Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography/A'thesis
A'THESIS CAnjiTii^J, Strab.; 'Aruri&y, Pint), one of the principal livers of Northern Italy, now called the Adiffe, It rises in the Rhaetian Alps, in a small lake near the modern vilkge of Bescherif and alter a course of about 50 miles in a SE. direc- tioo, receires the waters of the Ataqis or Eitach^ a stream almost as considerable as its own, which de- sooids from the pass of the Brenner, Their united waters flow nearly due S. through a broad and deep valley, passing under the walls of Tridentum ( Trenio), until they at length emerge into the plains of Itafy, close to Verona, which stands on a kind of peninsnla almost encircled by the Athesis. (Verona Ath£sl circomflua, SiL Ital. viii. 597.) From hence it pannes its course, first towards the S£., and afterwards due E. through the plains of Venetia to the Adriatic, which it enters only a few miles Axvm the Dorthemmoet mouth of the Padus, but without having ever joined that river. From its source to the sea it has a course of not less than 200 miles; and in the volume of its waters it is inferior only to the Padns among the rivem of Italy. (Strab. iv. pi 207, where there is little doubt that the names
- Arri4ny6s and 'ladpas have been transposed; Plin.
iiL 16. a. 20; Vixg. Aen, iz. 680; Claudian, de VI. Cmt. Hon. 196.) Servius (ad Aen. I c.) and Vi- bins Sequester (p. 3) erroneously describe the Athesis as fulling into the Padus; a very natural mistake, as the two rivers run parallel to each other at a very short interval, and even communicate by various side branches and artificial channels, but their nuiin streama continue perfioctly distinct It vras in the plains on the banks of the Athesis, probably not very fiir firom Verona, that Q. Catulus was defeated by the Cimbri ins. dOl. (lAY.Epit. IxviiL; Flor. iiL3; Plut Mar. 23.)