Strabo, Geography
H.C. Hamilton, Esq., W. Falconer, M.A., Ed.

1 [10]

In the interior is the metropolis, Capua, being, as the etymon of the name signifies, the head; for in regard to it all the other cities appear small, excepting Teanum-Sidicinum,¹ which is a very considerable place. This city lies on the Via Appia, as also the others which lead from hence to Brundusium, [viz.] Callateria,² Caudium,³ and Beneventum.⁴ On the side of Rome is Casilinum,⁵ situated on the river Vulturnus.⁶ Here 540 men of Præneste sustained against Hannibal in the height of his power so desperate a siege, that by reason of the famine, a rat⁷ was sold for two hundred drachmæ, the seller dying [of hunger], but the purchaser being saved. Hannibal observing some of them sowing turnip-seed near to the wall, admired, as well he might, the patient courage of these men, who hoped to hold out in the mean while, until these turnips should be ready for food. However, we are assured that they all survived, with the exception of a few who perished either by famine or in war.

2 Teano.

3 Galazze. We have not hesitated to read Callateria, with all MSS. Kramer has printed καλατία in text. Numismatic writers ascribe to this, and not the Samnite Calatia, the coins with the head of Jupiter on the obverse, and the legend, KALAT, and KALATI, in retrograde Oscan characters on the reverse. Mionnet. Med. Ant. Suppl. vol. i. p. 232; Sestini, Monet. Vet. p. 13.

4 S. Maria di Goti, near to Forchia Caudina.

5 Benevento.

6 Nova Capua.

7 Volturno.

8 The text has μεδίμνου; but we have adopted μυὸς, the word proposed by most of the Greek editors; Valerius Maximus, Pliny, and Frontinus all agreeing in the statement, that it was a rat which fetched this enormous price.