Aragon

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

ARAGON AND CATALONIA. (Book Aragon) ARAGON tooke its name either from the Autrigoni∣ans, a people of Spaine, as Laurentius Valla witnesseth;* 1.1 or from Tarracone an ancient Citie, as it pleaseth Anto∣nius Nebrissensis and Vasaeus. Some suppose it was so called from the River Aragon, which rising there, doth flow into Iberus. Some doe derive it from the the Al∣tar of Hercules, called in Latine Ara, and his sports called Agonalia: which if it be true, it is a wonder that Ancient Writers are so silent con∣cerning Aragon.* 1.2 Navarre cleaveth to this Kingdome on the North∣west, Calatrava toward the Southeast: On the Southwest it looketh to∣wards Castile, and on the North it hath the Pyrenaean Mountaines. The Country is for the most part rugged & drie towards the Pyraenean hills,* 1.3 so that you shall not meete with a house for many dayes journeys: yet here are some fruitfull Valleyes abounding with the best corne, and o∣ther fruits, and it is refreshed with sweet Rivers. All Writers do report that Ranimirus was the first King of this Kingdome.* 1.4 He was made King of Aragon, in the yeare 1016. But concerning the Kingdome and the Kings of Aragon, as also Valentia and Catalonia how and from whom they had their beginnings, and of their union, you may reade Rodericus Sanctius in the first part of his Spanish Historie. cap. 13.* 1.5 Also Lucius Ma∣rinaeus Siculus de Regibus Hispaniae, lib. 8. and others. The Metropolis and head Citie of the Kingdome, Pliny and others doe call Caesar-Augusta, Ptolemy Caesarea-Augusta. It is now called Sarragosa, and is a famous Uni∣versitie. They report that the builder thereof was Iuba, King of Mauri∣tania, who called it Saldyba, that is, the house of Iuba: but afterward, the former name being left off, it was called Caesar-Augusta. It is seated on the banke of Iberus, in a plaine place, and hath a long stone bridge which serveth the Inhabitants to passe over the River, (as Strabo speakes in his third booke). The Citie lyeth in the forme and shape of a shoo-soale: It hath foure gates looking to the foure quarters of the world. It is en∣compassed with strong walls, and well fortified with many Towres. In this Citie the Kings of Aragon were wont to be crowned by the Arch∣bishop & Primate of the whole Kingdome. The other Cities are these; first that which Ptolemy and Plutarch doe call in Latine Osca, and is now called Huesca; but Velleius Paterculus fabulously calleth it Eteosca, where he writeth that Sertorius was slaine. Secondly the Citie Tyriassona neere the Mountaine Cacus, which some doe suppose was built by the Tyrians and Ausonians. Thirdly Iacca, lying in a valley, heretofore the Seate of the Iaccetani. Fourthly Calatajut, standing in a Plaine, and built out of the ruines of Bilbilis, which together with many other Monuments of Antiquitie, are to be seene a mile and an halfe from the Towne, on a Hill which is commonly called Bambola or Banbola. This Mountaine is enriched almost on every side with the River Salon or Xalon, where Va∣lerius Martialis lib. 10. Epigram. 103. doth place Bilbilis, being borne a Citizen of it; Paulinus calleth it Bilbilis hanging on the rock: Ptolemie corruptly calleth it Bilbis, and Martiall calleth it Augusta Bilbilis, as also doe the Inscriptions of ancient coyne. Fifthly Barbastrum (famous for Iron Crosse-bowes) which Ptolemie cals Burtina, and Antoninus Bortina, as some thinke. Sixthly Monsonium, seated in the midle or navell of the Kingdome, not farre from the Banke of the River Cinga, neere which there is a hill, from whence the Towne taketh its name. It is a Towne that is famous by reason of the meeting and convention of the Kingdomes of Aragon and Valentia, and the Principality of Catalonia where it standeth. It is commonly called Moncon, and hath not onely a fruitfull Soyle, but a sweete and open Ayre. Seventhly Fraga, between Ilerda and Caesar-Augusta: Ptolemie cals it Gallica Flavia, and Antoninus Gallicum, as Varronius thinketh, though some doe place Gallicum there where now stands Zuera. Eigthly Gurrea, heretofore called Forum Gallorum, which Antoninus placeth betweene Caesar-Augusta and the Py∣renaean Hils. Ninthly, Ajerbium, where it is thought that Ebellinum sometime stood, which Antoninus and others doe mention. 10^ly Vrgella, which Aimonius calleth Orgellum, and Ptolemie Orgia. It is a Towne not farre from the Fountaines of Sicoris or Segre. There were also other Townes which are now so ruinated, that there remaines nothing of them; among which was the Towne Calagurris Nassica, being an other besides that in Navarre. The Citizens thereof are called Calagurritani by Caesar in his first Booke of Commentaries: and Suetonius noteth, that Augustus had a Guarde of them, (in the life of Augustus cap. 49.) Pliny nameth them Nassici. The Rivers heere are Iberus or Ebro, and Gallego or Gallicum with others.