54

HISTORY OF ENGINEERING.

Chap. III.

west; on the right and left of which a great quantity of sand has accumulated, and thepassage, now free, is not more than 60 yards in width : there are some yards for the buildingof vessels. The small town now inhabited stands on the east side of this large and deep port.Off the bay lies the island mentioned by Strabo as Arconnesus (lib. xiv.).

Behind the town are the remains of an edifice of the Doric order, composed of greymarble, but not of the same proportions as those of the purer days of Greece , which is sup-posed to have belonged to the agora mentioned by Vitruvius .

"Where the modern Turkish fortress called the Castle of Budrun is, at the easternend of the greater port, stood the palace of Mausolus , the smaller port being formed bythe island of Arconnesus.

According to Vitruvius, Mausolus was a powerful king , and constructed here a mag-nificent residence, which was standing in the time of Fausanias (lib. viii. cap. 16.). Vi-truvius informs us that it was built of brick, covered with slabs of Proconnesian marble,so highly polished that they sparkled like glass: he also tells us that this king was born atINIylasa, and established himself here on account of the situation being so well fortified bynature, and the port admirably adapted for commerce. The site of the city resembledan amphitheatre : in the lowest part, near the harbour, was built the forum : up the hill,in the middle of the curve, was a large square, in the centre of which stood the Mausoleum ,reckoned among the seven wonders of the world. On the summit of the hill was thetemple of Mars, with its colossal statue sculptured by Leocharis: on the right was thetemple of Venus and Mercury, near the fountain of Salmacis. This* place was colonisedby Melas and Arevanias, who were driven out of Argos and Troezene by the Carians andEclegic.

The palace of Mausolus commanded on the right, a view of the forum and the harbour,as well as the whole circuit of the walls, and on the left, it overlooked a private harbour,which was so contrived amid the mountains that no enemy could pry into it. From thispalace Mausolus could direct both his soldiers and sailors.

Upon the death of Mausolus, the Rhodians , indignant at his wife, who succeeded to thegovernment of Caria, fitted out a fleet for the purpose of seizing her kingdom. When thequeen, Artemcsia, heard of it, she commanded her fleet to remain quiet in the secret harbour,and her soldiers to man the walls. On the Rhodian fleet entering the large harbour, sheordered the citizens and those who were on the ramparts to hail them, and to promise tosurrender up the town. The Rhodians eagerly left their ships, when Queen Artemcsiasuddenly opened a canal, brought her fleet round, and entered the large harbour, whencethe Rhodian fleet, thus abandoned, was easily carried out to sea. The Rhodians , having allretreat cut off, were surrounded and slain in the forum. Artemcsia, then embarking herown sailors and marines on board the Rhodian ships, set sail for Rhodes ; where theinhabitants, seeing their vessels decorated with laurels, imagined their fellow-citizens hadreturned victorious but received their enemies. When Artemcsia had taken Rhodes , sheslew the chief of the citizens, and raised two brazen statues to commemorate her victory :one of these represented Rhodes , the other herself, imposing a mark of infamy on the city,which, as it was always contrary to the religion of the Rhodians to remove a trophy, theyencircled with a building.

The remains of walls and square towers are visible for a great extent, continuing fora distance of six miles from the western horn of the port, along high grounds to a con-siderable eminence, and then to the eastern promontory, on which the modern castle isbuilt. On the highest point of this eminence are traces of the ancient walls indicatingthe arx media, mentioned by Vitruvius , where the temple of Mars stood. At the footof the hill arc the remains of a theatre fronting the south, cut out of the side of the hill,where the steps show the position of the marble seats.

The modern castle stands on a tongue of land at the eastern extremity of the port,which it commanded : it is constructed of materials brought from some more ancientbuildings. This may be the site of one of those fortresses described by Strabo , lib. xiv.,as remaining when Alexander took the city.

Hie Fort of San Pietro was taken by Philibert de Nailar, the Grand Master of Rhodes,and was in the possession of the knights until it was surrendered to the Ottomans in theyear 1522.

The Island of Cos y now called Stanchio , was an ancient port, at present defended by afortress of considerable strength, with a inoat on the land side. Columns of cippolino,breccia, granite, and marble are found in the modern buildings, which attest the importanceas well as splendour of the former city. The mosque is entirely of marble, brought fromthe ruins of temples ; and the antiquary, by searching within the walls for inscriptionsand ornaments, may understand the character of the original structures which have beendemolished.

The ancient port is filled up with soft mud, and there are no remains of any mole;though probably, by a diligent search among the foundations of the fortress, some might be