444 pliny's NATUEAL HISTOET. [Book T. 



there. Adjoining to tliis is the prsefecture of Mesopotamia, 

 which derives its origin from the Assyrians, and in which are 

 the towns of Anthemusia^ and Nicephorium^ ; after which 

 come the Arabians, known by the name of Prsetavi, with Sin- 

 gara^ for their capital. Below Samosata, on the side of Syria, 

 the river Marsyas'* flows into the Euphrates. At Cingilla 

 ends the territory of Commagene, and the state of the 

 Immei begins. The cities which are here washed by the 

 river are those of Epiphania^ and Antiochia^, generally 

 known as Epiphania and Antiochia on the Euphrates ; also 

 Zeugma, seventy-two miles distant from Samosata, famous 

 for the passage there across the Euphrates. Opposite 

 to it is Apamia', which Seleucus, the founder of both 

 cities, united by a bridge. The people who join up to 

 Mesopotamia are called the E-hoali. Other towns in Syria 

 are those of Europus^, and what was formerly Thapsa- 



was here, as alluded to by Pliny, that Crassus was defeated and slain by 

 the Partliian general, Surena. It was situate in Osroene, in Mesopo- 

 tamia, and not far from Edessa. According to Stephanus, it had its 

 name from Carrha, a river of Syria, and was celebrated in ancient times 

 for its temple of Luna, or Lunus. 



^ According to Strabo, the Aborras, now the Khabur, flowed round 

 this town. By Tacitus it is called Anthemusias. According to Isidorus 

 of Charax, it ky between Edessa and the Euplu-ates. 



2 Now Rakkah, a fortified town of Mesopotamia, on the Euphrates, 

 near the mouth of the river Bilecha. It was built by order of Alexander 

 the Great, and completed probably by Seleucus. It is supposed to have 

 been the same place as CaUinicum, the fortifications of which were re- 

 paired by Justinian. Its name was changed in later times to Leontopolis 

 by the Emperor Leo. 



3 Now called Sinjar, according to Brotier. Some writers imagine 

 that this was the site of " the plain in the land of Sliinar," on wliich the 

 Tower of Babel was built, mentioned in the Book of Genesis, xi. 2. 



* Mentioned in C. 17 of the present Book. 



5 Probably not that in the district of Cassiotis, and on the western 

 bank of the Orontes, mentioned in C. 19 of the present Book. Of this 

 locahty nothing seems to be known, except that Dupinet states that it 

 is now called Adelphe by the Turks. 



^ Probably the " Antiochia ad Taurum " mentioned by the geographer 

 Stephanus, and by Ptolemy. Some writers place it at the modem 

 Ainthb, seventy-five miles north-east of Aleppo. 



7 Now called Roum-Cala, or the "Roman Castle." For Zeugma 

 Bee p. 424. 



8 In the north-east of the district of Astropatene, origmaUy called 

 Ehaga. It was rebuilt by Seleucus Nicator, and by him called Euro- 



