26 T R A V E L S in A S I A M I N O R .
T his city was begun by Antigonus, and from him firsft called
Antigonia ; but Lyfimachu's, to whom, as a fucceffor of Alexander,
it devolved, changed the appellation in honour of the de-
ceafed king. In the war with Antiochus it was eminent for its
fidelity to the Romans, who conferred on it the fame privileges
as the cities of Italy enjoyed. Under Augustus, it received a
Roman colony, and increafed. It was then the only confider-
able place between Sigeum and Ledtos, and was inferior to no
city of its name but Alexandria in Egypt.
A l e x a n d r ia Troaswas feated on a hill, doping toward the
fea, and divided from M. Ida by a deep valley. On each fide is
an extenfive plain, with wafer-courfes The founders, it is probable,
were aware, that, like Tenedos, It would derive many
advantages from its fttuation on the coaft, near the mouth of the
Hellefpont.
T he port of Troas, by which we landed, has a hill riling
round it in a femicircle, and covered with rubbilh. Many fmall
granate pillars are Handing, half buried, and much corroded by
the fpray. It is likely the veffels were faftened -to them by ropes.
A fand-bank at the entrance had cut off the communication with
the fea, and the fmaller bafin was dry. The larger had water,
but apparently fhallow. Its margin was incrufied with iponta-
neous fait. Both were artificial, and intended for ftiiall-cr'aft and.
gallies ; fhjps of burthen anchoring in the road without the
mole.
T he city-wall is Handing, except toward the vineyard, but
with gaps, and the battlements ruined. It was thick and folid,
had fquare towers at regular difiances, and was‘feveral miles in
circumference. Belides houfes, it has inclofed many magnificent
firudtures; but now appears as the boundary of a forefi or neg-
ledted park. A map belonging to Mr. Wood, and made, as we
fuppofed by a Frenchman, in 1726, ferved us as -a guide. The
author,
author, it is imagined, believed, as other travellers had done,
that this was the fite of Ilium or Troy, inflead of Troas..
C onfusion cannot eafily be defcribed. Above the fhore is
a hollow, overgrown with trees, near which Pocock fayv remains
of a Hadium or place for races, funk in the ground; and higher
up is the vaulted fubflrudlion or bafement of a large temple. We
were told this had been lately a lurking-place of banditti; who
often lay concealed here, their horfes tied in rows to wooden
pegs, of which many then remained in the wall. It now fwarm-
ed with bats, much bigger in fize than the Englifh, which op
our entering, flitted about, innumerable; and fettling, when
tired, blackened the roof. Near it is a fouterrain; and at feme
diflance, veftiges .of a theatre and of an odeum, or Muftc Theatre.
Thefe edifices were toward the centre of the city. The femicir-
cular fweep, on which their feats ranged, is formed in the hilL
with the ends vaulted. Among the rubbifli, which is of great
extent, are a few feraps of marble and of fculpture, with many
fmall granate pillars. But the principal ruin is that feen from
Tenedos. This has before it a gentle defcent, with inequalities,,
to the fea difiant by computation about three miles. It was a
Xery ample building, and, as we fuppofed, once the gymnafium.
It confifls of three maffive arches, towering amid walls and a vafe
heap pf huge materials. They are conflrudted with a fpecies of
Hone, which is full of petrified cockle-fhells, and of cavities,
like honey-comb. The piers have capitals and mouldings of
white marble, and the whole fabric appears to have been in-
cruHed. Some remnants qf the earthen fpouts or pipes are vili-
ble. On one fide is a ruin of brick; and behind, without the
city-wall, are fepulchres. One of thefe is pf the mafonry called
Reticulated or Netted.
A city diftinguifhed,and flourifliing by Roman favour would
not be tardy in paying the tribute of .adulation to' its bene-
fadtors. The peafant fliowed me a marble pedeHal infcribed
.in Latin, the characters large, plain, and well-formed. We
D 2 found