ANCONA, a city and seaport town of Italy, and capital of a marquisate of the same name, situated on a small isthmus on the Gulf of Venice. This city is said to have been built in the year 408 A. C. by the Svracu sans, who sought an asylum from the oppression of their tyrant Dionysius. It became a Roman colony about the year 267 A. C., when Sempronius conquered the Picen tines ; and, in the reign of Trajan, an excellent harbour was constructed by the authority of that emperor, to whom the grateful inhabitants erected a splendid trium phal arch of fine veined marble.
Ancona flourished under the care of this prince, till the desolation of Italy by the barbarians, and the civil wars with which that country was agitated, completely ruined its commercial prosperity. This de cay of its trade has been ascribed to the aggrandisement of Venice ; but this opinion will appear untenable, when we reflect on the facility with which this city was re stored to its former importance, by the wise policy of Clement XII. This enlightened pontiff erected Ancona into a free port in 1732, abolished all the imports and taxes which had hitherto been levied, and, by granting additional privileges, he collected to Ancona immense numbers of foreign merchants. Benedict X1V. con firmed the privileges granted by his predecessor. He improved the harbour, and, by making such additions as to render it a complete shelter from the violence of the north winds, he was the means of raising it to that high rank which it now holds among commercial cities.
In the campaign of 1797, this city, which was then One of the pope's chief arsenals, was taken by the French ; but, in 1799, it was retaken by the allied powers, after a vigorous and bloody attack, both by land and sea.
The Jews in Ancona are rich and numerous. A par ticular part of the town is set apart for their accommo dation ; and they are obliged to have a piece of red cloth in their hats, to distinguish them from the people of other nations. The inhabitants of Ancona, and parti cularly the females, are represented by Keysler as highly superior to the other Italians, both in figure and com plexion. The exchange at Ancona is a magnificent edifice, with a splendid front, and an equestrian statue over the entrance. The town has a beautiful appearance from the sea ; but many of its elegant edifices have been demolished during the disturbances of the revolution. The palace of the commune, the arch of Trajan, the statue of Clement XII. and the Lazaretto, have all shared the same fate. The principal exports are grain, wool, and silk. Population, 20,000. E. Long. 13° 29' 7". N. Lat. 43° 57' 54". See Reichards' Guide des Voyageurs en Europe, tom. i. p.58. Keysler's Travels, vol. iii. p. 209.