CRATER
CRATER (
ὁ Κρατὴρ) was the name given by the Greeks, according to Strabo (
v. p.242), to the beautiful gulf now known as the
Bay of Naples, one of the most remarkable natural features on the coast of Italy.
It was called by Eratosthenes the CUMAEAN GULF (
ὁ Κύμαιος κόλπος, ap.
Strab. i. p.22,
23); Appian terms it the Gulf above Cumae (
ὁ κόλπος ὁ ὑπὲρ Κύμης, B.C. 5.81); it appears to have been generally known to Roman writers as the Gulf of Puteoli. (SINUS PUTEOLANUS,
Plin. Nat. 3.6. s. 12; Mela 2.4;
Suet. Aug. 98.) Its boundaries and natural characters have been already described under the article
CAMPANIA [
E.H.B]
