consisted, except that their earthen-ware was in great repute among the
ancients, in their most splendid entertainments, and was exported in great
quantities for this purpose. The Samian earth, from which these vessels
were made, was itself also exported, on account of its medicinal
properties. It is well known that the victory obtained by the Greeks over
the Persians, at the sea-fight of Mycale, was chiefly owing to the Samians.

The commerce of the Black Sea was of so much importance and value to the
Greeks, that we cannot be surprised that they founded several colonies on
its shores, and in the adjacent countries. Heraclea, in this sea, is said
to have been founded by the Beotians: the inhabitants availed themselves of
their situation to engage very extensively in maritime affairs and in
commerce, so that in a short time they were not inferior in wealth or power
to any of the Greek states in Asia. When Xenophon was obliged to retreat
after his expedition into Asia Minor, the Heracleans supplied him with
ships, to transport his army into Greece. Their maritime strength and
skill, or their commercial pursuits, involved them in almost every maritime
war, their friendship and support being sought after by all the Asiatic
princes. When the war broke out between Ptolemy and Antigonus, they sent to
the assistance of the former a numerous fleet, all of which were well
equipped and manned. Some were of an extraordinary size, especially one,
which had on each side 800 oars, besides 1200 fighting men.

Trapezus was a Greek city, in Pontus, situated on a peninsula, in the Black
Sea, where it begins to turn to the east: it had a large and convenient
port, and carried on a considerable trade. But the most celebrated of the
Grecian colonies in this part of the world, was Byzantium: it was anciently
founded by the Megareans, and successively rebuilt by the Milesians and
other nations of Greece. Its harbour, which was in fact an arm of the
Bosphorus, obtained, at a very remote period, the appellation of the Golden