by chance rather than design, on the south banks of
the Po. Spina, their capital, was situated on the north side of the
southernmost mouth of that river. We do not possess any particular account
of their commerce, but that it rendered them powerful and rich we are
assured; and their dominion over the Adriatic is a decisive proof of the
former, while their magnificent offerings to Delphos may as justly be
deemed a proof of the latter. Spina was strong both by nature and art, on
the sea side, but the reverse on the land side; so that at last it was
abandoned by its inhabitants not being able to withstand the attacks of
their neighbours, who were either jealous of their prosperity, or attracted
to the assault by the love of plunder. In the reign of Augustus it was
reduced to a small village; and the branch of the Po, on which it was
situated, had changed its course so much, that it was then upwards of
fifteen miles distant from the sea, on the shore of which it had been
built. The gradual alteration in the course of the river, it is probable,
contributed with the other cause already mentioned to reduce it to
comparative insignificance.

Opposite to the Spinetes across the Adriatic, on the coast of Dalmatia, the
Liburnians dwelt. In some respects their coast was preferable to that of
Italy for maritime affairs, as it is studded with islands, which afforded
shelter to ships, and likewise possessed many excellent harbours; but the
Liburnians, as well as most of the inhabitants of Illyria, were more eager
after piracy than commerce; and, as we shall afterwards see, carried their
piracies to such a daring and destructive extent, that the Romans were
compelled to attack them. Their devotedness to piracy explains what to
Mons. Huet appears unaccountable. He observes, that it is remarkable that
neither the Dalmatians, who were powerful at sea by means of their port
Salona, which was their capital, nor the Liburnians themselves, according
to all appearance, had the use of money among them. Commerce cannot be
carried on to great extent, or in a regular and expeditious manner, by
natives ignorant of the use of money; but money seems to be not at all
requisite to the purposes of piracy. The Liburnian ships, or more properly
speaking, those ships which were denominated Liburnian, from having been
invented and first employed by this people, were of two kinds; one large,
fit for war and long voyages, but at the same time built light and f