Cosmographie in four bookes : containing the chorographie and historie of the whole vvorld, and all the principall kingdomes, provinces, seas and isles thereof / by Peter Heylyn.

7. ASIA PROPRIA.

COme we now to the ASIAN Diocese, and first to that part thereof which Ptolomie and others (for the reasons spoken of before) call Asia Propria. Antiently the most rich and flourishing part of all this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and so affirmed to be by Tullie, who telleth us that the tributes which the Romans had from other places, hardly sufficed to defray the publick charges for defence thereof. Asia vero tam opinia est & s••rul••s ut & ubert 〈◊〉〈◊〉 agrorum, & varictate fructuum, & magnitudine pastionis, & multitudine carum rerum quae exportentur, facile omnibus terris antecellit. But as for Asia (saith he) it is so fertile and so rich, that for the fruitfulnesse of the fields, variety of fruites, largenesse of pasture-grounds, and quan∣tity of commodities which were brought from thence; it very easily excelled all other Countreys. The fortunes of the severall Provinces we shall see anon. Brought under the command of the Persians, they continued subject to that Crown, for some generations: but at last taken from them by the Grecions, under the prosperous ensignes of victorious Alexander. After whose decease, the Empire being divided among his Captains, Asia, fell to the share of Antigonus; whose sonne Demetrius seized on the Kingdome of Macedonia: and left Asia to Seleucus Nicanor, King of Syria and the East, being also one of Alex∣ander's heires. The sixt from this Seleucus was Antiochus called the Great who waging warre with young Prolomy Philopaters, King of Eg••••t, committed by his father to the protection of the Romans; and otherwise pract••ing against their estate; provoked the Sen ite of Rome to send Scipio (sirnamed from his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 victories) A••••aticus against him: who compelled him to forsake Asia, which the Romans presently took into their possions. But finding it agreeable to the present estate of their Affaires (the Kingdome of Mac••∣denia standing in their way) to make further use of Eumene•• King of Pergamus, and the people of Rhodes, who had been aiding to them in the former warre; they gave unto Eumenes the Provinces of L••caonia,

Phrygia, Mysia, Ionia, Lydia, Lycia and Caria to the Rhodians: knowing full well, that they could easily take them back again, when they saw occasion. More hereof in the story of the Kings of Perga∣mus: on the decease of Artalus the last King thereof, these Provinces returning fully to the power of the Romans.

It contained only after the accompt of Cicero, the Provinces of Phrygia, Mysia, Caria, Lydia, as he reck oneth them up in his Oration for Flaccus: computing the two Phrygia's for one Province only, and comprehending Aeolis and Ionia, under that of Lydia. But for our more punctuall and particular proceed∣ing in it, we will consider it as divided into 1. Phrygia Minor. 2. Phrygia Mayor. 3. Mysia. 4. Aeolis and Ionia,, or Asia more especially so called. 5. Lydia, and 6. Caria.