Geography, Volume VIII: Book 17. General Index

by Strabo, Horace Leonard Jones (Translator)

Strabo (ca. 64 BCE to ca. 25 CE), an Asiatic Greek of Amasia in Pontus, studied at Nysa and after 44 BCE at Rome. He became a keen traveller who saw a large part of Italy, various near eastern regions including the Black Sea, various parts of Asia Minor, Egypt as far as Ethiopia, and parts of Greece. He was a long time in Alexandria where he no doubt studied mathematics, astronomy, and history.

Strabo's historical work is lost, but his most important Geography in seventeen books has survived. After two introductory books, numbers 3 and 4 deal with Spain and Gaul, 5 and 6 with Italy and Sicily, 7 with north and east Europe, 8–10 with Greek lands, 11–14 with the main regions of Asia and with Asia Minor, 15 with India and Iran, 16 with Assyria, Babylonia, Syria, and Arabia, 17 with Egypt and Africa. In outline he follows the great mathematical geographer Eratosthenes, but adds general descriptions of separate countries including physical, political, and historical details. A sequel to his historical memoirs, Geography is planned apparently for public servants rather than students—hence the accounts of physical features and of natural products. On the mathematical side it is an invaluable source of information about Eratosthenes, Hipparchus, and Posidonius.

The Loeb Classical Library edition of Strabo is in eight volumes.

Genres: History

528 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1932

About the author

born perhaps 63 BC
died perhaps 24

Geography , great work, the only extant text of Strabo, Greek historian, describes the known peoples during the reign of Augustus to the Romans.

* Στράβων

Strabo, a philosopher, lived in Asia Minor during the transitional period of the republic into the Roman Empire.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strabo

Reviews

[Howard A]

Strabo was a Asiatic Greek born around 64BC who traveled most of the then known world. He created maps and wrote about the things he saw. Strabo became known as a geographer, historian and philosopher. As a student of history I hoped that his writings would provide insight not obtained in many of the historical books published in the last hundred years and I was correct. This edition was Book 17 published sometime between 7BC and AD 17, and covers Strabo's travels through Egypt as far south as Ethiopia and also Libya. Imagine reading a report of countries visited by a world traveler from his view point with no hidden agenda. As a retired Navy sailor who has traveled the world, I know the excitement of visiting a country for the first time and I appreciate Strabo's ability to create a picture of all he saw in the details he provides in this book. So much so that I am committed to read Book 16 which covers Assyria, Babylonia, Syria and Arabia. This edition provided great insight to the area's in Africa that addressed my interest of that region and I am confident that book 16 will provide insight to those regions also. If you are a student of the Bible and History as I am, this book or other editions will surely keep you turning the pages and I am confident you too will become a student of Strabo's adventures.

[Vicki Cline · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the eighth and final volume of the Loeb edition of Strabo's work, and my remarks are for the whole set. I have to admit I did a lot of skimming because of the long lists of unfamiliar place names and people. It was hard to follow in places even with the maps at the end of most volumes. What I liked were the descriptions of what different people ate, how they got married, how they buried their dead, and stuff like that. Also there were plenty of unbelievable anecdotes, like the story of how elephants could be killed if they leaned against a tree that fell down, because then they couldn't get up, having a single leg bone, i.e. no knees. Or the oak trees that grew in the ocean near Spain, with nearby fish growing fat on the acorns. Or the place with two rivers, one of which would make sheep white if they drank from it and the other which would make sheep black. Sort of like an ancient Weekly World News. http://www.google.com/search?q=weekly...

[James Violand · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strabo was the geographer of the Ancient World. He not only traveled, but he relied on the recorded geographies of other writers to fill the gaps in his knowledge (which was pretty extensive). It is interesting to read of those places we are familiar with but as they were two thousand years ago. Not for those who aren't interested in the ancient world.

[C.L. Francisco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essential reading for anyone looking for primary sources on Ptolemaic and early Roman Egypt, as well much of northern Africa. And if you happen to like ancient tourists' guide, it's fascinating!