II. 
MARATHON TO THEBES. 40 
fields and forests; of corn-land, and vineyards, chap 
and olive-grounds, and woods, and rocks, and 
mountains. The importance of its possession 
is therefore at once made manifest. The city 
o^Oropus' was a valuable possession, in securing 
the command of this territory. It stood upon 
the y^iiic side of the Awpus, about three miles 
from the sea. Originally it belonged to Bceotia: 
the Athenians in the second century held it in 
their possession-. It had been frequently a 
subject of contention between the inhabitants of 
the two countries^: this is twice mentioned by 
Strabo\ Wheler, who visited the site of the 
antient city, mentions the contest, as for the 
possession of the town only, between the Thehans 
and Athenians^ but takes no notice of the ex- 
tensive and fertile plain on the Attic side of the 
Asopiis; in which, and by the borders of the 
(1) It is still called Oropo, and was visited by TFhekr. See Journey 
into Greece, p. 436. Lond.\&%2. 
(2) Tin Se 7?v rhv 'il^ro'ria* (iira^u tTi; 'Arrixr,; xa) Tavay^ixr,;, Baiurixf 
TO t^aovr,; ovrav, s^cue'iv l<p' riftav ' A^'/ivccioi, x. t. A. Pausan. ^ttlC. C. <34. 
p. 83. ed. Kuhnii. 
(5) Aii xa.) ev/x^xivii xo'iri; ^oXXaxi; crsflf ;^u^im ritajv' xa^an^ Xoy-ioi; 
fiiv xat A-axi^xifioyioi;, ?rS5( iv'^aiai, ' A(riyaUi; Si xa) BoiaroT; v.^i ' n^urov. 
Strabon. Geug. lib. i. p. 98. ed. P.ron. 
Tii; Tt 'A'TTixr,; xa) r^s Boiarlas. Strabon. Gencr. lib. ix. p. 579. ei\.Oxon. 
(r>) Journey into C/eerc, ip. lot). Lond.\G'e,t. 
VOr. VJJ. E 
