The Roman historie containing such acts and occurrents as passed under Constantius, Iulianus, Iovianus, Valentinianus, and Valens, emperours. Digested into 18. bookes, the remains of 31. and written first in Latine by Ammianus Marcellinus: now translated newly into English. Wherunto is annexed the chronologie, serving in stead of a briefe supplement of those former 13. bookes, which by the iniurie of time are lost: together with compendious annotations and coniectures upon such hard places as occurre in the said historie. Done by Philemon Holland of the citie of Coventrie, Doctor in Physicke.

CHAP. X. Divers nations of Persia, the Abij, Margiani, Bactriani, Sacae, Scythians, Laxa••ae, and Galactophagi, together with the chiefe cities, are described.

MOreover, among smaller townes they have also strong cities: two verily up∣on the sea coast, namely, Socunda, and Saramanna: other also within the land, to wit, Azmo••na, Sole, and Hyrcana more noble and famous than they. Over against this nation, under the North-east are the Abij said to converse; a people most godly and devout, as who use to contemne and tread un∣der foot all worldly things, whom (as Homer verie fabulously poetizeth) ^l Iupiter beholdeth from the Idaean mountaines. Beyond the Hyrcans, in the next places are seated the Margiani, enclosed in manner all on everie side with high hills, and therefore disjoyned from the sea. And albeit most parts lye there desert, and un∣habited for scarcitie of water, yet have they certaine townes; but Iasonion, Antio∣chia, and Nisea, be better knowne than the rest. The next limits to these, are posses∣sed by the Bactrians, a nation before time warlike and most puissant, evermore in∣festing the Persians, before that they drew all the people seated round about them to their devotion, and the allyance of their name: governed in auncient times by kings dreadfull even to Arsaces. The most parts of this country, like as Margiana, be far remote from the sea coasts, but plenteous of such things as breed & grow upon the ground: the cattell also in the champian places and the mountaines, is big lim∣med, compact and strong made, as the Camels well shew, brought from thence by Mithridates, and which the Romans saw the first time at the siege of Cyzicum. To these Bactrians many nations yeeld obedience, which tyl the plaines and levell fields; and the same after the manner of Italie are overflowed with many rivers, of which Artamis and Zariaspes, that meet in one confluence before, likewise Ochus and Orgomanes, with their streames concurring together, and joyning in one chanell, wonderfully encrease the river Oxus. There bee cities also here (which divers rivers run just by) giving place to these as their betters, namely, Cathra, Charte, Alicodra, Astacia, Menapila, and Bactra it selfe; of which the kingdome and nation tooke the name first, scituat at the verie bottome and foot of the moun∣taines which they call Sogdij. Among which rivers there passe two verie capable of ships and Navigable, Araxates and Dymas, which by hills and vallyes running headlong with a great downe-fall into the champian plaines, make the marish na∣med Oxia spred farre in length and bredth. And here among other townes, Ale∣xandria, Tribatra, and Drepsa the mother citie, are famous. Vpon these joyne the

Sacae, a savage nation, inhabiting foule and over growne places, commodious one∣ly for cattell, and therefore not planted with cities: over whom stand aloft the mountaines Ascanimia and Comedus: neere to the foot whereof, and a towne which they call Lithinos-Pyrgos, there lyeth a verie long and open way passable for marchants that otherwhiles go to trade and traffique with the Seres. About the breaches and edges of the mountaines, which they tearme Immavi and Tapu∣rij, are the Scythians within the bounds of Persia, confining with the Sarmatae of Asia, and reaching to the utmost side of the Alani. Who living as it were in some ••ooke and by-place, and bred up in a solitarie life, are dispersed a great way a sun∣der, used to live upon homely and poore food. And verily there bee sundrie nati∣ons that in habit these tracts, which now to reckon up, making hast as I doe to other matters, I thinke superfluous. Yet, thus much would be knowne, that among these nations, unaccessable in manner by reason of the exceeding rigour and roughnesse of the countrey, there be some men mild and kind, as are namely the Laxartae and Galactophagi, of whom the Poet Homer maketh mention in this verse:

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

That is to say, Of the Galactophagi (people that live by eating milke) and the Abij, (among whom no violence beareth sway, or who have no regard of their food or life) most righte∣ous men. Moreover, among many riuers, which in these lands nature either joyneth to greater, or by their course afterward draweth into the Sea, much talke there is of Roemnus, Iaxartes and Talicus: But these nations are not knowne to have above three cities, Aspabota, Cauriana, and Saga.

Notes

• Sub aqu••lone, ta∣king it strictly.
• or societie.
• Chi••ico. Sophia••••.
• Geichon, Ra••••••sio. Deistan, Nigr.
• as one would say. Stone-tower.