MANTUA, anciently a town of the Transpadana in Italy, situated on the Mincio, a river running from the Lacus Benacus. It is said to have been founded about 300 years before Rome by Bianor or Ocnus, the son of Manto; and was the ancient capital of Etruria. When Cremona, which had followed the interest of Brutus, was given to the soldiers of Octavius, Mantua also, which was in the neighbourhood, shared the common calamity, and many of the inhabitants were tyrannically deprived of their possessions. Virgil, who was among them, and a native of the town, applied for redress to Augustus, and obtained it by means of his poetical talents.
It is still called MANTUA, and is the capital of the duchy of that name. It is now a large place, having eight gates and about 16,000 inhabitants. The streets are broad and straight, and the houses well built. It is very strong by situation as well as by art; lying in the middle of a lake, or rather morass, formed by the river Mincio. There is no access to the city but by two causeways which cross this morass, and which are strongly fortified: so that the city is looked upon to
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be one of the most considerable fortresses of Europe; and the allies in 1745, though their army was in the duchy, durst not undertake the siege. It was greatly noted for its silk manufactures, which are now much decayed. The air in the summer time is very unwholesome. The celebrated poet Virgil was born at a village near this city. It was besieged by the French for above six months, in 1796, and surrendered to them on February 2d, 1797. On the recommencement of the war, it was attacked by the Austrian and Russian army, to which it surrendered on the 30th of July, 1799, after a short siege; and finally, not only this city, but the whole country, was subdued by the arms of Bonaparte, one of whose brothers is now styled King of Italy. E. Long. 10. 47. N. Lat. 45. 10.