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CHAP. II. 



considerable as early as the age of Solomon. It 

 is said by Diodorus 1 that the Tyrians first visited 

 Spain as traders ; and, when they had become 

 acquainted with the natives, introduced many 

 colonists, in order to lay a more sure foundation 

 for their commerce. The building of Gades 

 (now Cadiz) must have followed soon after the 

 discovery of the country. Velleius Paterculus 2 

 states the foundation of that city to have been 

 about the same as that of Utica in Africa, in the 

 time of Codrus, 1100 years before Christ, as the 

 date of the building of the latter city is fixed by 

 Aristotle 3 , who adds, as is to be found I 



At first the Phoenicians established themselves 

 on the defensible island of Gades, but speedily 

 erected other cities, especially Carteja, between 

 Algesiras and Gibraltar, Malacca, now Malaga, 

 and Hispalis, now Seville. Though, for greater 

 security, they first settled themselves in strong 

 positions, the whole country was in a few genera- 

 tions covered with smaller Phoenician towns, to 

 the number of more than two hundred. By the 

 constant immigration of five centuries and the 

 natural increase, their power was sufficient to 

 gain them unlimited authority over the abori- 



1 Diodorus, book v. cap. 2. 2 Velleius, book i. cap. 2. 

 5 Arist. de Mirabil. cap. 146. 



