ALPS, a range of high mountains, separating Italy from Gaul and Germany, in the form of a crescent. They take their rise from the Vada Sabatia, or Savona; and reach to the Sinus Planitius (now Golfo di Carnaro of the Adriatic), and the springs of the river Colapis (now the Kulpe); extending, according to Livy, 2000 stadia in length, or 250 miles: they are divided into several parts, and accordingly have different names. From Savona to the springs of the Varus, where the Alps lie against the sea of Genoa, they are called Maritima, now le Montagne di Tenda. These extend from south to north, between Gaul to the west, and Genoa to the east, beginning at Monaco on the Mediterranean; then running out thro' the east of the country of Nice, and between that and the marquisate of Saluzzo, terminate at length at mount Viso, between Dauphine and Piedmont. Hence to Susa run the Alpes Cottiae, (Sueton.); Cottanae, (Tacitus); mountains extremely high, separating Dauphine from Piedmont, and extending from mount Viso to mount Cenis, between the Alpes Maritima to the south, and the Graia to the north. The Alpes Graia, (Pliny), so called from the passage of Hercules, begin from mount Cenis, where the Cottiae terminate; and run out between Savoy and the Tarentese to the west, and Piedmont and the Duchy d'Aoste to the east, quite to the Great St Bernard, where the Alpes Penninae begin. They are also called by some Graia Alpes, and Graius Mons, (Tacitus); which extend from west to east, between St Bernard and the Adula, or St Godard; and thus they run out between the Valese to the north, and the Milanese to the south. With these are continued the Alpes Rhæticae, to the head of the river Piave; a part of which are the Alpes Tridentinae, to the north of Trent. To these join the Alpes Noricae, reaching to Doblach in Tyrol, to the north of the river Tajamento; thence begin the Alpes Carnicae, or of Carniola, extending to the springs of the Save: and the last, called Alpes Panonicae, and Juliae, extend to the springs of the Kulpe. Some, however, extend the Alps to the north of Dalmatia; others again to Thrace and the Euxine. But their termination at the Kulpe, as above, is more generally received. They were formerly called Albia, and Alpionia, (Strabo.) Through these mountains Annibal forced his passage into Italy, by pouring vinegar on the rock, heated by burning large piles of wood on them, by which means they became crumbled; (Livy.) They are covered with perpetual snow.—Alpes or Alpen is a Celtic term for high mountains. Cluverius makes
Alpuxarras
Alfa.
the height of some 30, of others 50 miles; a height altogether incredible, even supposing we reckon from the level of the sea: the manner by which he found this height is nowhere said. According to the calculations of some geometers, these mountains are somewhat less than two miles in perpendicular height.