. A smaller history of Greece, from the earliest times to the Roman conquest. n the east, and separated from themainland by a narrow channel. The Great Harbour is a splendidbay, about five miles in circumference, and the Little Harbour wasspacious enough to receive a large fleet of ships of war. Theouter city was surrounded on the north and east by the sea,and by sea-walls which rendered an assault on that side almostimpracticable. On the land side it was defended by a wall,and partly also by the nature of the ground, which in some partswas very steep. West and north-west of the wall of the ou
. A smaller history of Greece, from the earliest times to the Roman conquest. n the east, and separated from themainland by a narrow channel. The Great Harbour is a splendidbay, about five miles in circumference, and the Little Harbour wasspacious enough to receive a large fleet of ships of war. Theouter city was surrounded on the north and east by the sea,and by sea-walls which rendered an assault on that side almostimpracticable. On the land side it was defended by a wall,and partly also by the nature of the ground, which in some partswas very steep. West and north-west of the wall of the outer city 415. ATHENIANS IN SICILY. 117 stood two unfortified suburbs, which were at a later time includedwithin the walls of Syracuse under the names of Tyche andNeapolis. Between these two suburbs the ground rose in agentle acclivity to the summit of the ranges of hills calledEpipolse. It was from the high ground of Epipolse that Syracuse was mostexposed to attack. Nicias landed at Leon, a place upon the bayof Thapsus, at the distance of only six or seven stadia from. Map of Syracuse Epipolse, took possession of Epipolse, and erected on the summita fort called Labdalum. Then coming farther down the hilltowards Syracuse, he built another fort of a circular form andof considerable size at a place called Syke. From the latter pointlie commenced his line of circumvallation, one wall extendingsouthwards from Syke to the Great Harbour, and the other 118 HISTORY OF GREECE. Chap. XII. wall running northwards to the outer sea. The Athenianssucceeded in completing the circurnvallation towards the south,but hi one of their many engagements with the Syracusansthey lost the gallant Lamachus. At the same time, theAthenian fleet entered the Great Harbour, where it was hence-forth permanently established. The northern wall was nevercompleted, and through the passage thus left open the besiegedcontinued to obtain provisions. Xicias, who, by the death ofLamachus. had become sole commander,
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