John Conduitt was born in London in 1688. He studied at Trinity College in Cambridge but did not finish his studies as he decided to enrol as a judge advocate in the British Army and served in Portugal as a young man. There he also acted as secretary to Lord Portmore who would later be appointed Governor of Gibraltar. In 1713 – Portmore duly installed as Governor, he ended up in Gibraltar as Deputy Paymaster General to the Garrison.
The Earl of Portmore
During his time in the army he became a man of considerable means – hopefully not as a consequence of his work in Gibraltar. In 1717 he was back in London where he soon became a fellow of the Royal Society and took part in one of their conferences dedicated to Carteia. His paper was entitled - A Discourse tending to shew the Situation of ancient Carteia, and some other Roman Towns near it.
At the time Isaac Newton was the President of the Society and by all accounts Conduitt seem to have hit if off with the great man to such an extent that he ended up marrying Catherine Barton who was Newton’s half-niece and adopted daughter, and even succeeded him as Master of the Mint. Money seems to have pursued the man, or was it he who pursued it?
Only known portrait of Catherine Barton
When he died in 1737, he was buried in Westminster Abbey next Newton. He left behind innumerable articles on Newton’s work and other topics, including one on Carteia which I have quoted and discussed below - A Discourse tending to shew the Situation of ancient Carteia, and some other Roman Towns near it by John Conduitt, Fellow of the Royal Society.
John Conduitt buried in Westminster Abbey next to Sir Isaac Newton
About four English Miles N.W. from Gibraltar, at the end of the Bay, there are considerable Ruins. The place is called at present Rocadillo and consists of a few Huts, and a Modern Square Tower. which appears to have been raised on the Foundation of a much greater Pile. The Walls of the old City are very easy to be traced. They seem to have been about two English Miles in Circumference, and were built upon the Brow of a rising Ground.
The place within is covered with Ruins, among which are a great many pieces of very fine Marble well wrought, and innumerable fragments of Vessels of that kind of red Earthen Ware. . . There are remains of a rude semi-circular Building, raised on Arches, which descends gradually into an Area, and seems to have been a kind of Theatre. I brought away with me a Marble Pedestal of a Statue, dug up near to the Square Tower. . .Towards the West there is an easy Descent to the River Guadaranque which takes its Source at Castillar, about four Leagues in the Country, and is very deep at Rocadillo.
There is a Bar where the River falls into the Bay; but it does not hinder the entrance of Vessels of 15 Tun, to load Charcoal and other necessaries, that are Shipt off from thence for Ceuta. Along the side of the River there is sill a great deal of Stone Work and visible remains of an Ancient Key (Quay). At a small distance to the East, upon an Eminence. there are considerable ruins of a Square Castle. which appears to have been an ancient Building of very great Strength.
The Country People now call it Castillon, but the Corregidor of that District told me he remembered it called Torre Cartagena. The Situation agrees exactly with the Tower of that Name, mentioned in the 274th and 316th Chapters of the Chronicle of Alfonso XII of Castile.A Book of great authority among the Spaniards who are generally of Opinion that it was formed upon the Memoirs of Fernando Nunnez de Valladolid a Favourite and Minister of that King, ‘tho it goes under the name of another Person. All the Spaniards who live about the ruins . . . say they are the remains of a City the Gentiles called Cartago.
The corruption of Carteia into a name so much talked of, might easily happen in the oral tradition of so many years and I cannot help thinking that where other Circumstances concur, an account delivered down from Father to Son is an evidence not to be slighted, in matters of so much obscurity. Frequent mention is made of Carteia by the Ancient Geographers and Historians.
l build so much on two Passages of Livy, that I am obliged to insert them at length. The first does not mention from what Port Laelius sailed for Carteia, but by what goes before, it seems to have been from Cartagena, at that time Scipio's Head Quarters. . . This is followed by two passage from Livy - in Latin - which describes the 206 BC battle of Tarifa - a naval engagement between quinqueremes and triremes. In it the Roman general Gaius Laelius defeated the Carthaginian governor of Cadiz Adherbal – as identified on the text in the book but as Asdrubal on the plan.
Adherbal
Livy apparently situated Carteia elsewhere, but Conduitt argues that battle took place near the Bay of Gibraltar and that the Carteia mentioned is in fact the one a few miles off Calpe.I am so far from seeing any necessity, of creating a new Carteia in the Ocean for these Passages in Livy, that I take that in Lib. XXVIII. to be rather a proof that the City there mentioned, stood at Rocadillo. .
Other authors seem to make the Pillars of Hercules the boundary of the Mediterranean and the Ocean . . . (passage in Greek) Here the Pillars of Hercules are made the very Mouth of the Ocean. If you understand The Fretum of Livy in this Sense, and reckon it to signify only the sea between Calpe and Abyla, and the ocean to begin from thence Westward, the passage in the 28th book is an accurate description of Rocadillo. (Short passage in Latin)
And allowing Laelius to set out against Adherbal from thence, every circumstance mentioned by Livy is so easy to be accounted for, that is needless to make Application. A Passage . . . induces me to believe the vessels anchored in the Guadarranque, and that that River, and not the Bay, was properly Portus Cartei. (Quote in Latin)
This cannot be understood of the Bay, because that is three Leagues over at the narrowest part, and much too deep for a work of such a Nature, which might easily have been effected upon the Bar of the River Guadarranque. There is no room to doubt . . . no ancient Author mentions any other Town or Harbour thereabouts of a name like that and Carteia was the place which held out the longest for the younger Pompey, and where he kept his Fleets. Florus in the Passage I have already quoted, relating the same Action between Didius and Varus, represents in very lively Colours, the very Scene near Rocadillo.
Pompey the Great was a Roman statesman who among other things spent much time in Spain fighting against all-commers. During the Roman Civil Wars Pompey’s sons Gnaeus and Sextus were defeated in 46 BC in the Battle of Carteia. The commander of the Pompeian fleet, P. Attius Varus somehow managed to elude Caesar’s ships under the command of Didius and the battle continued on land. Pompey’s two sons tried to escape. Gnaeus was caught and executed.
. . . . .Hirtius in the later part of his book which distance, as well as the circumstances of the (naval battle) agrees with the situation of Rocadillo. Ancient geographers place Carteia next to Calpe Westward. Pomponius Mela after having given a perfect picture of Calpe, and described those lasting Marks, in which so many centuries have made no alterations says: (Lengthy Latin and Greek quotes).
Crop of Konrad Miller’s map based on the text of Pomponius Mela’s “Places n the World” – Calpe, Mellaria, Bello, Besippo, Barbesula and Cadiz (Gades Insula Urbe and Pars Gaditanus) appear on it (1898)
Heracleotes makes Carteia 50 Stadia from Calpe, either of these Distances agrees with Rocadillo according to the part of the Rock from which they reckon: for it is about six miles from Europa Point to Rocadillo.(Latin Quote)
I have some Medals that were dug up at Rocadillo with the head of Hercules upon them which seem in some measure to support that great man’s assertion. Upon the reverse are Tunny fishes which according to Strabo and Pliny abounded formerly near Carteia and are still taken in great quantities near the shoar of the east sea, at a small distance from Rocadillo.
. . . by all accounts the Phoenicians founded most of the cities on this coast and probably Carteia was one of their earliest settlements for it lies very near Africk in a most inviting situation, having on one side a Bay, and on the other a river, which waters a rich country. Its height gave it strength and a very beautiful prospect; circumstances which seem to justify Aldretes interpretation of the latter part of its name.Aldretes suggested that Carteia’s original name was Cartha to which “eia” which means beautiful was added to distinguish it from Carta in Syria.
In the itinerary of Antoninus it is Calpe-Carteiam not Tanquam due urbes diversae (two different cities) as Casaubon intimates in his notes on the third book of |Strabo, for then it would be Calpen Carteiam; . . . because Calpe stands at the end of a narrow neck land which projects to the southward a great was from the rest of the continent: and consequently is quite out of the road from Suel to any other place westward of it: probably Calpe- Carteia is for Carteia ad Calpen to distinguish it from the other Carteia in Celtiberia, mentioned in the 21st book and 5th chapter of Livy for as Caro observes there is no necessity for the alteration Sigonius has made in that passage of Altheas for Carteia, from the Text of Polybius; because Livy never mentions the other Carteia without adding ad Oceanus . . which distinctions are needless had there been only one city of that name.
. . . I am very surprised that Mariana, and several others should take the resent Gibraltar to have been the ancient Heraclea; when neither Pliny who resided so long in these parts, Mela who was born here, nor any ancient geographer or historian that have met with makes the least mention of such a City thereabouts except Strabo: and he places it 40 Stadia from Calpe, at the foot of which Gibraltar is situated.
The Spanish historians give good ground to believe there was no town upon that mountain till the Moors invaded Spain under Tariff, who gave it the name it has retained ever since. I shall not enter into the detail of the reasons of those authors who place Carteia at Tarifa or Algeciras; the true one seems to been their not knowing any other place which agreed better with the old accounts of Carteia, or where the ruins of a city which made so great a figure could be buried, the common practice of authors who describe places they have not seen, the case of most of those, especially Mariana who had he been in these parts would not have been guilty of the oversight he has committed . . . where he paces two Bays in the Straights, one at Gibraltar and the other at Tarifa; which error he was probably led into (as so often happens) by another.
For, giving into the opinion that Tarifa was the ancient Carteia, and finding that city placed in a bay by Mela, he concluded there must be one at Tarifa, which is an open road, and so much exposed, that in the least bad weather, the smallest vessels must be haul’d ashore. Which circumstance alone is a sufficient proof of it not being Carteia, by all accounts, a famous harbour.
Though there are very great Ruins at Algezeira, they are not such as give any room to believe they are the remains of a Roman city. For neither pieces of marble, nor inscriptions are found there, nor any Roman coins. The circumstances of Varus the shutting up the mouth of the harbour of Carteia, and the distance of 40 or 50 Stadia from Calpe, are not applicable, either to Tarifa or Algezeira, and if one of these towns were Carteia, to what city belong those Ruins I have been describing? Since all the ancient geographers make Carteia not only the nearest Town to Calpe, but the only one in that Bay. There is better ground to believe Tarifa stands on the ruins of another Town, as I shall endeavour to shew presently.
The circle of pillars shown was sometime identified incorrectly as an amphitheatre whereas it is now thought to be a theatre – as recognised by Conduitt – the square tower bottom right is the Torre del Rocadillo
Before I proceed to a description of the coast . . .
The next part deals with inscription found on several stones and possible translations. After this Conduit turns his attention to a description of the Coast.
Most of the ancient Geographer describe the coast westward of Carteia in the following manner. Julia Traductaa, Mellaria, Baelo fluvius and oppidum, Portus Baesippo, Promontorium Junonis etc. The Itinerary of Antoninus makes no mention of Julia Traducta, and Pliny places it on the African coast . . . Strabo calls it Juliam Jozam . . which signifies Fame in the |Phoenician language as does Traductam in Latin. He places Barbesula between that and Carteia. But all other old Geographers put both the town and River of that name Eastward of Gibraltar which I take to be the remains of the ancient Barbesula. For I find in the Cadiz Emporio del Orbe, mention of two pieces of marble brought from thence to Gibraltar; on one of which was MM BARBESULANI.
Barbesula is nowadays a small town on the Guadiaro River north of Gibraltar.I was credibly informed they were used for the Fountain on the Parade. The letters were either sawed off, or turned inwards: for they do not appear. This Barbesula is probably the Barariana placed the (Antoninus) Itinerary . . . east of Carteia. p917
Pomponius Mela who was born in those Parts, and therefore is most to be depended upon, gives the following account of the coast. . . the text of Mela in this place has occasioned great disputes among the learned. . . pP918
This dispute is then described at length in Latin with quotes from several of the “learned”. It far too complex – and confusing - to follow so I have left it out. As far as I can make out we still have reservations as to what Algeciras was called in those days. Was it Julia Traducta? Portus Alba? or was this last just the name of the port of Julia Traducta? Mela’s Tingentera is supposed to come from Tingis Altera or “the other Tangier “because according to Strabo people were moved from Tangier across the Straits to the town.
General plan of the area of the straits as it appears in the original article
I met with two medals of Julia Traducta among the brass Spanish coins but as I cannot ascertain where they were found, I will not pretend to form from thence any judgement of the situation of the town. It does not seem very improbable that Julia Traducta stood where Tarifa is at present. The Spanish authors reckon that town to have been built by Tarif at his second coming to Spain.
I cannot see what would invite him to settle on a spot which has neither the convenience of a river, nor harbour, and is commanded by a rising ground.; unless he found some tenements standing, or ruins to serve for materials to build. I have several Roman coins that were found there after the great rains, in the common sewer: which is some inducement to believe it was formerly a Roman town.
About a league and a half to the west of Tarifa is place which goes now by the name of Val de Vaca. (Possibly Valdevaqueros) The country people have a tradition that it was once a considerable town, since swallowed up by the sea. There is a small brook called Arroyo de San Francisco that serve to turn some mills that a priest of that name was encouraged to build there by finding an ancient stone channel for water.
I saw some other small ruins, and was credibly assured there are visible remains of an old town a good way under water, there is a shoal off this place that runs pretty far in the sea, on which a Hamburger was lost some years ago. Perhaps Mellaria stood hereabouts. Whatever it was, the ruins of it must be a considerable way under the sea, if credit is to be given to Pliny who upon the testimony of one born there, reckons only five miles from Afric whereas it is at present five leagues (17 miles) over the narrow part.
Detail of previous plan – the x s leading out from Tarifa may represent part of the ruins of Mellaria ass theorised by Conduit
I cannot help observing that the best Honey in all Spain is made in these Parts, and that the same cause to which the ancient Mellaria ow’d its Name, still sunsists, and has given a modern Appellation to several places hereabouts, as Playa de Orimel, Rio de la Miel, Bejer de la Miel. The latter of these is generally reckoned by the Spaniards to be the old Mellaria, for no other reason, that 1 can see, but the Name.
For it is at least two Leagues from the Coast of the Streights, and, by what I could judge when I was on the Spot, as near the Ocean, and therefore may as well be ascribed to the one as the other. Whereas Mellaria, according to all the old Geographers, was situated on the Sea side in the Streights, and is reckoned by Pliny the nearest Town to Afric; a plain proof that it was not what is now Bejar de la Miel.
About a League and half further West, in a small Bay, there are very great Ruins, which appear evidently to be the remains of a Roman Town. A League Eastward from that place, upon an Eminence, are to be seen the Quarries from which the Stone was fetched for building it; and all the way from thence are large remains of an Aqueduct, of which in some places there are entire Arches still standing. p921
Among the Ruins of the old Town, I saw the Body of a Roman Statue of fine Alabaster, something bigger than the Life. Our Guide said his Father had seen it entire; but as it was an Idol of the Gentiles, they, like good Catholicks, had broken it to pieces. He likewise told us that Urns of old Coins had been found there but not being current in Spain they had thrown them away.
The place is called Balonia. It is over against Tangier, and frequently infested by the Moors from thence; on which account it is uninhabited. A small River, called Alpariate, runs by it: all which circumstances correspond with the ancient accounts of Balo. I have a Medal that was given me at Tarifa, with the following Letters upon it BAILO, which probably belonged to this City, called by Ptolemy (Greek name). Martianus Capella mentions it under the name of Velonensis Baetica Civitas. The Itinerary of Antoninus places Balo West of Mellaria, which is about the distance of these Ruins from Val de Vaca.
About five Leagues farther is the Cape of Trafalgar; the sight of which immediately brought to my mind Mela's description of it. . . Near the Capes Point are the Ruins often mentioned by the Spanish Authors, under the name of Aguas de Mecca. I was not there, but was assured at Bejar de la Miel, that there were still some Ruins on the Shore, and more in the Sea, that run all along under the Cape; particularly remains of a Mole, which must have made it a tolerable Harbour.
These Ruins seem to be the remains of old Baesíppo. The placing of Watch-Towers along the Coast of Spain to Alarm the Country, upon any Descent, seems to have been a practice of a long standing. (Quote in Latin from Livy) p922Finally:
Engraving from Leon Sorrel’s book “Bottom of the Sea” (Published in1872)
Colonel James, in his History of the Straits of Hercules, published in 1771 mentions that during an earthquake, perhaps 500 years BC ago the Island Cales (?) together with several others including Pearl Rock - an island near Tarifa - disappeared under the sea.
According to Sorrel, in 1748 during a very low tide, the remains of the famous Temple of Hercules were discovered in the oceanic part of the strait, and several souvenirs of it were obtained. Sorrel, gives no references and fails to explain where the souvenirs ended up. Nor does he explain where exactly the temple was found. A very large pinch of salt comes to mind. Nevertheless, I would guess that this is what the engraving is all about.