originally part of the mainland of the Greek continent, forms now one of the Ionian islands, being separated from the coast of Acarnania by a narrow artificial channel. The original inhabitants of the peninsula were Teleboe and Leleges, but it was afterwards peopled by Acarnanians. In the seventh century before Christ, a new town called Leucas, a name derived from its white cliffs, was founded by the Corinthians under Cypselus, in the N.E. of this island near the isthmus. These colonists cut the channel through the isthmus, converting the peninsula into an island. This canal was afterwards choked up with sand, so as to prevent the passage of ships, which had accordingly sometimes, during the Peloponnesian war, to be conveyed across the isthmus. We learn from Polybius, that it was in this state in B.C. 218, but it was subsequently restored, and a stone bridge thrown across it,—one probably of the many works of Augustus, for facilitating communication throughout his extensive empire.

The Leucadians had three ships at the battle of Salamis, and, like most of the Dorian states, sided with the Lacedemonians in the Peloponnesian war. In the contest between Philip of Macedon and the Romans, it took part with the former, but was reduced by the Romans after a gallant defence. It long continued to be a place of considerable importance, and was very early made the seat of a Christian bishopric. In A.D. 1467 it was seized by the Turks, by whom it was ceded to the Venetians in 1718. In 1810, the fort, called Santa Maura, was taken from a French garrison which had occupied it, after a siege of several weeks, by a detachment of English troops. The fort, which was originally built by the Turks, was ruined by an earthquake in 1825, and has not since been repaired. The island still continues in the possession of the English.

Leucadia is about 20 miles in length, by from 5 to 8 in breadth, for the most part of a rugged and uncultivated aspect, but rather more fertile and populous in the southern districts. It consists of a range of limestone mountains, the highest ridge rising about 3000 feet above the level of the sea, terminating in a bold headland on the N.E., whence the coast runs in a S.W. direction to the celebrated promontory of Sappho's Leap, the ancient Leucates. The island is visited by a rather serious earthquake about once in twenty years. Slight shocks occur almost every month.

The present chief town of Leucadia is Amasichi, situate a mile and a half to the N.W. of the ancient city of Leucas. It is an ill-looking town, built in the most unhealthy part of the island, on the edge of a large lagoon; the houses, on account of the frequency of earthquakes, being seldom more than two storeys high. Its population is about 4000.