Chap. 16.] ACCOUNT OF COUNTRIES, ETC. 27 



as it was really intended for those which lead through 

 Iberia into the territory of the Sarmatse ; there being hardly 

 any possibility of approach to the Caspian Sea, by reason of the ' 

 close juxtaposition of the mountains there. There are, how- , 

 ever, other Caspian Gates, which join up to the Caspian tribes ; 

 but these can only be distinguished from a perusal of the narra- 

 tive of those who took part in the expedition of Alexander the 

 Great. 



CHAP. 16. ADIABENE. 



The kingdom of the Persians, by which we now understand 

 that of Parthia, is elevated upon the Caucasian chain between 

 two seas, the Persian and the Hyrcanian. To the Greater 

 Armenia, which in the front slopes towards Commagene, is 

 joined Sophene, which lies upon the descent 35 on both sides 

 thereof, and next to it is Adiabene, the most advanced frontier 

 of Assyria ; a part of which is Arbelitis, 36 where Alexander con- 

 quered Darius, and which joins up to Syria. The whole of this 

 country was called Mygdonia by the Macedonians, on account of 

 the resemblance it bore to Mygdonia 37 in Europe. Its cities are 

 Alexandria, 38 and Antiochia, also called Msibis ; 39 this last 

 place is distant from Artaxata seven hundred and fifty miles. 

 There was also in former times Ninus, 40 a most renowned city, 

 on the banks of the Tigris, with an aspect towards the west. 

 Adjoining the other front of Greater Armenia, which runs 

 down towards the Caspian Sea, we find Atropatene, 41 which 



3 5 See c. 10. 



36 He alludes to the town of Arbela, where, as it is generally said, the 

 army of Darius was defeated by Alexander the Great ; by which engage- 

 ment the conflict was terminated. It was the fact, however, that Darius 

 left his baggage and treasures at Arbela, while the battle really took place 

 near the village of Gaugamela, about twenty miles to the north-west of 

 Arbela. This place still retains its name of Arbil. 



37 A district in the east of Macedonia, bordering on the Thennaio gulf 

 and the Chalcidic peninsula. 



38 Nothing is known of this place. Hardouin suggests that it may have 

 been built on the spot where Alexander defeated Darius. 



39 Also known as Antiochia Mygdoniae, the capital of Mygdonia. Its 

 ruins are still to be seen near a place called Nisibin. It stood on the river 

 JVlygdonius, now the Nahral Huali. 



40 Or Nineveh, the capital of the great Assyrian monarchy, destroyed 

 by the Medes and Babylonians about B.C. 606. 



41 There is great difficulty in ascertaining, from the accounts given by 

 the ancient writers, the exact limits of this district, but it is supposed to 



