176 plint's NATUEAL HISTOET. [Book III, 



other tlie Metapinian moutli ; the third and largest is called 

 the Massiliotic^ There are some authors who state that there 

 was formerly a town called Heraclea^ at the mouth of the 

 E-hodanus or Ehone. 



Beyond this are the Canals^ leading out of the Ehone, a 

 famous work of Caius Marius, and still distinguished by his 

 name ; the Lake of Mastramela', the town of Maritima' of the 

 Avatici, and, above this, the Stony Plains^ memorable for the 



viUe considers the "Lesser" Rhone to hare been the "Spanish" mouth 

 of the ancients. In consequence of the overflowings of this river there is 

 great confusion upon tliis subject. 



1 This mouth of the Rhone was much used by the Massihans for the 

 purposes of commerce with the interior of G-aul, and the carriage of the 

 supphes of tua which they obtained thence. 



2 The manner in wliich Phny here expresses himself shows that he 

 doubts the fact of such a place having even existed ; it is mentioned by 

 none of the preceding geographers, and of those who followed him Stephen 

 of Byzantium is the only one who notices it. An inscription was found 

 however in the reign of Charles V. of France, in which it was stated that 

 Ataulphus, king of the Visigoths, selected Heraclea as his place of resi- 

 dence. On the faith of tliis inscription, Spon and Ducange have placed 

 Heraclea at the modem Saint- Grilles, and other writers at Saint-Remy, 

 where the inscription was found. Unfortunately, however, Messrs. Devic 

 and Vaissette, in then- "History of Languedoc," have proved that this 

 inscription is of spurious origin. 



3 The "Fossae Marianse" are also mentioned by Ptolemy and Solinus ; 

 though they differ in the situation which they have respectively assigned 

 them. They were formed by Marius when advancing to dispute the 

 passage of the Rhone with the Cunbri, who had quitted Spain for the 

 purpose of passing the Pyi-enees and invading Italy, ui the year B.C. 102. 

 There is considerable difficulty in determining their position, but they 

 are supposed to have commenced at the place now called the Camp of 

 Marius, and to have terminated at the eastern mouth of the Rhone near 

 the present Aries. 



* Phny is the first who mentions the name of tliis lake, though pre- 

 vious writers had indicated its existence. Strabo informs us that above 

 the mouth of the Rhone there is a large lake that commimicates with the 

 sea, and abounds m fish and oysters. Brotier and D'AnviUe identify it 

 with the present lake of Martigues or of Berre. 



5 D'AnviUe takes this place to be the present town of Martigues ; Bro- 

 tier tlimks that it was situate on the spot now called Le Cap d'CEil,near 

 the town of Samt-Chamas ; and Bouche, the historian of the Province, 

 places it at Marignane, on the east side of the lake aheady mentioned. ^^ 



6 "Campi Lapidei," called by the natives at the present day "LaCrau; 

 probably from the same Celtic root as our word "Crags ;" though Bochart 

 derives it from the Hebrew, ^schylus and Hyginus speak of this com- 



