482 JOCHMUS ON THE BATTLES OF SELLASIA, &c. [June 8, 1857. 



poemen encamped at Barbosthenes before the battle against Nabis, 

 A.c. 192; 6th. Titus Qninctins encamped at Caryae, a.c. 195; 7tli. 

 Philopoemen at Caryae, A.c. 192. (^See Pausanias, Xenophon, 

 Livy.) 



The President expressed the thanks of the Society to General Joctmus 

 for his communication. Although a period of twenty-five years had elapsed 

 since the General visited these spots, yet he had described them with all the 

 freshness of his youth, and had given such a clear account of them that, with 

 the aid of the large and graphic charts exhibited, every one might have followed 

 him. They were much obliged to General Jochmus for having, as a practical 

 soldier, described these ancient positions. It should not be forgotten that we 

 were glad to receive such valuable contributions on comparative geography ; as 

 the objects of the Society were not confined to the cultivation of physical 

 geography and the exploration of unknown countries. 



The Bishop of St. Asaph, f.r.g.s., said there was one point of view in 

 which he thought communications of this kind peculiarly valuable — and that 

 was that they verified history. In this instance, after nearly 1500 years, a 

 military man, an able judge of the matter, went upon the ground and found 

 all the details such as they were described in history. The value of that fact, 

 to his mind, was this — that it gave a person a confidence in history which 

 nothing else could provide. This was peculiarly the case with respect to the 

 Holy Land. The investigations that had taken place in that land had every one 

 of them proved the truth of sacred history. It was so many years since he had 

 studied these matters, that he was not able to speak to the details of General 

 Jochmus's communication ; but he was fully aware of the extreme value of a 

 soldier's investigating military matters, and reporting them to scholars, who 

 were able by comparison with ancient history to prove that history true. 



Mb. George Brent, f.r.g.s., said that, as he had been entrusted by the 

 Secretary with the duty of revising the translation of General Jochmus's 

 paj)ers, it might be proper that he should say a few words. He had found the 

 task one of pleasure ; the papers were written with learning and taste, and, 

 moreover, in excellent French. One thing which forcibly impressed him was 

 the great advantage there was in examining localities mentioned by ancient 

 authors with the book of the author in one's hand, as had been done by General 

 Joclunus in this instance. The advantage was most obvious. Had the same 

 plan been pursued by modern authors, instead of theorising at a distance, with 

 the aid of very imperfect maps, many doubts and difficulties would not have 

 existed with reference to the writings of ancient authors, which did exist in 

 the present day. In going through the manuscripts, another circumstance 

 which struck him was the correct appreciation the General had of the labours 

 of Colonel Leake, whose researches in Greece had placed him in the first rank 

 of comparative geographers. Wherever General Jochmus had found occasion 

 to dissent from Colonel Leake, he had stated his views and opinions with so 

 niuch candour and exactness, that they could not be without their weight 

 upon the mind of the Colonel himself. Another idea which had forced itself 

 upon his attention was, the great advantage which would accrue if any of the 

 Fellows of the Society, who had leisure at their command, would in the same 

 way examine localities in our owu country having reference to military actions 

 which took place in dark periods of our history, of which we had only obscure 

 notices, and ascertain the real truth of the matter — which could only be done 

 by observations upon the spot. If it were true that the earth was interesting 

 as the abode of man, surely those spots on its surface which had been the 

 scenes of events that had materially affected the destinies of our race, must be 

 among the most interesting portions. 



