50
HISTOIIY OF ENGINEERING
Chap. III.
of the Athenian Tiberius Claudius Atticus Ilerodes, who was appointed to preside over thefree cities of Asia. When tins munificent and illustrious proconsul found that Troas wasnot supplied with water, he requested of the Emperor Hadrian , that he would not allowthis ancient maritime citv to be without a plentiful supply, but that he would bestow300 myriads of drachms to procure it. Hadrian complied, and appointed Atticus Ilerodesto superintend the constructions necessary. Upwards of 700 myriads were expended, andthe emperor complained; when Ilerodes in reply stated, he had given the overplus of the sumto his son, and he to the city. This munificent Athenian was the grandson of Hipparchus ,who, though wealthy, had his estates confiscated, and his family reduced to the greatest want :but his father, Julius Atticus, discovered a vast treasure in a house which lie inhabited, nearthe theatre at Athens; of which he informed the Emperor Nerva, and requested to knowhis pleasure in the appropriation of it. 'Hie emperor replied, “ Use what you have found, andabuse, if you will, what Mercury has given you.” After this Julius married a wealthy lady,and their son, Atticus Ilerodes, who was born at Marathon , inherited a vast property : hiseducation was superintended by the most learned masters ; and he became as eminent forhis mental acquirements, as for his wealth: in the year 143 he was made consul withTorquatus at Rome.
Chios. This island was computed by Strabo to be 900 stadia in circumference, or about112£ miles, and about fifty miles from the island of Mitylene. The ancient city of Chios had a good port, large enough to admit eighty ships. The present town of Scio occupies the
f MILE
Fig. 5G.
site, and there may still be traced the remains of the ancient mole, which above the level of thewater is now covered with large loose stones. The entrance to the port beyond this moleis narrow, and encompassed by rocks. A modern citadel takes the place of a part of themore ancient town, the ruins of which still remain.
Smyrna was founded by Alexander the Great , for the Smvrneans, a people then living inthe neighbourhood of Ephesus ; and ihe situation chosen indicates the judgment which theGreeks always bestowed upon such occasions. This city, like others of their founding,is on rising ground, near a plentiful supply of marble, and where in the side hills might becut the stadium and the theatre.
The port originally reached to the foot of the Acropolis , at which time it was a spaciousbasin in the midst of the city, encompassed with strongly-built and lofty walls, the stonesbeing laid in regular courses ; a great part of which may be still seen. Tamerlane ruinedthe ancient port by not allowing the sea its free ingress, and thus permitting the waters ofthe rivers to deposit their mud, without means being adopted to remove it. This emperor,who ravaged Asia , at the commencement of the fifteenth century, commanded every soldierin his army to throw a stone into the mouth of the harbour, which soon choked it up. Theancient city was two miles and a half from the modern Smyrna, and was built on the sea-shore, with the fine and clear river Menes running at the foot of the walls.
The Gulph of Smyrna, about 10 leagues in length, is well sheltered, and affords ex-cellent anchorage. The mouth of the Hermus is on the north side, within two leaguesand a half of the modern city. The mountain which bounds the bay of old Smyrna on thenorth extends westward to a plain through which the river runs. Near the mouth of theriver is a shoal or sandbank, and the channel is very narrow. The Hermus appears tohave frequently changed its course, and in time the plains around the modern city willprobably be covered with water, thus placing it in the midst of a vast lake.
Ttos. This ancient port is now partlv drv, and many sandbanks have been thrown up