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. VII. The regions thereof: the Praefects or Rulers in it: the wonders of Nature and Cities that it sheweth.

NOw there are contained within the whole compasse of Persia these countries that be of greatest name, and those ruled under Vitaxae (that is, captaines of horsemen) kings and princes tear∣med Satrapae (for those of the lesser sort, they be so many in num∣ber, it were a difficult and needlesse piece of worke, to recount) namely, * 1.1 Assyria, * 1.2 Susiana, * 1.3 Media, * 1.4 Petsis, * 1.5 Parthia, * 1.6 Carmania the greater, * 1.7 Hyrcania, * 1.8 Margiana, * 1.9 Bactriani, * 1.10 Sogdiani, * 1.11 Sacae, * 1.12 Scythia lying be∣yond the mountaine * 1.13 Emodes, * 1.14 Serica, * 1.15 Aria, * 1.16 Paropamissadae, * 1.17 Drangiana, * 1.18 Ara∣chosia, and * 1.19 Gedrosia. The next unto us and on this side all the rest, is noble As∣syria, for being well peopled, and much frequented, for greatnesse also in compasse and fruitfulnesse many wayes, most wealthie: which having lyen in times past, spread into large countries and territories, and being full of them, and plenteous withall, grew into one name, and all of it now is called Assyria. Where, among abundance of Berries and other vulgar fruits, groweth ^h Bitumen, neere unto a lake named Sosingites, by whose belly or channell Tigris being swallowed, and running under ground, after he hath gone a great way, ariseth and appeareth again. Here is engendred ⁱ Naphtha, clammie and glutinous like unto pitch, and it also resembleth Bitumen: upon which, if a little bird settle, she looseth her flight, sin∣keth downe, and is drowned quite out of sight. And when this kind of liquor be∣ginneth one to catch fire, mans wit is not able to devise any meanes, save onely dust to quench and put it out. In these territories there is likewise to be seene a gaping hole within the ground, from whence exhaleth a deadly breath or vapour, which with the strong smell or sent whereof killeth what living creatures soever standeth neere unto it. Which noysome and pestilent vapor arising forth of a certaine deepe pit, when it once passed the wide mouth thereof, before that it walmed up higher, caused (through the contagiousnesse thereof) the grounds lying round about it to be inhabitable. The like hole unto this, was (as some report) seene heretofore at Hierapolis in Phrygia: from which in semblable sort an hurtfull spirit or aire issu∣ing, by the continuall smell that it yeelded, killed whatsoever came neere, unlesse they were guelded: what the cause might be of this accident, I referre to the reasons

that may be made out of naturall Philosophie. Also, at the temple of Iupiter As∣bameus in * 1.20 Cappadocia, where that great and most renowmed Philosopher Apol∣lonius is reported to have beene borne in the towne Tyana, there is to bee seene a fountaine running forth of a poole, which swelling big with abundance of water, and drinking up himselfe againe, yet never surroundeth his bankes. Neere unto this circuit is that part of Assyria, called in auncient time * 1.21 Adiabena, which by long use turned to this name, for that being situate betweene Oena and Tigris, two navi∣gable rivers, there was no fou••d that ever gave accesse in to it. For we in Greece ex∣presse a passage over to a place by the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. And this verily is the conceit of those in old time. But we have learned, that in these countries there be two ever∣running rivers, which my selfe also hath passed over, namely, Diavas and Adiavas, having bridges upon them of ships set together. And hence we are to understand it tooke that denomination, even as of very great rivers, Aegypt (as Homer sayth) India, and * 1.22 Euphratensis, beforetime * 1.23 Comagena: likewise Iberia, now Spaine, of * 1.24 Iberus, and of the river * 1.25 Baetis that famous province * 1.26 Baetica. In this Adiabena standeth the citie * 1.27 Ninus, which in times past was possessed of the kingdomes of Persis, and sheweth the name of Ninus, that most mightie king, sometime the hus∣band of Semiramis: also * 1.28 Ecbatana, Arbela, and Gaugamela, where Alexander af∣ter many adventurous and dangerous battails, in heat of martiall bloud gave Darius an overthrow. Now, within the compasse of Assyria there be a number of cities, among which, the principall is * 1.29 Apamia, surnamed Mesene; also * 1.30 Teredon, Apol∣lonia, and Vologessia, together with many other like unto them: but for shew and name, these three onely be most glorious and of greatest note, to wit, * 1.31 Babylon, the wals whereof Semiramis layd with Bitumen (for the tower or citadell thereof that most auncient king Belus built:) * 1.32 Ctesiphon, which Vardanes in old time founded, and afterwards king Pacorus, when he had bettered it with strength of inhabitants and strong wals, gave it a Greeke name, and made it the very chiefe seat and mir∣roir of all Persis: and then Seleucia, the sumptuous and stately worke of Seleucus * 1.33 Nicator; which being by the captaines of Verus Caesar sore shaken and brought to ruine (as before I have related) the image of Apollo * 1.34 Chomeus being displaced, un∣shrined, and brought to Rome, the Prelats bestowed in the temple of Apollo * 1.35 Pala∣tinus. And the voice goeth, That after this very same image was thus caried away, and the citie burnt, the souldiors in rifling and ransacking the temple, met with a narrow hole; which when they had layed open, therein to find some precious trea∣sure, out of a certaine sanctuarie, shut up sometimes by the privie counsellors of the Chaldaeans, sprung forth that originall disease and corruption, which having once conceived the force of an incurable maladie, in the daies of the same Verus and Mar∣cus Antoninus, from the very bounds of Persia unto Rhene and Gaule, infected all places with contagion, and bred much mortalitie. Here hard by lyeth the Chal∣daeans countrey, nourice of the auncient Philosophie, as themselves report, among whom the truth of divination and credit of prophesies first shone foorth and gave light.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Adriu••a. N••gr. and diversly na∣med by sundry Geographers.
• * 1.2

  Cus. Nigr.
• * 1.3

  Cordini Haithon•• Servan. Castald.
• * 1.4

  Farsi. Mercator. Pharsic. Theveto.
• * 1.5

  Arach. Mercator.
• * 1.6

  Cherman. N••g. or Turquestan. Gitav.
• * 1.7

  Diargument. Mercator. Hyrach. Erythr••••.
• * 1.8

  Ieselbas. Castald.
• * 1.9

  Carass••n. Castald. Batter. Ram••sio.
• * 1.10

  Maurenha••••. Mercator.
• * 1.11

  Sas. Nigr. These three countries last named, Marius Niger comprise••h under Tartaria Zagathea.
• * 1.12

  part of Cathaia.
• * 1.13

  or Emodus. Mag∣bali. Castald
• * 1.14

  Cambal••. Gir••••.
• * 1.15

  Sernere Mer••••t.
• * 1.16

  Turks, as Ga•• a reporteth out of Gemistius Pletho.
• * 1.17

  Segistan, or Se∣gastan. Mercator. & N••gr.
• * 1.18

  Chesimur. Merc.
• * 1.19

  Gest. Mercator.
• * 1.20

  Almasia. Castald. Gen••ch. Theveto. ••occato Alalu∣li••n. ••incto.
• * 1.21

  Botan. Castald.
• * 1.22

  or Euphratesia.
• * 1.23

  Azar. Nigr••
• * 1.24

  ••bro.
• * 1.25

  Guadalquivir.
• * 1.26

  Andalusia.
• * 1.27

  Ninive, other∣wise called ••ussu∣la, Mosse and Mo∣sal. ••••gr. & Leo••••.
• * 1.28

  Tauris. Castald.
• * 1.29

  Traxt. Rawol••••o.
• * 1.30

  Ballera. Ortelio.
• * 1.31

  Baldach. Castald.
• * 1.32

  Dakia. Beniam. Tudeles.
• * 1.33

  others name him Nicanor.
• * 1.34

  of Cho••••a, a citie in Lyc••a, where he was honoured.
• * 1.35

  so called of the ••ill Palatium in Rome.