[133] This account of Puzzuolo is also chiefly taken from Josephus Gorionides. Modern researches prove that some Roman villas on the sea-coast are now covered by the sea; and this led to the story of the submerged city.
[134] See Isaiah, lxvi. 19. This, it need hardly be observed, is one of the erroneous identifications of Scriptural names which have so frequently arisen from a false importance given to their similarity of sound.
[135] This title was given to a man conversant with the Hagada, or ancient manner of expounding the holy scripture. The Hebrew appellation is "darschan."
[136] Bari, which was taken and almost destroyed by the Greeks during the reign of William of Sicily, was called St. Nicholas, in honour of the celebrated church and priory of that saint, which are its most remarkable ornaments. They were built in 1098, and richly endowed by Roger, duke of Apulia; and they escaped the great and general destruction with which the city was visited.
[137] This island, though for some time subject to Roger and William, kings of Sicily, was reconquered by the emperor Manuel in 1149; and the words of our author are probably intended to express that this was the first spot at which he touched after leaving the kingdom of Sicily.
[138] This erroneous account of the foundation of Patras is taken from Josephus Gorionides.
[139] Thebes contained, at this time, the greatest number of Jews of any city in Greece, some of whom are stated to have been eminent manufacturers, principally of silk and purple cloths. Gibbon states that artists employed upon these trades enjoyed exemption from personal taxes. "These arts, which were exercised at Corinth, Thebes, and Argos, afforded food and occupation to a numerous people: the men, women, and children were distributed according to their age and strength; and if many of these were domestic slaves, their masters, who directed the work and enjoyed the profits, were of a free and honourable condition." At present the whole population of Thebes does not amount to above 3500 individuals.
[140] No place of this name is now known. Mr. Asher conjectures, from the Sclavonic sound of the word, that it was a town of the Wallachians, and that it has been destroyed in the perpetual wars of which this part of Greece was the scene.