfortheseed；thatlatter，whichprevailedduringMarchandthebeginningofApril，madeitgrowrapidly。Directlytherainsceased，thegrainripenedwithstillgreaterrapidity，andwasgatheredinbeforetheendofMay。Thesummermonthsweredryandveryhot，butthenightscoolandrefreshedbycopiousdews。InSeptember，thevintagewasgathered。Grainofallkinds，wheat，barley，millet，zea，andothersorts，grewinabundance；thewheatcommonlyyieldedthirtyforone。Besidesthevineandtheolive，thealmond，thedate，figsofmanykinds，theorange，thepomegranate，andmanyotherfruittrees，flourishedinthegreatestluxuriance。Greatquantityofhoneywascollected。Thebalm—tree，whichproducedtheopobalsamum，agreatobjectoftrade，wasprobablyintroducedfromArabia，inthetimeofSolomon。ItflourishedaboutJerichoandinGilead。"—Milman'sHist。ofJews。i。177。—M。]
[Footnote83:Theprogressofreligioniswellknown。TheuseofletterwasintroducedamongthesavagesofEuropeaboutfifteenhundredyearsbeforeChrist；andtheEuropeanscarriedthemtoAmericaaboutfifteencenturiesaftertheChristianAera。Butinaperiodofthreethousandyears，thePhoenicianalphabetreceivedconsiderablealterations，asitpassedthroughthehandsoftheGreeksandRomans。]
[Footnote84:DionCassius，lib。lxviii。p。1131。]
ThegeographersofantiquityhavefrequentlyhesitatedtowhatportionoftheglobetheyshouldascribeEgypt。^85ByitssituationthatcelebratedkingdomisincludedwithintheimmensepeninsulaofAfrica；butitisaccessibleonlyonthesideofAsia，whoserevolutions，inalmosteveryperiodofhistory，Egypthashumblyobeyed。ARomanpraefectwasseatedonthesplendidthroneofthePtolemies；andtheironsceptreoftheMamelukesisnowinthehandsofaTurkishpacha。TheNileflowsdownthecountry，abovefivehundredmilesfromthetropicofCancertotheMediterranean，andmarksoneithersideoftheextentoffertilitybythemeasureofitsinundations。Cyrene，situatetowardsthewest，andalongthesea—coast，wasfirstaGreekcolony，afterwardsaprovinceofEgypt，andisnowlostinthedesertofBarca。
[Footnote85:PtolemyandStrabo，withthemoderngeographers，fixtheIsthmusofSuezastheboundaryofAsiaandAfrica。
Dionysius，Mela，Pliny，Sallust，Hirtius，andSolinus，havepreferredforthatpurposethewesternbranchoftheNile，oreventhegreatCatabathmus，ordescent，whichlastwouldassigntoAsia，notonlyEgypt，butpartofLibya。]
[Footnote*:TheFrencheditorhasalongandunnecessarynoteontheHistoryofCyrene。Forthepresentstateofthatcoastandcountry，thevolumeofCaptainBeecheyisfullofinterestingdetails。Egypt，nowanindependentandimprovingkingdom，appears，undertheenterprisingruleofMahommedAli，likelytorevengeitsformeroppressionuponthedecrepitpoweroftheTurkishempire。—M。—Thisnotewaswrittenin1838。ThefuturedestinyofEgyptisanimportantproblem，onlytobesolvedbytime。ThisobservationwillalsoapplytothenewFrenchcolonyinAlgiers。—M。1845。]
FromCyrenetotheocean，thecoastofAfricaextendsabovefifteenhundredmiles；yetsocloselyisitpressedbetweentheMediterraneanandtheSahara，orsandydesert，thatitsbreadthseldomexceedsfourscoreorahundredmiles。TheeasterndivisionwasconsideredbytheRomansasthemorepeculiarandproperprovinceofAfrica。TillthearrivalofthePhoeniciancolonies，thatfertilecountrywasinhabitedbytheLibyans，themostsavageofmankind。UndertheimmediatejurisdictionofCarthage，itbecamethecentreofcommerceandempire；buttherepublicofCarthageisnowdegeneratedintothefeebleanddisorderlystatesofTripoliandTunis。ThemilitarygovernmentofAlgiersoppressesthewideextentofNumidia，asitwasonceunitedunderMassinissaandJugurtha；butinthetimeofAugustus，thelimitsofNumidiawerecontracted；and，atleast，twothirdsofthecountryacquiescedinthenameofMauritania，withtheepithetofCaesariensis。ThegenuineMauritania，orcountryoftheMoors，which，fromtheancientcityofTingi，orTangier，wasdistinguishedbytheappellationofTingitana，isrepresentedbythemodernkingdomofFez。Salle，ontheOcean，soinfamousatpresentforitspiraticaldepredations，wasnoticedbytheRomans，astheextremeobjectoftheirpower，andalmostoftheirgeography。AcityoftheirfoundationmaystillbediscoverednearMequinez，theresidenceofthebarbarianwhomwecondescendtostyletheEmperorofMorocco；butitdoesnotappear，thathismoresoutherndominions，Moroccoitself，andSegelmessa，wereevercomprehendedwithintheRomanprovince。ThewesternpartsofAfricaareintersectedbythebranchesofMountAtlas，anamesoidlycelebratedbythefancyofpoets；^86butwhichisnowdiffusedovertheimmenseoceanthatrollsbetweentheancientandthenewcontinent。^87
[Footnote86:Thelongrange，moderateheight，andgentledeclivityofMountAtlas，seeShaw'sTravels，p。5，areveryunlikeasolitarymountainwhichrearsitsheadintotheclouds，andseemstosupporttheheavens。ThepeakofTeneriff，onthecontrary，risesaleagueandahalfabovethesurfaceofthesea；
and，asitwasfrequentlyvisitedbythePhoenicians，mightengagethenoticeoftheGreekpoets。SeeBuffon，HistoireNaturelle，tom。i。p。312。HistoiredesVoyages，tom。ii。]
[Footnote87:M。deVoltaire，tom。xiv。p。297，unsupportedbyeitherfactorprobability，hasgenerouslybestowedtheCanaryIslandsontheRomanempire。]
HavingnowfinishedthecircuitoftheRomanempire，wemayobserve，thatAfricaisdividedfromSpainbyanarrowstraitofabouttwelvemiles，throughwhichtheAtlanticflowsintotheMediterranean。ThecolumnsofHercules，sofamousamongtheancients，weretwomountainswhichseemedtohavebeentornasunderbysomeconvulsionoftheelements；andatthefootoftheEuropeanmountain，thefortressofGibraltarisnowseated。
ThewholeextentoftheMediterraneanSea，itscoastsanditsislands，werecomprisedwithintheRomandominion。Ofthelargerislands，thetwoBaleares，whichderivetheirnameofMajorcaandMinorcafromtheirrespectivesize，aresubjectatpresent，theformertoSpain，thelattertoGreatBritain。Itiseasiertodeplorethefate，thantodescribetheactualcondition，ofCorsica。^!TwoItaliansovereignsassumearegaltitlefromSardiniaandSicily。Crete，orCandia，withCyprus，andmostofthesmallerislandsofGreeceandAsia，havebeensubduedbytheTurkisharms，whilstthelittlerockofMaltadefiestheirpower，andhasemerged，underthegovernmentofitsmilitaryOrder，intofameandopulence。^!!
[Footnote*:MinorcawaslosttoGreatBritainin1782。Ann。