a city of Achaea. This place was visited by Dr Chandler, who gives the following account of it. "It has often been attacked by enemies, taken, and pillaged. It is a considerable town, at a distance from the sea, situated on the side of a hill, which has its summit crowned with a ruinous castle. This made a brave defence in 1447 against Sultan Morat, and held out until the peace was concluded, which first rendered the Morea tributary to the Turks. A dry flat before it was once the port, which has been choked with mud. It has now, as in the time of Strabo, only an indifferent road for vessels. The house of Nicholas Paul, Esq., the English consul, stood on part of the wall either of the theatre or the odeum. By a fountain was a fragment of a Latin inscription. We saw also a large marble bust much defaced; and the French consul showed us a collection of medals. We found nothing remarkable in the citadel. It is a place of some trade, and is inhabited by Jews as well as by Turks and Greeks. The latter have several churches. One is dedicated to St Andrew the apostle, who suffered martyrdom there, and is of great sanctity. It had been recently repaired. The site by the sea is supposed that of the temple of Ceres. By it is a fountain. The air is bad, and the country round about overrun with the low shrub called glycyrrhiza or liquorice."

Of its ancient state, the same author speaks thus: "Patrae afflicting the Ætolians when invaded by the Gauls under Brennus; but afterwards was unfortunate, reduced to extreme poverty, and almost abandoned. Augustus Caesar reunited the scattered citizens, and made it a Roman colony, settling a portion of the troops which obtained the victory of Actium, with other inhabitants from the adjacent places. Patrae reflorescent and enjoyed dominion over Naupactus, Oeanthé, and several cities of Achaea. In the time of Paufanias, Patrae was adorned with temples and porticoes, a theatre, and an odeum which was superior to any in Greece but that of Atticus Herodes at Athens. In the lower part of the city was a temple of Bacchus Æsynmetes, in which was an image preferred in a chest, and conveyed, it was said, from Troy by Eurypylus; who, on opening it, became disordered in his senses. By the port were temples; and by the sea, one of Ceres, with a pleasant grove and a prophetic fountain of unerring veracity in determining the event of any illness. After supplicating the goddess with incense, the sick person appeared, dead or living, in a mirror suspended so as to touch the surface of the water. In the citadel of Patrae was a temple of Diana Laphria, with her statue in the habit of a huntress of ivory and gold, given by Augustus Caesar when he laid waste Calydon and the cities of Ætolia to people Nicopolis. The Patrenians honoured her with a yearly festival, which is described by Paufanias who..." was a spectator. They formed a circle round the altar with pieces of green wood, each 16 cubits long, and within heaped dry fuel. The solemnity began with a most magnificent procession, which was closed by the virgin-priests in the chariot drawn by flags. On the following day, the city and private persons offered at the altar fruits, and birds, and all kinds of victims, wild-boars, stags, deer, young wolves, and beasts full grown; after which the fire was kindled. He relates, that a bear and another animal forced a way through the fence, but were reconducted to the pile. It was not remembered that any wound had ever been received at this ceremony, though the spectacle and sacrifice were as dangerous as savage. The number of women at Patrae was double that of the men. They were employed chiefly in a manufacture of flax which grew in Elis, weaving garments, and attire for the head.