Strabo
This article is about the Greek geographer. For other the Black Sea. Pontus had recently fallen to the Roman
people called Strabo, see Strabo (disambiguation). Republic, and although politically he was a proponent of
Warning: Page using Template:Infobox person with Roman imperialism, Strabo belonged on his mothers side
unknown parameter ethnicity (this message is shown to a prominent family whose members had held impor-
only in preview). tant positions under the previous resisting regime of King
Mithridates VI of Pontus.[n 1]
Strabo[1] (/strebo/; Greek: Strabn; 64 or
63 BC c. 24 AD) was a Greek geographer, philosopher,
and historian who lived in Asia Minor during the tran-
sitional period of the Roman Republic into the Roman
Empire.
1 Life
Strabo as depicted in the Nuremberg Chronicle
Strabos life was characterized by extensive travels. He
journeyed to Egypt and Kush, as far west as coastal
Tuscany and as far south as Ethiopia in addition to his
travels in Asia Minor and the time he spent in Rome.
Travel throughout the Mediterranean and Near East, es-
pecially for scholarly purposes, was popular during this
era and was facilitated by the relative peace enjoyed
throughout the reign of Augustus (27 BC AD 14). He
moved to Rome in 44 BC, and stayed there, studying and
writing, until at least 31 BC. In 29 BC, on his way to
Corinth (where Augustus was at the time), he visited the
island of Gyaros in the Aegean Sea. Around 25 BC, he
sailed up the Nile until reaching Philae,[n 2] after which
point there is little record of his proceedings until AD
17.
It is not known precisely when Strabos Geography was
Title page from Isaac Casaubon's 1620 edition of Geographica
written, though comments within the work itself place
the nished version within the reign of Emperor Tiberius.
Strabo was born to an auent family from Amaseia in Some place its rst drafts around 7 BC,[3] others around
Pontus (modern Amasya, Turkey),[2] a city that he said 17[4] or 18 AD.[3] The latest passage to which a date can
was situated the approximate equivalent of 75 km from be assigned is his reference to the death in AD 23 of Juba
1
2 3 GEOGRAPHICA
possessing a distinct intellectual curiosity of Homeric lit-
erature and the interpretation of epics. Strabo was an ad-
mirer of Homer's poetry, perhaps a consequence of his
time spent in Nysa with Aristodemus.[n 5]
At around the age of 21, Strabo moved to Rome, where
he studied philosophy with the Peripatetic Xenarchus, a
highly respected tutor in Augustuss court. Despite Xe-
narchuss Aristotelian leanings, Strabo later gives evi-
dence to have formed his own Stoic inclinations.[n 6] In
Rome, he also learned grammar under the rich and fa-
mous scholar Tyrannion of Amisus.[n 7] Although Tyran-
nion was also a Peripatetic, he was more relevantly a re-
spected authority on geography, a fact obviously signi-
cant, considering Strabos future contributions to the eld.
The nal noteworthy mentor to Strabo was Athenodorus
Cananites, a philosopher who had spent his life since 44
BC in Rome forging relationships with the Roman elite.
Athenodorus endowed to Strabo three important items:
his philosophy, his knowledge, and his contacts. Un-
like the Aristotelian Xenarchus and Tyrannion who pre-
ceded him in teaching Strabo, Athenodorus was Stoic in
mindset, almost certainly the source of Strabos diversion
from the philosophy of his former mentors. Moreover,
from his own rst-hand experience, Athenodorus pro-
Statue of Strabo in his hometown (modern-day Amasya, Turkey),
beside the Iris (Yeilrmak) River
vided Strabo with information about regions of the em-
pire which he would not otherwise have known.
II, king of Maurousia (Mauretania), who is said to have
died just recently.[5] He probably worked on the Geog- 3 Geographica
raphy for many years and revised it steadily, not always
consistently. Main article: Geographica
On the presumption that recently means within a year, Strabo is most notable for his work Geographica (Geog-
Strabo stopped writing that year or the next (24 AD),
when he died.
The rst of Strabos major works, Historical Sketches
(Historica hypomnemata), written while he was in Rome
(c. 20 BC), is nearly completely lost. Meant to cover the
history of the known world from the conquest of Greece
by the Romans, Strabo quotes it himself and other classi-
cal authors mention that it existed, although the only sur-
viving document is a fragment of papyrus now in posses-
sion of the University of Milan (renumbered [Papyrus]
46). Map of the world according to Strabo.
raphy), which presented a descriptive history of people
and places from dierent regions of the world known to
2 Education his era.[5]
Strabo studied under several prominent teachers of var- Although the Geographica was rarely utilized in its
ious specialties throughout his early life[n 3] at dierent contemporary antiquity, a multitude of copies survived
stops along his Mediterranean travels. His rst chap- throughout the Byzantine Empire. It rst appeared in
ter of education took place in Nysa (modern Sultanhisar, Western Europe in Rome as a Latin translation issued
Turkey) under the master of rhetoric Aristodemus, who around 1469. The rst Greek edition was published in
had formerly taught the sons of the very same Roman gen- 1516 in Venice.[7] Isaac Casaubon, classical scholar and
eral who had taken over Pontus.[6][n 4] Aristodemus was editor of Greek texts, provided the rst critical edition in
the head of two schools of rhetoric and grammar, one 1587.
in Nysa and one in Rhodes, the former of the two cities Although Strabo cited the antique Greek astronomers
3
drought. Treating this conjecture with mer-
ited disregard, Strabo passes on to the hypoth-
esis of Strato, the natural philosopher, who
had observed that the quantity of mud brought
down by rivers into the Euxine was so great,
that its bed must be gradually raised, while
the rivers still continued to pour in an undi-
minished quantity of water. He therefore con-
ceived that, originally, when the Euxine was
an inland sea, its level had by this means be-
come so much elevated that it burst its barrier
near Byzantium, and formed a communication
with the Propontis, and this partial drainage
had already, he supposed, converted the left
side into marshy ground, and that, at last, the
Map of Europe according to Strabo. whole would be choked up with soil. So, it was
argued, the Mediterranean had once opened a
passage for itself by the Columns of Hercules
Eratosthenes and Hipparchus, acknowledging their astro-
into the Atlantic, and perhaps the abundance of
nomical and mathematical eorts towards geography, he
sea-shells in Africa, near the Temple of Jupiter
claimed that a descriptive approach was more practical,
Ammon, might also be the deposit of some for-
such that his works were designed for statesmen who were
mer inland sea, which had at length forced a
more anthropologically than numerically concerned with
passage and escaped.
the character of countries and regions.
But Strabo rejects this theory as insu-
As such, Geographica provides a valuable source of in- cient to account for all the phenomena, and
formation on the ancient world, especially when this in- he proposes one of his own, the profoundness
formation is corroborated by other sources. of which modern geologists are only beginning
Strabo is pro-Roman politically, but culturally he reserves to appreciate. 'It is not,' he says, 'because the
primacy to Greece:[8] "... pro-Roman throughout the Ge- lands covered by seas were originally at dier-
ography. But while he acknowledges and even praises ent altitudes, that the waters have risen, or sub-
Roman ascendancy in the political and military sphere, sided, or receded from some parts and inun-
he also makes a signicant eort to establish Greek pri- dated others. But the reason is, that the same
macy over Rome in other contexts. land is sometimes raised up and sometimes
depressed, and the sea also is simultaneously
In India, Strabo described small ying reptiles that were
raised and depressed, so that it either overows
90 centimeters (3 ft) long with a snake-like body and
or returns into its own place again. We must
bat-like wings. Other historians, such as Herodotus,
therefore ascribe the cause to the ground, ei-
Aristotle, and Flavius Josephus, mentioned similar crea-
ther to that ground which is under the sea, or to
tures.
that which becomes ooded by it, but rather to
that which lies beneath the sea, for this is more
moveable, and, on account of its humidity, can
4 Geology be altered with great celerity. It is proper,' he
observes in continuation, 'to derive our expla-
As quoted from Charles Lyell's Principles of Geology: nations from things which are obvious, and in
some measure of daily occurrence, such as del-
Strabo... enters largely, in the Second uges, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and sud-
Book of his Geography, into the opinions of den swellings of the land beneath the sea; for
Eratosthenes and other Greeks on one of the the last raise up the sea also, and when the same
most dicult problems in geology, viz., by lands subside again, they occasion the sea to be
what causes marine shells came to be plenti- let down. And it is not merely the small, but the
fully buried in the earth at such great elevations large islands also, and not merely the islands,
and distances from the sea. but the continents, which can be lifted up to-
He notices, amongst others, the explana- gether with the sea; and both large and small
tion of Xanthus the Lydian, who said that the tracts may subside, for habitations and cities,
seas had once been more extensive, and that like Bure, Bizona, and many others, have been
they had afterwards been partially dried up, engulfed by earthquakes.'
as in his own time many lakes, rivers, and In another place, this learned geographer
wells in Asia had failed during a season of [Strabo], in alluding to the tradition that Sicily
4 6 NOTES
had been separated by a convulsion from Italy, mountainous and rocky country was made up
remarks, that at present the land near the sea in of res. Some assume that these ashes were the
those parts was rarely shaken by earthquakes, result of thunderbolts and sub-terranean explo-
since there were now open orices whereby re sions, and do not doubt that the legendary story
and ignited matters and waters escaped; but of Typhon takes place in this region. Ksanthos
formerly, when the volcanoes of Etna, the Li- adds that the king of this region was a man
pari Islands, Ischia, and others, were closed called Arimus. However, it is not reasonable to
up, the imprisoned re and wind might have accept that the whole country was burned down
produced far more vehement movements. The at a time as a result of such an event rather than
doctrine, therefore, that volcanoes are safety as a result of a re bursting from underground
valves, and that the subterranean convulsions whose source has now died out. Three pits are
are probably most violent when rst the vol- called Physas and separated by forty stadia
canic energy shifts itself to a new quarter, is from each other. Above these pits, there are
not modern.[9] hills formed by the hot masses burst out from
the ground as estimated by a logical reasoning.
The very rst written denition/discussion on the fos- Such type of soil is very convenient for vinicul-
sil formation (mentioning Nummulite quoted from A.M. ture, just like the Katanasoil which is covered
Cell engr). with ashes and where the best wines are still pro-
duced abundantly. Some writers concluded by
One extraordinary thing which I saw at the pyramids must
looking at these places that there is a good rea-
not be omitted. Heaps of stones from the quarries lie
son for calling Dionysus by the name (Phry-
in front of the pyramids. Among these are found pieces
genes) [11]
which in shape and size resemble lentils. Some contain
substances like grains half peeled. These, it is said, are
the remnants of the workmens food converted into stone;
which is not probable. For at home in our country (Ama- 5 Editions
sia), there is a long hill in a plain, which abounds with
pebbles of a porus stone, resembling lentils. The pebbles of Meineke, Augustus, ed. (1877). Strabonis Geo-
the sea-shore and of rivers suggest somewhat of the same graphica. Lipsiae: B.G. Teubneri.
diculty [respecting their origin]; some explanation may
indeed be found in the motion [to which these are sub- Strabo (1852). Gustav Kramer, ed. Strabonis Geo-
ject] in owing waters, but the investigation of the above graphica. Recens. G. Kramer. Ed. minor.
fact presents more diculty. I have said elsewhere, that Strabos Geography in three volumes as trans-
in sight of the pyramids, on the other side in Arabia, and lated by H.C. Hamilton, ed. H.G. Bohn,
near the stone quarries from which they are built, is a very 18541857: vol. 1
rocky mountain, called the Trojan mountain; beneath it
there are caves, and near the caves and the river a village vol. 2
called Troy, an ancient settlement of the captive Trojans vol. 3 (Internet Archive)
who had accompanied Menelaus and settled there.[10]
Stefan Radt, ed. (20022011). Strabons Ge-
The very rst written denition/discussion of volcanism ographika : mit bersetzung und Kommentar. Gt-
(Eusive eruption) observed at Katakekaumen (mod- tingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.
ern Kula, Western Turkey) until Pliny the Younger wit-
nessed to the eruption of Vesuvius on 24 August 79 AD Jones, H. L., transl. (1917). The Geography of
in Pompeii: Strabo. Vol. 1 (Books 1 & 2) of 8 vols. London:
Heinemann.
6 Notes
[1] Pontus fell to the Roman general Pompey in 63 BC and,
Karadivlit Scoria Cone and AA type basaltic ssure lava ow in
after the murder or suicide of Mithridates VI of Pontus
Katakekaumen (modern-day Kula, Turkey).
(otherwise known as Mithridates the Great), was broken
up into smaller provinces in 64 BC. Strabo in Book 12
Chapter 3 Section 41 states that the Romans took posses-
There are no trees here, but only the vine-
sion of Bithynia a little before my time, setting the date
yards where they produce the Katakekaumene
of his birth to after 63 BC.
wines which are by no means inferior from any
of the wines famous for their quality. The soil is [2] Accompanied by prefect of Egypt Aelius Gallus, who had
covered with ashes, and black in color as if the been sent on a military mission to Arabia.
5
[3] He mentions all or most of his teachers as prominent citi- Dueck, D.; H. Lindsay; S. Pothecary, eds. (2005).
zens of their own respective cities. Strabos Cultural Geography: The Making of a
Kolossourgia. Cambridge: Cambridge University
[4] This also highlights the international trend of the era that
Greek intellectuals would often instruct the Roman elite. Press.
[5] Aristodemus was also the grandson of the famous Lindberg, David C. (2008). The Beginnings of
Posidonius, whose inuence is manifest in Strabos Ge- Western Science The European Scientic Tradition
ography. in Philosophical, Religious, and Institutional Context,
Prehistory A.D. 1450 (2nd ed.). Chicago: Univer-
[6] Largely due to his future teacher Athenodorus, tutor of
sity of Chicago Press.
Augustus.
[7] Thus completing his traditional Greek aristocratic educa-
Roller, Duane (2014). The Geography of Strabo:
tion in rhetoric, grammar and philosophy. Tyrannion was An English Translation, with Introduction and Notes.
known to have befriended Cicero and taught his nephew, Cambridge.
Quintus.
9 External links
7 References
Media related to Strabo at Wikimedia Commons
[1] Strabo (meaning squinty, as in strabismus) was a term
employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were Quotations related to Strabo at Wikiquote
distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called
Greek Wikisource has original text related to this
"Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that
he could see things at great distance as if they were nearby article:
was also called Strabo.
Geography (Loeb Classical Library, H. L. Jones
[2] Geography Book XII Chapter 3 Section 15, Amaseia, my translation)
fatherland.
Biography of Strabo
[3] Horace Leonard Jones, translator, The Geography of
Strabo, Heinemann, London, 1917, p. xxv-xxvi Works by Strabo at Project Gutenberg
[4] Sarah Pothecary, When was the Geography written? Works by or about Strabo at Internet Archive
[5] Strabonis Geographica, Book 17, Chapter 7.
[6] (see note 3.)
[7] Geographie, Band 1, Strabo, S.17, Strabo, Karl Krcher,
Gottlieb Lukas Friedrich Tafel, Christian Nathanael Os-
iander, Gustav Schwab, Verlag Metzler, 1831.
[8] Lawrence Kim, Homer Between History and Fiction in Im-
perial Greek Literature, 2010, p83
[9] Charles Lyell, Principles of Geology, 1832, p.20-21
[10] Strabos Geography, XVII, 34
[11] Strabos Geography, XIII, 628; XIV, 650.
8 Sources
Biography of Strabo. Tufts.
Strabo. Encyclopdia Britannica (15th ed.).
1998. pp. 296297.
Diller, A. (1975). The Textual Tradition of Strabos
Geography. Amsterdam.
Dueck, Daniela (2000). Strabo of Amasia: Greek
Man of Letters in Augustan Rome. New York: Rout-
ledge.
6 10 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES
10 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses
10.1 Text
Strabo Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strabo?oldid=796000728 Contributors: Magnus Manske, Jeronimo, Andre Engels, XJaM,
William Avery, Olivier, Delirium, Ellywa, Stan Shebs, Amcaja, John K, Nikola Smolenski, Itai, Kenatipo, Wetman, Dimadick, Robbot,
PedroPVZ, Geogre, GreatWhiteNortherner, Everyking, Evanluxzenburg, Keith Edkins, Rdsmith4, Bumm13, ELApro, Eyrian, Sfeldman,
Discospinster, Kdammers, Francis Schonken, Dbachmann, Mani1, Paul August, Bender235, Gilgamesh he, Wareh, Bill Thayer, La goutte de
pluie, Kentin, Ricky81682, Angr, Woohookitty, FeanorStar7, Rocastelo, Sburke, Lincher, John Hill, Isnow, SDC, Rjwilmsi, Nicholas Swift,
SeanMack, FlaBot, Eubot, Koroner, Shauni, Bgwhite, EamonnPKeane, YurikBot, Aldux, Deucalionite, Botteville, Igin, Tevildo, Leonar-
doRob0t, Erudy, Eog1916, Sardanaphalus, Attilios, SmackBot, Flounderer, Kimon, Vald, Strabismus, KocjoBot~enwiki, Piccadilly, Rune
X2, Chris the speller, Miquonranger03, MalafayaBot, Cretanforever, William Allen Simpson, Dawsong, Teemeah, Akhilleus, Seleukosa,
Stevenmitchell, Tapered, Kleuske, Yom, Andrew Dalby, SashatoBot, Ser Amantio di Nicolao, Anriz, Peterlewis, F15 sanitizing eagle, The
Man in Question, Hectorian, Grblomerth, Ctnelsen, Shoeofdeath, Cydebot, Hebrides, DumbBOT, Wikid77, Amphipolis, WinBot, Mike-
Lynch, Deective, Hut 8.5, Rothorpe, Magioladitis, El Greco, BlaiseMuhaddib, Waacstats, Zandweb~enwiki, Simon Peter Hughes, Bgold4,
J.delanoy, Hans Dunkelberg, KylieTastic, Scarlett8188, VolkovBot, Macedonian, Harfarhs, Chienlit, Barneca, TXiKiBoT, JhsBot, Natg
19, PericlesofAthens, SieBot, StAnselm, BotMultichill, Tataryn, Flyer22 Reborn, Monegasque, Mimihitam, Jackal59, BenoniBot~enwiki,
Ulamm, ClueBot, Morningstar1814, Rumping, Sevilledade, Niceguyedc, Alexbot, PixelBot, Jaredisahotmonkey, Catalographer, Thingg,
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GreenC, FrescoBot, Qcips, Masterknighted, BenzolBot, ChrisJBenson, Jivee Blau, Pmokeefe, BRUTE, RedBot, Kgrad, Greco22, TobeBot,
SmartyBoots, Brobilot, RjwilmsiBot, In ictu oculi, EmausBot, Tarunn90, GoingBatty, Dcirovic, ZroBot, Bongoramsey, Aeonx, Spork-
Bot, Chewings72, Spicemix, ClueBot NG, Jack Greenmaven, R530, Helpful Pixie Bot, Neptunes Trident, Robert.M, Pasicles, Jaqeli,
Erturac, Dj777cool, MeanMotherJr, BattyBot, Oligocene, Torquatus, VIAFbot, Obaid Raza, ThievingBeagles, Jodosma, Transphasic, Ce-
lestialStar14, Roger de Lauria, Alltimeashtonyay, TropicAces, Tigercompanion25, Bjrassler, Kaliroi Patronikola, CyanoTex, KasparBot,
Lamassus, RunnyAmiga, Kostas20142, PrimeBOT and Anonymous: 104
10.2 Images
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2BB-Geography-Map1-StrabosMap.PNG License: Public domain Contributors: An illustration from the Encyclopaedia Biblica, a
1903 publication which is now in the public domain Original artist: no idea - see source (though, ultimately Strabo)
File:Kula_karadivlit_scoriacone_aaflow.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Kula_karadivlit_
scoriacone_aaflow.jpg License: CC0 Contributors: Picture taken during the Kula Geopark Project by JEMIRKO Original artist: Dr. M.
Korhan Ertura
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from the Dibner Library of the History and Science of Technology. Taken from here, Strabos Geographica, chapter 35. Original artist:
user:Brian Boru
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