Chios

Sources from old books

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

THe Iland Chios was so named, either from the Snow, or from the Nymph Chion. Heretofore it was called Aetolia as Ephorus repor∣teth. It is situate betweene Samos and Lesbus, over against Erythra. The compasse of it is above a hundred miles. Chios hath excellent good Wine, so that as Strabo reporteth there are Clusters of Grapes which doe weigh 6. pound. It hath also good Figges, and a kinde of Marble which was much esteemed at Rome. And it alone of all the rest beareth Mastick. And heretofore it was so fertile and fruitfull, that it was called the Store-house or Barne of Rome. It hath also great store of tame Partridges, which runne up and downe the Fields, and the Streets. Here are 36. Townes. The chiefe Citty is •hia, which hath a convenient Haven for Ships to ride in. It is all Mountainous. It hath these Promontaries Posidium, Phanaeum, Arvisium, from whence come Arvisian Wines, which are now called Malmesies. In this Coun∣try ton the Tragedian, Theopompus the Historian, and Theocritus the So∣phister was borne. And some suppose that Homer was borne here▪ Cicero in his Oration for Archias saith, The Colophonians doe say that Homer was their Citizen, the Chians doe challenge him to bee theirs, the Salaminians doe account him theirs, and the Smyrnians reckon him their Citizen. And therefore they dedicated a Chappell to him in their Towne. And many others doe contend and strive for him.