We have previously briefly mentioned Solinus (Gaius Julius Solinus), the Latin writer of the early 3rd century, when discussing the River Vistula here. He wrote “The wonders of the world” (De mirabilibus mundi aka Polyhistor), a book which includes a mention of the Veneti of Paphlagonia. Although much of the work is derived from Pliny and Pomponius Mela, we wanted to include the reference for completeness’ sake here (with the C.L.F. Panckoucke edition).
Martianus Capella (Martianus Minneus Felix Capella) lived and worked at the beginning of the 5th century. We know this only because his one monumental work that survived – “On the Marriage of Philology and Mercury” (De nuptiis Philologiae et Mercurii) mentions the sack of Rome by the Goth Alaric (in 410) but the writer is apparently unaware of the conquest of Africa by the Vandals (in 429). It seems (as per Cassiodorus) he was a native of Madaura in the Roman province of Africa (in today’s Algeria). He may have been a lawyer in (Roman) Carthage. The “marriage” book was quite popular in the middle ages. More importantly for us, it also contains a geographic description of some parts of the world including a passage on the “Province of Phrygia”. That passage, which appears based on Solinus, also refers to the Paphlagonian (and Italian) Veneti. Therefore, we include it here as well.
Solinus
De mirabilibus mundi aka Polyhistor
C.L.F. Panckoucke edition (Paris 1847)
45. Paphlagonia, et Venetorum origo.
“In the back of Galatia is terminated by Paphlagonia. This Paphlagonia, looks at Taurica [Crimea] from Cape Carambis; [there] rises Mount Cytor stretched into a height of sixty-three [thousand?] miles; this is where the noteworthy place of the Veneti lies, from which, as Cornelius Nepos certifies, the Paphlagonians set out to Italy and, thereupon, they were named Veneti. The Miletians founded many cities there. The town of Mithridates (VI of Pontus) Eupator once it was conquered by Pompei, became known as Pompeiopolis.*”
* This refers to a Roman city near the modern Turkish town of Taşköprü.
(Paphlagoniam limes a tergo Galaticus amplectitur. Ea Paphlagonia Carambi promontorio spectat Tauricam, consurgit Cytoro monte porrecto in spatium passuum trium et sexaginta millium, insignis loco Heneto: a quo, ut Cornelius Nepos perhibet, Paphlagones in Italiam transvecti, mox Veneti sunt nominati. Plurimas in ea regione urbes Milesii condiderunt, Eupatoriam Mithridates: quo subacto a Pompeio, Pompeiopolis est dicta.)
Martianus Capella
“On the Marriage of Philology and Mercury”
Book VI
(Province of Phrygia)
“…Thereafter [comes] Paphlagonia, where [lies] the end of Galatia; but here is the city [land] of the Veneti from whose citizens [inhabitants], they [people] claim, the Veneti of Italy have arisen…”
(De Phrygia Provincia. Phrygia Troadi imminet, ab aquiilone Galatia est, a meridie Lycaonia et Pisidiae Mygdoniae confinis est, ab oriente Lyciae, a septentrione Mysiae et Cariae. Dehinc Tmolus corco florens, amnisque Pactolus. Ioniae Miletos caput. Ibi etiam Colophon, oraculo Clarii Apollinis celebrata. Maconiae principium Sipylus; Smyrna etiam Homero notissima, quam circumfluit Meles fluvius; nam Smyrnaeos campos tiermus intersecat, qui ortus Dorylao Phrygiam Cariamque dispescit. Juxta Ilium sepulcrum Memnonis jacet. Ibi inter omnes Asiae civitates Pergamum clarius. Nam Bithynia initium Ponti est, et ab ortu Thraciae adversa, a Sagari flumine primos habitatores habet, qui fluvius alii fluvio Gallo miscetur, a quo Galli dicuntur ministri matris deum. Hace et Bebrycia et Mygdonia dicta est; a Bithyno rege Bithynia. In ea civitas Prusias, quam Hylas inundat lacus, quo puer ejusdem nominis dicitur interceptus. Ibi Libyssa locus, Nicomediae proximus, in eo sepulcrum Hannibalis memoratur. Dehinc Ponti ora, post fauces Bosphori et amnem Rhesum Sagrimque sinus Mariandyni, in quo Heraclea civitas, portus Acone, ubi herba veneni acnitum procreatur, specus Acherusius, qui mergitur in profunda telluris. Inde Paphlagonia, ubi a tergo Galatia est; sed hic Henetosa* etiam civitas, a cujus civibus in Italia ortos Venetos asserunt. Ibi promontorium Carambis, quod a Ponti ostio abest millibus passum ducentis viginti, tantundem a Cimmerio. Ibi etiam mons Cytorus, et civitas Eupatoria, quam Mithridates fecerat; sed eo victo Pompejopolis appellata.)
* also: Enetusa, Venetusa and in one other version in the margin, Henetorum.
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