STRABO, an illustrious geographer, was born at Ama-sia, a city of Cappadocia. The time of his birth cannot be ascertained, but he is known to have flourished during the age of Augustus and Tiberius. He studied under[7:20:744] Xenarchus, a Peripatetic philosopher; but afterwards, influenced by the authority of Athenodorus, who had been his preceptor, and who became eminent in the reign of Augustus, he adopted the tenets of the Stoics. He obtained the friendship of Cornelius Gallus, governor of Egypt. In order to collect materials for his great work, he travelled in many different regions; and after much toil and research completed his Geography, which is justly regarded as a very precious relique of antiquity. It consists of seventeen books, all of which are not however entire. The first two books are employed in showing that the study of geography is not only worthy of, but even necessary to, a philosopher; the third describes Spain; the fourth, Gaul and the Britannic isles; the fifth and sixth, Italy and the adjacent isles; the seventh, which is imperfect at the end, Germany, the countries of the Getae and Illyrii, Taurica Chersonesus, and Epirus; the eighth, ninth, and tenth, Greece with the neighbouring isles; the four following, Asia within Mount Taurus; the fifteenth and sixteenth, Asia without Taurus, India, Persia, Syria, Arabia; and the seventeenth, Egypt, Ethiopia, Carthage, and other countries of Africa.

Strabo’s Geography first appeared in a Latin version, executed by Phavorinus and Tifernas, and printed at Rome by Sweynheym and Pannartz. It is an ample folio volume, without date, but is supposed to have been printed in or about the year 1469. The earliest edition with a date is that of Venice, 1472, fol. The editio princeps of the Greek text proceeded from the press of Aldus, Venet. 1516, folio. This edition, which is not distinguished by its accuracy, was succeeded by that of Marcus Hopper, Basil. 1549, fol. He has printed a Latin translation by Glareanus and Hartungus. An edition, containing an elegant version, with notes and castigations, was next produced by Xylander, Basil. 1571, fol. But all these were eclipsed by the edition of Casaubon, Genev. 1597, fol. By the aid of four MSS. and of his own critical sagacity, he greatly improved the Greek text. He retained the version of Xylander. He afterwards augmented and improved his annotations, and the work was reprinted at Paris in 1620, after the death of the very learned editor. This second edition of Casaubon, together with the notes of various other critics, was republished by T. Janson van Almeloveen, Amst. 1707, fol. He has subjoined the Chrestomathiae, or epitome of Strabo; which, according to Dodwell, was compiled by some unknown writer between the years 976 and 996. It had been found of some use, not only in contributing to the correction of the text, but likewise in supplying to a certain extent the defect of the seventh book. An elaborate and valuable edition of Strabo was commenced by Siebenkees, and completed by Tzschucke, Lipsiae, 1796-1819, 7 tom. 8vo. Much was expected from the edition of Falconer, Oxon. 1807, 2 tom. fol. It was one defect of the editor, that he was not sufficiently acquainted with the labours of the continental critics. Nor must we overlook an edition of the text, illustrated with Greek notes by Coray, Paris. 1815, 4 tom. 8vo. Strabo was translated into German by Penzel. A French translation was undertaken by command of the emperor, and was executed by De la Porte du Theil, Coray, and Letronne. The introduction, and the notes distinguished by the letter G, were contributed by Gossellin. “Géographie de Strabon, traduite du Grec en Français.” Paris, 1805-19, 5 tom. 4to.