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. XI. Likewise the Seres, Ariani, Paropamissadae, Drangiani, Ara∣chosij, and Gedrosij.

TEyond these places of Scythia the one and the other, full upon the East climat, the tops of high hills linked as it were in a chaine, compasse within a round circle, as one would say, the Seres for plentifull & large countries much esteemed; who on the West side joyne upon the Scythians: North and East they bound upon the snowie wildernesse, and South∣ward they lye out as farre as India and Ganges. Now the same mountaines before said, are called Aria, Nazavitium, Asmira, Emodus, and Opurocarra. This playne therefore environed on everie side with a steepe downefall, and these lands stretch∣ed so spatiously in breadth two famous and renowmed rivers, Oechardes and Ban∣thisis, with a still and slow streame run through; and of the divers tracts herein the nature also is different: in one place large and open, in another lying flat and low with an easie fall and descent: in which regards they have aboundance of corne, store of cattell, and plentie of hortyards, and such like. Now, this soile so fertill and fruitfull as it is, sundrie nations do inhabit; of which * 1.1 Alitrophagi, Carambusi, Sy∣zyges, and Chardi ly open, and full upon the Northerne winds and frosts. But the Rabannae, Asmirae, and Essedones, the noblest and most famous of them all, face the Sunne-rising, unto whom, from the West part joyne the Atharae and Aspara∣tae: but the Betae bending toward the high mountaines in the South, are much

renowmed for their cities, which though they be not many, yet great they are and wealthie; whereof, Asmira, Essedon, Asparata, and Pherae are most beautifull and best knowne. Now, the people themselves, I meane the Seres, live very quietly, without use of armes at all times, without triall of battailes, and (as rest is to stayed and peaceable men delectable) they are to none of their neighbours troublesome. The temperature of the weather among them is pleasant and holesome, the consti∣tution of the aire cleere and pure, the blowing of gentle winds most commodious, and the woods have pretie store of light within and under them: from whence, the people with much sprinckling of water, softening that which the trees yeeld and bring forth like unto certaine fleeces, kembe a most fine and tender matter, mi∣xed of a kind of downe and liquid substance, and spinning thred hereof, make silke, serving for the use of nobilitie and gentrie before time, but now for the basest sort also, without any difference and respect. They themselves are above others most frugall, lovers of a still and quiet life, shunning the companies of other mor∣tall men. And when as strangers are passed over the river, to buy their thread, or some other commodities, without any speech to or fro the prices of wares set forth to sale, are esteemed onely by the eye. And so void are they of covetousnesse, that delivering forth what things grow and are bred among them, they themselves buy nothing brought in from other countries. Beyond the Seres live the Ariani, sub∣ject to the cold * 1.2 Northren wind, through whose lands there runneth a river na∣med Arias, sufficient to beare ships, and maketh a huge lake, carrying likewise the same name. Moreover, this selfesame * 1.3 Aria hath a number of townes in it: among which, these be much resorted unto and of great name, Bitaxa, Orbitana, Sotera, Nisibis, and Alexandria, from whence it is a thousand and five hundred stadia say∣ling to the Caspian sea. Next unto these places are seated the Paropamissadae, who on the East side look toward the Indians, and to Caucasus on the West, they them∣selves also enclining to the breaches and ends of the hils, through whose countrey runneth the river Ortogordomaris (bigger than all the rest) which ariseth from the Bactriani. And these people have also some cities among them, of which more fa∣mous than the other, are Gazaca, Naulibis, and Ortospana: from whence if a man sayle along the shore unto the bounds of Media next lying to the Caspia portae, he shall find two thousand and two hundred stadia. Vnto this nation aforesaid joyne the Drangiani, linked together by hils. They goe under the denomination of A∣rabians, because from them they descended; and among other townes of theirs they vaunt much of twaine, Prophthasia and Ariaspe, which are rich indeed, and highly renowmed. Next overagainst them Arachosia sheweth it selfe, bending toward the right side, and lying just upon the Indians: which, a river much lesse though it be, arising out of * 1.4 Indus the greatest of all others; whence those coun∣tries tooke their name, watereth plentifully, and maketh the marish named Aracho∣toscrene. Here also among other base cities, are Alexandria, Arbaca, and Choaspa. In the most inland part of Persis lyeth Gedrosia, on the right hand reaching to the borders of the Indians, made more fruitfull by the river Artabius, beside other of smaller streame: and there have the Barbitane mountaines an end, out of the foot and bottome whereof spring other rivers that intermingle their waters with In∣dus, loosing their owne names, in regard of that which is the greater. And here also there be cities: among these cities, beside the Islands, Sedrasyra and * 1.5 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, The womens Haven, are esteemed better than the rest. Least therefore whiles shewing in particular the Bayes along the maritime coast that flow hard

upon the borders of Persis, we should wander overfarre from our purpose, suffi∣cient it shall bee thus much to say, that the sea passing along from the Caspian mountaines by the North side, unto the straits aforesaid, is reckoned to containe nine thousand stadia: but the South side, from the mouthes of the river Nylus unto the frontiers and entrance of Carmania, is by measure foureteene thousand stadia.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Here Ptol••••••••e placeth the An∣thropophagi, ••. Feeders of mens flesh.
• * 1.2

  Boreae, precisely the Northwest wind
• * 1.3

  The Region, Scrnere. Mercator. Turquestan. Pi∣neto.
• * 1.4

  Indu Castald. Hijnd. Nig••.
• * 1.5

  Gyn••con Li••en.