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.

11. HYRCANIA.

HYRCANIA is bounded on the South with Parthia; on the North, with the Hyrcanian or Cas∣pian Sea; on the East, with Margiana; and on the West, with Atropatia, or Atropatene (as Ammianns calleth it) the North part of Media. Divided from Parthia by the interposition of Coro∣nus, part of the main body of mount Taurus. The way thorow which, said by the Persians to be cut out at one blow by the Scymitar of Mortis Haly, their second Mahomet, as not above fourty yards in breadth, in the broadest parts of it, the hills on both sides to wring to the very clouds. With small strength easily defended against mighty Armies, and possibly may be the same which the Antients called Portae Cas∣piae, before described.

It took the name of Hyrcania, from Hyrcana, a large and spacious forest betwixt it and Scythia; sometimes called Caspia also, from the Caspii, a chief People of it; of whom it is reported, that when their Parents came to the age of 70 years, they used to shut them up, and starve them, as being then no longer usefull to the Common-wealth. But both those names growing out of use, it is by Mercator cal∣led Diargument; by some late Travells Mezendram; by some others Corcam.

Those parts hereof which lie towards the South are said to yield abundance of wheat, wines, figges, and fruit: those towards the Caspian Sea, as plentifull of Grass and pasture. But betwixt both, no∣thing in a manner but continual forests, and those so intricate and thick, that it is a matter of no small diffi∣culty to find passage thorow them. Full, as most other Forests are in those Eastern parts, of Panthers, Leo∣pards, Lions, Tigers: these last of such an horrible fierceness, that it grew into a common Proverb used of cruel men, that they had sucked an Hyrcanian Tiger; Hyrcanaeg, admorunt ubera Tigres, as it is in Virgil.

Principall Rivers of this Countrey, 1. Zioberis, spoken of before. 2. Maxera, or Mazeras, men∣tioned by Pliny, Ptolomy, and Ammianus; and 3. Secanda; all falling into the Caspian or Hircani∣an Sea. A Sea which had the names of Caspian, and Hyrcanian, from the Caspit and Hyrcani, bordering text unto it; now from the Town of Bochu, in Atropatia, called Mare di Bochu. Fashioned in an O∣vall form, the length thereof from North to South 700 miles, and 600 miles from East to West. Stormy, and troublesome, by reason of those many great Rivers which fall into it from all the Provinces adjoyning; which notwithstanding it hath no visible commerce with the Ocean; nor doth it at any time overflow its banks: finding some passage under ground to discharge it self of those vast streams of water which are powred into it. Well traded by the Moscovite Merchants, who having the command of the River Volge (which with 70 mouths doth open into this Sea) sail over it, and land at Farabant, or some other of the Port-Towns, where they trade for silks. Some Ilands here are in it, but not many, or of any great fame but onely that they served the Nations which lay neer it for a place of retreat, in time of the Tartarian tempest under Tamerlane; as the Isles of Venice did to the Italians at the comming of Attila.

Places of most consideration, 1. Hyrcania, once the Metropolis of the Province, and so called by Ptolomy; still extant, but of less esteem, and still called Hyrcan. 2. Tambrace, in old times of the greatest strength, and most defensible, but taken by Antiochus Magnus in the warre against Arsaces the Parthian for the recovery of those Countries then revolted from him. 3. Adrapsa, 4. Masaca, 5. Anarosa; of which we find the names, amongst others, in the antient Writers. 6. Asharaffe, two miles from the Sea, in a spacious Plain, containing about 2000 houses; and now of most reputation of all this Province, by the long Residence therein of Abas, the late Persian Sultan; who built there a magnficent Palace, & another two miles off at a place called Abassebaut. The furniture whereof, besides costly Carpets, in Plate

and Jewels, at such time as Sir Dodmore Cotton was there Ambassadour, is said to have been valued by a knowing Merchant, at 20 millions of Pounds. But I fear the Merchant had more skill in silks than Jew∣els; such a vast summe to be expended on the furniture of one Palace onely, being beyond the possibility of the Revenue of the Persian Sophies; hardly amounting towards all charges to five millions of Crowns. 7. Farabant, on a navigable Arm of the Caspian Sea; for beauty, wealth, and greatness, of most note in this Countrey. Well traded from all parts of this Inland Sea, especially by the Russian Merchant, as before is said; whose ships come hither in March, and return in July; it being from hence to Astrachan but ten dates sail. Beautified with goodly Gardens, a Royal mansion of the kings, and aspacious Market-place. 8. Chiacoporo, neer the Sea also, but on the banks of a River; the water whereof is said for eleven moneths to be fresh and sweet, and for the twelf month very salt. 9. Barfrushdee, twelve miles from the Sea, well furnished with wood and water. 10. Omoall, a Town of about 3000 houses, seated on the North side of the Taurus, in a pleasant and fruitfull soyl; resorted to by the people of so many Nations, that seven languages are there commonly spoken. Once larger, as appeareth by some ruins, than it is at the pre∣sent; by some conceived to be the Nabarca of the Antients, honoured in those times with an Oracle. 11. Strava, a town of great trafick, for raw silks especially. 12. Mesandre, whence the whole Province (or rather the parts adjoyning to it) hath the name of Mezendrum.

The old Inhabitants hereof, besides the Caspii, were the Maxerae, Astabeni, Chrindi, and the Arsitenses; united in the name of Hyrcans in the time of the Persians, and by that name well known at the comming of Alexander. Against whom they so defended themselves by tying the boughs and twigs of their Trees together, that it was impossible for him to come at them till with incredible pains and labour he had caused their woods to be cut down: at sight whereof the People, who supposed the King had too much other business, and of more importance, than to put himself unto that trouble, did submit unto him. Falling to the share of Scleucus, they were the first people that were gained by Arsaces, and joined with him in recovering their former liberty, though they got nothing by the bargain but the change of their Ma∣ster. In all times since, they have been looked upon as Members of the Persian Empire, till the conquest of it by the Tartars; in the distractions of whose great Empire after Tamerlanes death, it fell to some Princes of his house; who governed here under the vassallage and protection of the Tartars of Zagathay. Re∣covered not long since to their old obedience by Sultan Abas: who for the better setling the affairs hereof, removed the Seat Royall from Spawhawn, to which before he had transferred it from the City of Casbin, to Ashtrasse, then a small town, now the chief of this Countrey.