Chaps. 19-23.

Chap. 19. (23.)—The Remaining Parts of Syria.

We must now speak of the interior of Syria. Cœle Syria has the town of Apamea [Now Kulat-el-Mudik, situate in the valley of the Orontes, and capital of the province of Apamene. It was fortified and enlarged by Seleucus Nicator, who gave it its name, after his wife Apama. It also bore the Macedonian name of Pella. It was situate on a hill, and was so far surrounded by the windings of the Orontes, as to become a peninsula, whence its name of Chersonesus. Very extensive ruins of this place still exist.], divided by the river Marsyas from the Tetrarchy of the Nazerini [It is suggested, that these are the Phylarchi Arabes of Strabo, now called the Nosairis, who were situate to the east of Apamea. The river Marsyas here mentioned was a small tributary of the Orontes, into which it falls on the east side, near Apamea.]; Bambyx, the other name of which is Hierapolis [This was situate in Cyrrhestica, in Syria, on the high road from Antioch to Mesopotamia, twenty-four miles to the west of the Euphrates, and thirty-six to the south-west of Zeugma; two and a half days’ journey from Berœa, and five from Antioch. It obtained its Greek name of the “Sacred City” from Seleucus Nicator, owing to its being the chief seat of the worship of the Syrian goddess Astarte. Its ruins were first discovered by Maundrell.], but by the Syrians called Mabog [In the former editions it is “Magog;” but Sillig’s reading of “Mabog” is correct, and corresponds with the Oriental forms of Munbedj, Manbesja, Manbesjun, Menba, Manba, Manbegj, and the modern name, Kara Bambuche, or Buguk Munbedj.], (here the monster Atargatis [Astarte, the semi-fish goddess.], called Derceto by the Greeks, is worshipped); and the place called Chalcis [This Chalcis is supposed to have been situate somewhere in the district of the Buckaa, probably south of Heliopolis, or Baalbec. It has been suggested, that its site may have been at, or near Zahle; in the vicinity of which, at the village of Heusn Nieba, are to be seen some remarkable remains. Or else, possibly, at Majdel Anjar, where Abulfeda speaks of great ruins of hewn stone.] on the Belus [Ansart suggests, that Belus is here the name of a mountain, and that it may be the same that is now called Djebel-il-Semmaq.], from which the region of Chalcidene, the most fertile part of Syria, takes its name. We here find also Cyrrhestice, with Cyrrhum [To the north of Chalcidene, a town of Syria, on the slopes of the Taurus, eighty miles to the north-cast of Antioch. In the Roman times, it was the head-quarters of the Tenth Legion. The ruins near the modern village of Corus represent the ancient Cyrrhus. Of the Gazatæ and Gindareni, nothing is known.], the Gazatæ, the Gindareni, the Gabeni, the two Tetrarchies called Granucomatæ [Possibly meaning the “Burghers of Granum.” Nothing is known of these people.], the Emeseni [The people of Emesa, a city in the district of Apamene, on the right, or eastern bank of the Orontes, to which, in C. of the present Book, Pliny assigns a desert district beyond Palmyra. It was celebrated in ancient times for its magnificent temple of the sun, and the appointment of its priest, Bassianus, or Heliogabalus, to the imperial dignity, in his fourteenth year. It was made a colony, with the jus Italicum, by Caracalla, and afterwards became the capital of Phœnicia Libanesia. The present name of its site is Hems.], the Hylatæ [The Hylatæ are totally unknown. Ituræa was situate in the north-east of Palestine, and, with Trachonitis, belonged to the tetrarchy of Philip. Its boundaries cannot be precisely determined; but it may probably be traversed by a line drawn from the Lake of Tiberias to Damascus.], the nation of the Ituræi, and a branch of them, the people called the Bætarreni; the Mariamitani [According to Ptolemy, the people of Mariama, some miles to the west of Emesa.], the Tetrarchy known as Mammisea, Paradisus [In the district of Laodicea, according to Ptolemy.], Pagræ [Near the Portæ Amani, or “Passes of Amanus.”], the Pinaritæ [Pinara was near Pagræ, in Pieria, last mentioned.], two cities called Seleucia, besides the one already mentioned, the one Seleucia on the Euphrates [Probably Seleucia, in Mesopotamia, now called Bir, on the left bank of the Euphrates, opposite to the ford of Zeugma, a fortress of considerable importance.], and the other Seleucia [Its site is doubtful. Sebj d’Aboulgazi has been suggested.] on the Belus, and the Cardytenses. The remaining part of Syria (except those parts which will be spoken of in conjunction with the Euphrates) contains the Arethusii [The people of Arethusa, a city of Syria, not far from Apamea, situate between Epiphania and Emesa. In later times, it took the name of Restan.], the Berœenses [The people of Berœa, a town of Syria, midway between Antioch and Hierapolis. Seleucus Nicator gave to it the Macedonian name of Berœa; but, in A.D. 638, it resumed its ancient name of Chaleb, or Chalybon. The modern Haleb, or Aleppo, occupies its site. Some excavations, on the eastern side of it, are the only vestiges of ancient remains in the neighbourhood.], and the Epiphanæenses [The people of Epiphanæa, placed by Ptolemy in the district of Cassiotis, in which also Antioch and Larissa were situate. The Itinerary of Antoninus places it sixteen miles from Larissa, thirty-two from Emesa, and 101 from Antioch of Syria. It is supposed to have been identical with the ancient Hamath, mentioned in 2 Sam. viii. 9; 1 Kings viii. 65; Isaiah x. 9, and called “Hamath the great” in Amos vi. 2, which name it also retained in the time of St. Jerome.]; and on the east, the Laodiceni [The people of Laodicea ad Libanum, a city of Cœle-Syria, at the northern entrance to the narrow valley, between Libanus and Anti-Libanus. During the possession of Cœle-Syria by the Greek kings of Egypt, it was the south-west border fortress of Syria. It was the chief city of a district called Laodicene.], who are called the Laodiceni on the Libanus, the Leucadii [Of Leucas, or Leucadia, nothing is known. Larissa, in Syria, was a city in the district of Apamene, on the western bank of the Orontes, about half-way between Apamea and Epiphania. The site is now called Kulat-Seijar.], and the Larissæi, besides seventeen other Tetrarchies, divided into kingdoms and bearing barbarous names.

Chap. 20. (24.)—The Euphrates.

This place, too, will be the most appropriate one for making some mention of the Euphrates. This river rises in Caranitis [In the western branch of the plateau of Iran, a portion of the Taurus chain. Considerable changes in the course of the lower portion of the river have taken place since the time when Pliny wrote. Caranitis is the modern Arzrum, or Erzrúm, of the Turks.], a præfecture of Greater Armenia, according to the statement of those who have approached the nearest to its source. Domitius Corbulo says, that it rises in Mount Aba; Licinius Mucianus, at the foot of a mountain which he calls Capotes [Now called Dujik Tagh, a mountain of Armenia.], twelve miles above Zimara, and that at its source it has the name of Pyxurates. It first flows past Derxene [It has been suggested, that the proper reading here would be Xerxene.], and then Anaitica [Probably the district where the goddess Anais was worshipped, who is mentioned by Pliny in B. xxxiii. c. 24.], shutting out [From the place of confluence where the two mountain streams forming the Euphrates unite. This spot is now known as Kebban Ma’den.] the regions of Armenia from Cappadocia. Dascusa [A fortress upon the river Euphrates, in Lesser Armenia. It has been identified with the ferry and lead-mines of Kebban Ma’den, the points where the Kara Su is joined by the Myrad-Chaï, at a distance of 270 miles from its source; the two streams forming, by their confluence, the Euphrates.] is distant from Zimara seventy-five miles; from this spot it is navigable as far as Sartona [Other readings have “Pastona” here, said by D’Anville to be the modern Pastek.], a distance of fifty miles, thence to Melitene [Called the metropolis of Lesser Armenia by Procopius. It was situate between Anti-Taurus and the Euphrates, and celebrated for its fertility, more especially in fruit-trees, oil, and wine. The site of the city Melitene is now called Malatiyah, on a tributary of the Euphrates, and near that river itself.], in Cappadocia, distant seventy-four [It is generally supposed that “twenty-four” would be the correct reading here.] miles, and thence to Elegia [There were two places of this name. The one here spoken of was a town of Lesser Armenia, on the right bank of the Euphrates, at the first, or principal curve, which takes place before the river enters Mount Taurus. It is represented by the modern Iz Oghlu.], in Armenia, distant ten miles; receiving in its course the rivers Lycus [No other writer is found to make mention of the Lycus, which flows into the Euphrates, though there is a river formerly so called, which flows into the Tigris below Larissa, the modern Nimroud. D’Anville is of opinion, that it is formed from the numerous springs, called by the people of the district Bing-gheul, or the “Thousand Springs.”], Arsanias [Now called the Myrad-Chaï. Ritter considers it to be the south arm of the Euphrates. The Arsanus is mentioned by no writer except Pliny.], and Arsanus. At Elegia it meets the range of Mount Taurus, but no effectual resistance is offered to its course, although the chain is here twelve miles in width. At its passage [The defile at this place is now called the Cataract of Nachour, according to Parisot.] between the mountains, the river bears the name of Omma [The more general reading here is “Omira.” Hardouin is of opinion, that this is the district referred to in the Book of Judith, ii. 24. In the Vulgate, it appears to be twice called the river Mambre; but in our version it is called Arbonaï.]; but afterwards, when it has passed through, it receives that of Euphrates. Beyond this spot it is full of rocks, and runs with an impetuous tide. It then divides that part of Arabia which is called the country of the Orei [Burnouf has concluded, from a cuneiform inscription which he deciphered, that the name of this people was Ayurâ, and that Hardouin is wrong in conjecturing that it was a name derived from the Greek ὄρος, “a mountain,” and designating the people as a mountain tribe. If Burnouf is right, the proper reading here would seem to be Arœi, or Arrhœi.], on the left, by a channel three schœni [The length of the schœnus has been mentioned by our author in C. of the present Book. M. Saigey makes the Persian parasang to be very nearly the same length as the schœnus of Pliny.] in width, from the territory of the Commageni [Commagene was a district in the north of Syria, bounded by the Euphrates on the east, by Cilicia on the west, and by Amanus on the north. Its capital was Samosata.] on the right, and it admits of a bridge being thrown across it, even where it forces a passage through the range of Taurus. At Claudiopolis [The place here spoken of by Pliny is probably the same mentioned by Ptolemy as in Cataonia, one of the provinces of Cappadocia. According to Parisot, the site of the place is called at the present day ‘Ra Claudie.’], in Cappadocia, it takes an easterly direction; and here, for the first time in this contest, Taurus turns it out of its course; though conquered before, and rent asunder by its channel, the mountain-chain now gains the victory in another way, and, breaking its career, compels it to take a southerly direction. Thus is this warfare of nature equally waged,—the river proceeding onward to the destination which it intends to reach, and the mountains forbidding it to proceed by the path which it originally intended. After passing the Cataracts [Salmasius has confounded these cataracts with those of Nachour, or Elegia, previously mentioned. It is evident, however, that they are not the same.], the river again becomes navigable; and, at a distance of forty miles from thence, is Samosata [Now called Someisat. In literary history, it is celebrated as being the birth-place of the satirist Lucian. Nothing remains of it but a heap of ruins, on an artificial mound.], the capital of Commagene.

Chap. 21.—Syria Upon the Euphrates.

Arabia, above mentioned, has the cities of Edessa [In the district of Osrhoëne, in the northern part of Mesopotamia. It was situate on the Syrtus, now the Daisan, a small tributary of the Euphrates. Pliny speaks rather loosely when he places it in Arabia. It is supposed that it bore the name of Antiochia during the reign of the Syrian king, Antiochus IV. The modern town of Orfahor Unfah is supposed to represent its site.], formerly called Antiochia, and, from the name of its fountain, Callirhoë [“The beautiful stream.” It is generally supposed that this was another name of Edessa.], and Carrhæ [Supposed to be the Haran, or Charan, of the Old Testament. It was here, as alluded to by Pliny, that Crassus was defeated and slain by the Parthian general, Surena. It was situate in Osroëne, in Mesopotamia, and not far from Edessa. According to Stephanus, it had its name from Carrha, a river of Syria, and was celebrated in ancient times for its temple of Luna, or Lunus.], memorable for the defeat of Crassus there. Adjoining to this is the præfecture of Mesopotamia, which derives its origin from the Assyrians, and in which are the towns of Anthemusia [According to Strabo, the Aborras, now the Khabur, flowed round this town. By Tacitus it is called Anthemusias. According to Isidorus of Charax, it lay between Edessa and the Euphrates.] and Nicephorium [Now Rakkah, a fortified town of Mesopotamia, on the Euphrates, near the mouth of the river Bilecha. It was built by order of Alexander the Great, and completed probably by Seleucus. It is supposed to have been the same place as Callinicum, the fortifications of which were repaired by Justinian. Its name was changed in later times to Leontopolis by the Emperor Leo.]; after which come the Arabians, known by the name of Prætavi, with Singara [Now called Sinjar, according to Brotier. Some writers imagine that this was the site of “the plain in the land of Shinar,” on which the Tower of Babel was built, mentioned in the Book of Genesis, xi. 2.] for their capital. Below Samosata, on the side of Syria, the river Marsyas [Mentioned in C. of the present Book.] flows into the Euphrates. At Cingilla ends the territory of Commagene, and the state of the Immei begins. The cities which are here washed by the river are those of Epiphania [Probably not that in the district of Cassiotis, and on the western bank of the Orontes, mentioned in C. of the present Book. Of this locality nothing seems to be known, except that Dupinet states that it is now called Adelphe by the Turks.] and Antiochia [Probably the “Antiochia ad Taurum” mentioned by the geographer Stephanus, and by Ptolemy. Some writers place it at the modern Aintab, seventy-five miles north-east of Aleppo.], generally known as Epiphania and Antiochia on the Euphrates; also Zeugma, seventy-two miles distant from Samosata, famous for the passage there across the Euphrates. Opposite to it is Apamia [Now called Roum-Cala, or the “Roman Castle.” For Zeugma see p. 424.], which Seleucus, the founder of both cities, united by a bridge. The people who join up to Mesopotamia are called the Rhoali. Other towns in Syria are those of Europus [In the north-east of the district of Astropatene, originally called Rhaga. It was rebuilt by Seleucus Nicator, and by him called Europus. Colonel Rawlinson has identified it with the present Veramin, at no great distance from the ancient Rhages.], and what was formerly Thapsacus [Its ruins are to be seen at the ford of El Hamman, near the modern Rakkah. It stood on the banks of the Euphrates; and here was the usual, and, for a long time, the only ford of the Euphrates. It is supposed to have derived its name from the Aramean word “Thiphsach,” signifying “a ford.”], now Amphipolis. We then come to the Arabian Scenitæ [Or “Dwellers in Tents.” See p. 422.]. The Euphrates then proceeds in its course till it reaches the place called Ura [According to Ortelius and Hardouin, this is the place called Sura by Pliny, in C. of the present Book; but Parisot differs from that opinion. Bochart suggests, that “Ur, of the Chaldees,” is the place referred to under this name; but, as Hardouin observes, that place lay at a considerable distance to the south.], at which, taking a turn to the east, it leaves the Syrian Deserts of Palmyra [So called from the circumstance that Palmyra stood in the midst of them. It was built by King Solomon, in an oasis of the Desert, in the midst of palm groves, from which it received its Greek name, which was a translation also of the Hebrew “Tadmor,” “the city of palm-trees.” It lay at a considerable distance from the Euphrates. Its site presents considerable ruins; but they are all of the Roman period, and greatly inferior to those of Baalbec or Heliopolis.], which extend as far as the city of Petra [The rock fortress of the Idumæans in Arabia Petræa, now called Wady-Musa, half-way between the head of the Gulf of Akabah and the Dead Sea.] and the regions of Arabia Felix.

(25.) Palmyra is a city famous for the beauty of its site, the riches of its soil, and the delicious quality and abundance of its water. Its fields are surrounded by sands on every side, and are thus separated, as it were, by nature from the rest of the world. Though placed between the two great empires of Rome and Parthia, it still maintains [Which it continued to do until it was conquered under its queen, Zenobia, by the Emperor Aurelian, in A.D. 270. It was partially destroyed by him, but was afterwards fortified by Justinian; though it never recovered its former greatness.] its independence; never failing, at the very first moment that a rupture between them is threatened, to attract the careful attention of both. It is distant 337 miles from Seleucia [See B. vi. c. 30.] of the Parthians, generally known as Seleucia on the Tigris, 203 from the nearest part of the Syrian coast, and twenty-seven less from Damascus.

(26.) Below the deserts of Palmyra is the region of Stelendene [Pliny is the only author that makes mention of Stelendene.], and Hierapolis, Berœa, and Chalcis, already mentioned [In C. of the present Book.]. Beyond Palmyra, Emesa [Previously mentioned by Pliny. See p. 439. Of Elatium nothing is known.] takes to itself a portion of these deserts; also Elatium, nearer to Petra by one-half than Damascus. At no great distance from Sura [The same place that is also mentioned in history as Flavia Firma Sura. The site of Philiscum is totally unknown.] is Philiscum, a town of the Parthians, on the Euphrates. From this place it is ten days’ sail to Seleucia, and nearly as many to Babylon. At a distance of 594 miles beyond Zeugma, near the village of Massice, the Euphrates divides into two channels, the left one of which runs through Mesopotamia, past Seleucia, and falls into the Tigris as it flows around that city. Its channel on the right runs towards Babylon, the former capital of Chaldæa, and flows through the middle of it; and then through another city, the name of which is Otris [Nothing is known of this place.], after which it becomes lost in the marshes. Like the Nile, this river increases at stated times, and at much about the same period. When the sun has reached the twentieth degree of Cancer, it inundates [Parisot remarks, that it is true that the Euphrates increases periodically, much in the same manner as the Nile; but that its increase does not arise from similar causes, nor are the same results produced by it, seeing that the river does not convey the same volume of water as the Nile, and that the country in the vicinity of its bed does not, like Egypt, form a valley pent up between two ranges of hills.] Mesopotamia; and, after he has passed through Leo and entered Virgo, its waters begin to subside. By the time the sun has entered the twenty-ninth degree of Virgo, the river has fully regained its usual height.

Chap. 22. (27.)—Cilicia and the Adjoining Nations.

But let us now return to the coast of Syria, joining up to which is Cilicia. We here find the river Diaphanes [So called probably from the Greek διαφανὴς, “transparent.” It has not been identified, but it was no doubt a small stream falling into the Gulf of Issus.], Mount Crocodilus, the Gates [Or “Passes.” As to Mount Amanus, see C. of the present Book.] of Mount Amanus, the rivers Androcus [Parisot suggests that this is the Chersos of Xenophon, the modern Kermes.], Pinarus [The Deli-Su of modern times according to D’Anville, the Maher-Su according to Pococke.], and Lycus [Pliny is the only writer that mentions this river Lycus.], the Gulf of Issos [The Gulf of Issos is now called the Gulf of Scanderoon or Iskenderun, from the town of that name, the former Alexandria ad Issum, mentioned here by Pliny. In the vicinity of Issus, Alexander defeated the army of Darius. The exact site of the town appears not to have been ascertained.], and the town of that name; then Alexandria [Which still preserves its name in Iskenderun, on the east side of the Gulf. It probably received its name in honour of Alexander the Great.], the river Chlorus [Or the “Green” River. Its identity is unknown.], the free town of Ægæ [Now called Ayas Kala or Kalassy. It was a place, in the Roman period, of some importance.], the river Pyramus [The modern river Jihan.], the Gates [Or “Passes” of Cilicia, through the range of Taurus.] of Cilicia, the towns of Mallos [Called Mallo in modern times, according to Hardouin and Dupinet.] and Magarsos [At the mouth of the Pyramus, according to Tzetzes.], and, in the interior, Tarsus [Famous as the birth-place of St. Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles. Its ruins still bear the name of Tersus. During the civil war it took part with Julius Cæsar, and from him received the name of Juliopolis.]. We then come to the Aleian Plains [They lie between the rivers Djihoun and Syhoun, according to Ansart.], the town of Cassipolis, Mopsos [Now called Messis, according to D’Anville and Mannert. The site of Cassipolis, or Cassiopolis according to some readings, is unknown.], a free town on the river Pyramus, Thynos, Zephyrium, and Anchiale [The sites of Thynos and Zephyrium appear to be unknown. Anchiale was situate on the coast, upon the river Anchialeus, according to the geographer Stephanus. Aristobulus, quoted by Strabo, says that at this place was the tomb of Sardanapalus, and on it a relief in stone representing a man snapping the fingers of the right hand. He adds, “It is said that there is an Assyrian inscription also, recording that Sardanapalus built Anchiale and Tarsus in one day, and exhorting the reader to eat, drink, &c., as everything else is not worth That, the meaning of which was shown by the attitude of the figure.” Athenæus however cites Amyntas as his authority for stating that the tomb of Sardanapalus was at Nineveh. Leake is of opinion that a mound on the banks of the river beyond the modern villages of Kazalu and Karaduar forms the remains of Anchiale.]. Next to these are the rivers Saros [The modern Syhou, according to Ansart.] and Cydnus [Now called the Tersoos Chai. It is remarkable for the coldness of its waters, and it was here that Alexander the Great nearly met with his death from bathing when heated, in the stream.], the latter of which, at some distance from the sea, runs through the free city of Tarsus, the region of Celenderitis with a town [Now Chelendreh. It was a strong place on the coast, situate on a high rock nearly surrounded by the sea. None of its ruins seem older than the early period of the Roman empire. The Turks call it Gulnare.] of similar name, the place where Nymphæum [Probably so called from a temple to the Sea Nymphs there.] stood, Soli of Cilicia [To distinguish it from Solæ or Soli of Cyprus. It was situate between the rivers Cydnus and Lamus, and was said to have been colonized by Argives and Lydians from Rhodes. Alexander mulcted its inhabitants of 200 talents, for their adhesion to the Persians. It was celebrated as the birth-place of the Stoic philosopher Chrysippus, the comic poet Philemon, and the poet and astronomer Aratus. Its name is perpetuated in the word Solecism, which is said to have been first applied to the corrupt dialect of Greek spoken by the inhabitants of this city, or as some say, of Soli in Cyprus.], now called Pompeiopolis, Adana [It still retains its ancient name, and is situate on the western side of the Sarus, now the Syhoun or Syhan. Pompey settled here some of the Cilician pirates whom he had conquered.], Cibyra [Leake, in his ‘Asia Minor,’ p. 196, says, “The vestiges of Cibyra are probably those observed by Captain Beaufort upon a height which rises from the right bank of a considerable river about eight miles to the eastward of the Melas, about four miles to the west of Cape Karáburnu, and nearly two miles from the shore.” Ptolemy mentions Cibyra as an inland town of Cilicia Trachea, but Scylax places it on the coast.], Pinare [Its ruins are still called Pinara or Minara. It was an inland city of Lycia, some distance west of the river Xanthus, and at the foot of Mount Cragus.], Pedalie [Or perhaps ‘Podalie.’ Of it nothing seems to be known.], Ale, Selinus [Or Selinuntum, now Selenti, on the coast of Cilicia. In consequence of the death here of the Emperor Trajan, it received the name of Trajanopolis. Of Ale, if that is the correct reading, nothing whatever is known.], Arsinoë [On the coast of Cilicia; mentioned by Strabo as having a port. Leake places it at or near the ruined castle called Sokhta Kalesi, below which is a port, and a peninsula on the east side of the harbour covered with ruins.], Iotape [In the district of Selenitis. It has been identified with the site of the modern fortress of Lambardo. It is also suggested that it may have been the same place as Laerte, the native city of Diogenes Laertius. Of Doron nothing seems to be known.], Doron, and, near the sea, Corycos, there being a town [Its ruins are supposed to be those seen by Leake near the island of Crambusa. Here the walls of an ancient city may still be traced, and a mole of unhewn rocks projects from one angle of the fortress about 100 yards across the bay.], port, and cave [Strabo describes this cave as a vast hollow of circular form, surrounded by a margin of rock on all sides of considerable height; on descending it, the ground was found full of shrubs, both evergreens and cultivated, and in some parts the best saffron was grown. He also says that there was a cave which contained a large spring, from which arose a river of clear water which immediately afterwards sank into the earth and flowed underground into the sea. It was called the Bitter Water. This cave, so famed in ancient times, does not appear to have been examined by any modern traveller. It was said to have been the bed of the giant Typhon or Typhœus.] all of the same name. Passing these, we come to the river Calycadnus [Now known as the Ghiuk-Su.], the Promontory of Sarpedon [Supposed to be the same as the modern Lessan-el-Kahpeh.], the towns of Holmœ [Or Holmi, on the coast of Cilicia Tracheia, a little to the south-west of Seleucia. Leake thinks that the modern town of Aghaliman occupies the site of Holmœ.] and Myle, and the Promontory and town of Venus [Probably the same place as the Aphrodisias mentioned by Livy, Diodorus Siculus, and Ptolemy.], at a short distance from the island of Cyprus. On the mainland there are the towns of Myanda, Anemurium [On the headland now called Cape Anemour, the most southerly part of Asia Minor. Beaufort discovered on the point indications of a considerable ancient town.], and Coracesium [Its site is now called Alaya or Alanieh. This spot was Strabo’s boundary-line between Pamphylia and Cilicia. Some slight remains of the ancient town were seen here by Beaufort, but no inscriptions were found.], and the river Melas [Identified by Beaufort with the modern Manaugat-Su.], the ancient boundary of Cilicia. In the interior the places more especially worthy of mention are Anazarbus [So called, either from an adjacent mountain of that name, or its founder, Anazarbus. Its later name was Cæsarea ad Anazarbum. Its site is called Anawasy or Amnasy, and is said to display considerable remains of the ancient town. Of Augusta nothing is known: Ptolemy places it in a district called Bryelice.], now called Cæsarea, Augusta, Castabala [Identified by Ainsworth with the ruins seen at Kara Kaya in Cilicia.], Epiphania [Pompey settled some of the Cilician pirates here after his defeat of them. It was thirty miles east of Anazarbus, but its site does not appear to have been identified.], formerly called Œniandos, Eleusa [An island off the shore of Cilicia, also called Sebaste.], Iconium [Some of the MSS. read “Riconium” here.], Seleucia [Its ruins are called Selefkeh. This was an important city of Seleucia Aspera, built by Seleucus I. on the western bank of the river Calycadnus. It had an oracle of Apollo, and annual games in honour of Zeus Olympius. It was a free city under the Romans. It was here that Frederick Barbarossa, the emperor of Germany, died. Its ruins are picturesque and extensive.] upon the river Calycadnus, surnamed Tracheotis, a city removed [Meaning that the inhabitants of Holmia were removed by Seleucus to his new city of Seleucia.] from the sea-shore, where it had the name of Holmia. Besides those already mentioned, there are in the interior the rivers Liparis [Said by Vitruvius to have had the property of anointing those who bathed in its waters. If so, it probably had its name from the Greek word λιπαρὸς, “fat.” It flowed past the town of Soloë. Bombos and Paradisus are rivers which do not appear to have been identified.], Bombos, Paradisus, and Mount Imbarus [A branch of the Taurus range.].

Chap. 23.—Isauria and the Homonades.

All the geographers have mentioned Pamphylia as joining up to Cilicia, without taking any notice of the people of Isauria [It bordered in the east on Lycaonia, in the north on Phrygia, in the west on Pisidia, and in the south on Cilicia and Pamphylia.]. Its cities are, in the interior, Isaura [A well-fortified city at the foot of Mount Taurus. It was twice destroyed, first by its inhabitants when besieged by Perdiccas, and again by the Roman general Servilius Isauricus. Strabo says that Amyntas of Galatea built a new city in its vicinity out of the ruins of the old one. D’Anville and others have identified the site of Old Isauria with the modern Bei Sheher, and they are of opinion that Seidi Sheher occupies the site of New Isaura, but Hamilton thinks that the ruins on a hill near the village of Olou Bounar mark the site of New Isaura. Of the two next places nothing seems to be known at the present day.], Clibanus, and Lalasis; it runs down towards the sea by the side of Anemurium [In the last Chapter.] already mentioned. In a similar manner also, all who have treated of this subject have been ignorant of the existence of the nation of the Homonades bordering upon Isauria, and their town of Homona [In Pisidia, at the southern extremity of Lake Caralitis. Tacitus, Annals, iii. 48, says that this people possessed forty-four fortresses: whereas Strabo speaks of them as the most barbarous of all the Pisidian tribes, dwelling only in caves. They were conquered by the consul Quirinius in the time of Augustus.] in the interior. There are forty-four other fortresses, which lie concealed amid rugged crags and valleys.