Africa being an accurate description of the regions of Ægypt, Barbary, Lybia, and Billedulgerid, the land of Negroes, Guinee, Æthiopia and the Abyssines : with all the adjacent islands, either in the Mediterranean, Atlantick, Southern or Oriental Sea, belonging thereunto : with the several denominations fo their coasts, harbors, creeks, rivers, lakes, cities, towns, castles, and villages, their customs, modes and manners, languages, religions and inexhaustible treasure : with their governments and policy, variety of trade and barter : and also of their wonderful plants, beasts, birds and serpents : collected and translated from most authentick authors and augmented with later observations : illustrated with notes and adorn'd with peculiar maps and proper sculptures / by John Ogilby, Esq. ...

THE DOMINION and FORT OF GOLETTA.

THe Dominion of Goletta, * 1.1 so call'd from the Fort lying on the Mouth of the Lake Goletta by Tunis, containeth these Cities, Marsa, Napolis in Bar∣bary, Kammart, Arriane and Carthago. It is look'd upon as a Place of weighty Concernment, being the Key of Tunis, and Neighbour to Carthage: Some hold it to be the Island Galatha, or Galitha of Ptolomy, and the Gorilon of Pliny: but Sanutus and others make Goletta and Galatha to be two distinct Places. The Name of Goletta cometh originally from the Italian word Gola, signifying a Throat, or according to Olivarius upon Mela, from the Diminutive Goletta, that is, a Little Throat, or as we term it, a Gullet, because this Fort is built upon the Neck or Throat of a Lake of that Name, over which they pass in small Barques to Tunis; so that in truth it is an Island.

The Mahumetans first built upon this Spot, thereby giving a beginning to this Fort; which the Turks afterwards having strengthened, the Emperor Charles the Fifth after, * 1.2 together with Tunis, took from them: but at length regain'd by the Turks in the Year Fifteen hundred seventy four, as before hath been more particularly related: Since which time the Turks have, besides the old one, cast up two other Forts, with two or three Redoubts between them, and are as the Keys of their State in that Countrey. Gramay says, it contains a fair Haven, fit for many Ships to harbour in, with Store-houses for Merchandise, a Custom-house, two Mesquites, and Prisons for Christian Slaves; so that it seems much rather a City than a Fort.

The first Fort appears surrounded with a double Wall, flanked with Sconces, and three great Works one within another, encircling all to Com∣mand the Haven and City: In the midst is a Well of fresh Water, feeding a Stream which runs through the Fort. Little remains of the old Fort, saving a Corner of a Bulwark, Planted with ten Pieces of Ordnance, where those of Tunis maintain forty Janizaries.

Marsa, or Marca, signifying in Arabick, A small City, Marmol says, * 1.3 stands in the place where the Haven of the old City of Carthage was, or according to Gramay, opposite to it, built after the destruction of Carthage, by one Mehedi Kaliff of Cai∣ravan. It is adorned with a Royal Palace, and some pleasant Places, whether the Bashaws of Tunis in the Summer go to take their pleasure, and keep their Court. They say at present it boasts eight hundred Houses, with a Mesquite and a Colledge, built by Muley Mahomet, Father of Muley Assez King of Tunis.

Nebel, by the Moors call'd Nabis; by the Africans antiently, Napolis of Barbary; * 1.4 is supposed to be that Colony which Ptolomy call'd Neapilis; and by Strabo, Leptis; was built by the Romans at the Edge of the Midland-Sea, three miles from Tunis: on the East formerly well Inhabited; but at this day Peopled onely with a few Families of Gardners, and such like inferiour Persons.

Kammart, another small City close by the Ruines of Carthage, * 1.5 two miles Eastward of Tunis; was formerly call'd Walachie, as Aben Razid, an African Wri∣ter affirms: who also reports the Romans to have Founded it, being encompas∣sed with high Walls, and very populous, yet most of the Inhabitants Gard∣ners, who bring their Fruit and Herbs to sell at Tunis.

Arriane, by Marmol call'd Abditane, a small City a mile North of Tunis, * 1.6 built by the Arian Gothes, from whom, and their Heresie, it took the Name, * 1.7 which it hath hitherto kept without any alteration.

Lastly Arradez, * 1.8 a very small Town in the way between Goletta and Tunis on the East. This was formerly a Roman Colony; when the Arabian Mahumetans fell into these Parts, they ruined it, but the Kings of Tunis re-edifi'd the Walls of the Castle, and Planted it with Inhabitants.

CARTHAGE.

CArthage, formerly the most famous City, not onely of Africa, but stood in competition with Rome to be Mistress of the whole World, hath had se∣veral Names: The Greeks call'd it Charchedon sometimes, and sometimes Cadmia, Oenussa, and Cacabie; The Emperor Commodus gave it the Names of Gettabert, Commodia, Alexandria: Caius Gracchus, Junonia: Marmol, from the Afri∣cans, Bersak and Almenara: The Italians, Rocco. But notwithstanding all this variety, it still retains the old and best known Name of Carthage, suppos'd to have been a Colony of the Phaenicians; who on the Conquest of their Coun∣trey by the Children of Israel, forc'd to seek new Habitations; and having store of Ships to transplant themselves and Families, settled in these Maritime Parts of Mauritania, and proper Africa. Many pregnant Testimonies hereof might be produced, we shall onely instance two. One from St. Augustine, who in his Comment on St. Paul's Epistles to the Romans tells us, that Interrogati Rustici no∣stri quid sint, respondent Punici Chanaani: When any of the Inhabitants of this Countrey (whereof himself was one) was ask'd what they were, they an∣swer'd Chanaanites. The other from Procopius, (cited by Evagrius Scholasticus) re∣citing, that on two Marble Pillars not far from Tangier, there was in the Phaeni∣cian Language and Character engrav'd: Nos fugimus a facie Joshuah Praedonis filii Nave; that is, We fly from the face of that Robber Joshuah the Son of

Nun: The Settlement of this People here might be a great inducement to bring Dido hither, who fear'd as much danger from her Brother Pigmalion King of Tyre, whose Hands had been imbru'd in the Bloud of her Husband, as the others did from the Sword of Joshuah.

Concerning Dido building of Carthage, and the cause of her flying thither, hear in brief Venus giving an account of it to Aeneas.

Carthage thou seest, built by (l) 1.9 Agenor's Race, But Lybick's Coasts, where Warlike Men are bred; Dido reigns here, who from her Brother fled: The Story's sad and long, but I'le in brief Of many Passages select the chief. (m) 1.10 Sichaeus was her Lord, in Wealth beyond All Tyre, and she of him extreamly fond; Whose Father with blest Omens gave a Maid: But (n) 1.11 Tyre her Brother King Pygmalion swaid, Who far exceeds all those that are engag'd To murther Princes, and with Fury rag'd. Mad, till her Husband's Gold he had enjoy'd, Sichaeus at the Altars he destroy'd; Long hides the Fact, and did her Love despise, Yet cherish'd her vain Hope with flattering Lies. To whom in Sleep, her Husband un-interr'd, With a most Ghastly Countenance appear'd, Dire Altars, and his wounded Bosome shews, And all her Brothers Treason did disclose: Perswades her, straight that she her Countrey fly; A Hoord of Gold, and Silver, to supply Her Voyage, he discovers under ground, Which made her way, and many Followers found. Those who did hate, or fear the Tyrant, meet, And suddenly they seiz'd a ready Fleet, Transporting thence greedy Pygmalion's Coyn; A Woman Principal of this Design; And found those parts where now huge Walls, and new Tow'rs of aspiring Carthage thou may'st view: Call'd (o) 1.12 Byrsa from the Bargain; so much Ground Bought, as a Bull's Hide might encompass round.

Punica regna vides, Tyrios, & Agenoris urbem: Sed fines Lybici genus intractabile bello. Imperium Dido Tyria regit urbe profecta, Germanum fugiens: longa est injuria, longae Ambages, sed summa sequar fastigia rerum. Huic conjux Sichaeus erat ditissimus agri Phoenicum, & magno miserae dilectus amore: Cui pater intactam dederat primisque jugarat Omnibus: sed regna Tyri germanus habebat Pygmalion: scelere ante alios immanior omnes. Quos inter medius venit furor, ille Sichaeum Impius ante aras, atque auri caecus amore, Clam ferro incautum superat, securus amorum Germanae: factumque diu caelavit, & aegram Multa malus simulans, vana spe lusit amantem. Ipsa sed in somnis inhumati venit imago Conjugis, ora modis attollens pallida miris: Crudeles aras, trajectaque pectora ferro Nudavit: caecum{que} domus scelus omne retexit. Tum celarare fugam patria{que} excedere suadet. Auxiliumque viae, veteres tellure recludit Thesauros, ignotum argenti pondus, & auri. His commota, fugam Dido, sociosque parabat: Conveniunt, quibus aut odium crudele tyranni, Aut metus acer erat: naves, quae forte paratae, Corripiunt, onerant{que} auro: portantur avari Pygmalionis opes pelago, dux femina facti. Devenere locos, ubi nunc ingentia cernes Moenia, surgentem{que} novae Carthaginis arcem: Mercatique solum facti de nomine Byrsam, Taurino quantum possent circumdare tergo.

The Descent of Dido (from whence the truth of her Story must be collected) was this; Phoenix (who gave name to Phoenicia) was the Brother of Cadmus, and the fifth from Jupiter: His Great Grandfather was Epaphus; his Grandfather, Belus Priscus; (reputed a God, and honoured with Temples call'd Bel by the Assyri∣ans, and Baal by the Hebrews) his Father, Agenor: Belus the Less, call'd also Methres, was Son to Phoenix, and King of Phoenicia by Descent, and of Cyprus by Conquest: he had Issue (besides other) Pygmalion and Dido, who well revenged of her Brother for her Husbands death, fled unto the Confines of Lybia with all Treasures, which were very great, accompanied with her Brother Barca, and her Sister Anna, and Landing in the Bay, where after stood Carthage, obtain'd leave to build a Fort, no bigger than she could compass about with an Ox Hide. This was the beginning of Carthage, and hence it took the first Name Byrsa: The first Foundation was about the Year of the World Three thousand and seventy; about 144 years after the building of Solomons Temple, * 1.13 143 years before the building of Rome, and 290 before the destruction of Troy. By which account it seems impossible, that Dido or Eliza ever saw Aeneas, clearly contra∣dicting Virgil in that his excellent Poem. From this concurrence of time, and upon sight of her Picture, Ausonius hath given us this Epigram:

Illa ego sum Dido, vultu quam conspicis hospes, Assimilata modis, pulchraque mirificis Talis eram: sed non Maro quam mihi finxit, erat mens: Vita nec incestis laeta cupidinibus Namque nec Aeneas vidit me Troius unquam Nec Lybiam advenit classibus Iliacis, Sed furias fugiens atque arma procacis Iarbae Servavi, fateor, morte pudicitiam. Pectore transfixo, castos quod protulit enses, Non furor, aut laeso crudus amore dolor: Sic cecidisse juvat; vixi sine vulnere famae: Ulta virum, positismaenibus operii.

I am that Dido, Passenger, behold! For my surpassing Beauty once extoll'd. Such was I living, not as Maro feign'd, My Chaster Bosom with foul Lust distain'd. I ne're Aeneas saw: nor ever heard A Trojan Fleet to Lybick Confines steer'd. But to escape Iarba's wanton Flame, By Self-destruction I preserv'd my Fame. Therefore with steel I pierc'd my tender Breast, And not with grief of Love despis'd, opprest. Thus pleas'd I fell, like Gold my Honor tri'd, Reveng'd my Lord, a City built, and dy'd.

Hereunto consented Ausonius; who honouring the Statue of this abused Princess, among other Verses written thereon, gives us these four.

Invida, cur in me stimulasti, Musa, Maronem Fingeret ut nostrae damna pudicitiae? Vos magis Historicis (Lectores) credite de me Quam qui furta Deum concubitus{que} canunt.

Why stirr'dst thou, envious Muse, up Virgil's vein, That 'gainst my Honor be a Lye should fain? Historians, rather than this Poet trust, Who prais'd the Gods for Robberies and Lust.

But to return to Carthage: Ibnuraquique an African Historiographer will have an Egyptian King to have laid the first Foundations 226 years before Rome: but others later. Where-ever it was first erected, sure we are, the Romans destroy'd it in the six hundredth year after the building of Rome, after it had stood above seven hundred years. This so famous City stood in the bottom of a safe and capacious Bay, strongly fortifi'd on all sides both by Art and Nature, sur∣rounded by the Sea, except where joyned to the Land by a narrow Isthmus, for∣ty five miles in compass by the outward Wall; within which were three Walls more, and between each of them were several streets with Arched Vaults un∣derneath, thirty Foot deep, wherein they could keep three hundred Elephants,

with convenient Fodder for them, besides Stabling for four thousand Horse, with Conveniencies of Stowage for their Provender, and sufficient Quarters in those Out-Streets for their Riders, and twenty thousand Foot besides, which never came into the City to trouble it. On the South-side stood the Castle of Byrsa, two miles and a half in Circuit; first built by Dido, as we said, and in that the sumptuous Temples of Juno, Apollo, Esculapius, and Belus: On the West a Mole, whose entrance was but seventy Foot, but within a stately Arsenall and Room for their Ships and Galleys to ride in safety. Thus commodiously seated, it conquer'd all the Sea-Coasts from the greater Sirtes to the Streights of Gibraltar, and so to the River Iberus; wherein was contained three hundred Cities. Not contented here, they cast an eye upon Sicily, whose defence the Romans (emulous of the Punick Greatness) undertook; which was the first Car∣thaginian War, and ended to their disadvantage, being forc'd to pay three thou∣sand two hundred Talents, amounting to two Millions of Crowns.

The second, begun by Hannibal the son of Amilcar, descended from Barka the Brother of Dido, who after many Victories in Spain, and much experience gained, conducted his Victorious Army through Gaul, and over the Alps into Italy, defeated their Armies; and slew their Consuls, but not pursuing his Vi∣ctory, after the Battel of Cannae, and eighteen years Warring in the bowels of Italy, was at last call'd home to defend Africa from Scipio, who had transferred the War thither: The event was, that the Carthaginians, worsted in the Battel at Nadagara, were compell'd to submit to the will of the Conqueror. The se∣cond Punick War thus ended, it might have been supposed the Romans needed not to have been any farther jealous of Carthage; which, though subject to them, because in few years very thriving, they had a spight to, as thinking them∣selves unsafe while that City stood. Resolved therefore on the destruction of it, they sent against it L. Martius, and M. Manlius their two Consuls, with a power∣ful Army, to whom the Carthaginians willingly delivered up their Arms and Shipping, contracting onely for the preservation of it self, which was promi∣sed: But when upon the delivery of their Pledges they were told, A City con∣sisted not in the Walls and Houses, but in the Laws and Government, and that these, with the Corporation should remain, but the Town be removed ten miles farther from the Sea: Enraged hereat, they resolved to abide the uttermost, but their for∣mer condescensions had made them uncapable of resistance: Therefore in stead of Iron, which they wanted, they made Arms of Gold and Silver, pull'd down the Houses to furnish Timber for a Navy, and the Ladies cut off their Hair to provide Ropes and Cordage; twenty five thousand Listed them∣selves to defend the Walls, which with great courage and constancy was a long time performed. But at length another Scipio, sent thither, at last took the Town, and for seventeen days together consumed it with Fire: but it was again re-edifi'd and peopled by Julius Caesar as a Colony, and so much augment∣ed by Augustus, that it was accounted a place of no small reputation.

¶ IN the time of the Emperor Vespasian it was grown in great esteem, * 1.14 and very populous: but in the Reign of Constantine the Great, it was call'd, The Ornament of the World. But soon after, the Vandals, under their King Gense∣rick, in the Year after Christ's Nativity, Four hundred forty two, reduced it to great misery; which yet once more it recovered, and remained a City of good estimation, till suffering under the Gothish Devastations: but at length finally destroy'd by the Arabians, and made a heap of Ruines, as it still continues.

The chief and greatest remaining Antiquity of this once so famous Place, is a Water-course, Vaulted over with high Arches, through which it runs into the City, although many remainders of the old Fortifications may yet be seen, and some ruined Structures.

The Village Marsa, which we mention'd before, is the onely place that keeps up the memory of Carthage, being built in part of its Ruines, and a poor piece of the Skeleton of that once so glorious Body; so true is that of the antient Poet, Sic patet exemplis Oppida posse mori.

¶ THe Valleys lying round about have a very sweet Air, * 1.15 because conti∣nually cleared by fresh Breezes that come from the Sea, and are full of Orchards, Planted with great variety of Fruit, of a pleasant taste, and very large, especially Peaches, Pomegranates, Olives, Figs, Citrons, Lemmons and Oranges, wherewith the Markets of Tunis are plentifully furnisht; the rest of the Ground also being exceeding Fertile, though circumscribed in narrow Limits; for on the North lieth the Mountain Thesea, and the Lake of Goletta; and on the East and South, the Plain of Byserta; the rest between Carthage and Tunis, for almost three miles, dry and barren Land.

¶ THe Ground about Arriane, produceth some Wheat and St. Johns Bread, * 1.16 but about Naples nothing but Flax; and about Kammart many Sugar-Canes.

¶ SOme wild Beasts are found hereabouts, as also a sort of Gray Partridges, * 1.17 and others, with black Feathers on their Breasts and Wings, the re∣maining part Ash-coloured, with the Bill and Feet much shorter than the Par∣tridges here with us. In the Lake of Goletta are Birds, by the Moors call'd Louze, and by the Turks, Kalckavensi, having Legs two Foot and a half long, and all their Feathers Milk white.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Dominion of Go∣letta.
• * 1.2

  Overcome by Charles the Emperor.
• * 1.3

  Marsa.
• * 1.4

  Nebel.
• * 1.5

  Kammart.
• * 1.6

  Arriane.
• * 1.7

  Leo. 5. D.
• * 1.8

  Arradez.
• (l) 1.9

  Jupiter begat Epaphus, he Belus the elder, he Agenor, he Phenix, he Belas the younger, Father to Dido, Pygmalion and Anna. Here Carthage therefore is call'd Age∣nor's Seat per An••onomasiam.
• (m) 1.10

  The Poet softens rougher Names, making Sichaeus of Sicharbus; Eelus, Dido's Father, Methres.
• (n) 1.11

  Tyri, Adverbium. Pygmalion, whil'st yet a Child, was honour'd with a Crown by the People, and reign'd 47 years. He was the tenth from Hiram, who supply'd Solomon with Cedars towards the Building of the Temple. From which Hiram, to the building of Carthage, Scaliger reckons 103 years, in Proleg. de Emend. Temp.
• (o) 1.12

  Dido, driven upon Libya, and ready to be turn'd away a gain by Iarbas, cunningly intreated that she might buy of him (others say, that he would give her) so much Ground as an Oxe's Hide would compass; which he granting, she cut the Hide into so many small pieces, as inclos'd twenty two Stadia.

  Thus (saith Cambden) Our Aunals record, that Hengist the Saxon, after he had vanquish••d the Picts and Scots, and receiv'd very large Possessions in other places, obtain'd also in Lincoln-shire, of Vortiger, so much Ground as he could compass round with an Oxe Hide cut into small Thongs, whereon he founded and built a Castle, afterwards called Thong-Castle: Whence it is that one who hath written in Verse a Breviary of the British History, turn'd Virgil's Verses in this manner;

  Acceptique solum, facti de nomine Thongum, Taurino quantum poterat circundare tergo.

  A Ground he took, which Thong he call'd, when first he did begin, As much as he, a Bull Hide cut, could well incompass in.

  As to the name Byrsa, Scaliger (in Festum) observes, that it is us'd, by Metaphrasis, for Bysra; originally an Hebrew word, signifying a Tower, or Fortifi'd place: for Car∣thage was a Colony of Tyrians, who speak Hebrew. But that this story is to be understood onely of the Tower, not of the whole City, which was afterwards added to it as they grew greater, we have the Authority of Appian, in this more probable than Livy, who would understand it of all, lib. 44.
• * 1.13

  Josephus lib. 1. cont. App••
• * 1.14

  Its Fame.
• * 1.15

  The Condition of the Countrey.
• * 1.16

  Plants or Vegetables.
• * 1.17

  Beasts.