Chap. 31.] ACCOUNT OF COUNTRIES, ETC. 79 



Below 81 this district is Susiane, in which is the city of Susa,** 

 the ancient residence of the kings of Persia, built by Darius, 

 the son of Hystaspes ; it is distant from Seleucia Bab) r lonia 

 four hundred and fifty miles, and the same from Ecbatana of 

 the Medi, by way of Mount Carbantus. 83 Upon the northern 

 channel of the river Tigris is the town of Babytace, 84 distant 

 from Susa one hundred and thirty-five miles. Here, for the 

 only place in all the world, is gold held in abhorrence ; the 

 people collect it together and bury it in the earth, that it may 

 be of use to no one. 85 On the east of Susiane are the Oxii, a 

 predatory people, and forty independent savage tribes of the 

 Mizaei. Above these are the Mardi and the Saitse, subject to 

 Parthia : they extend above the district of Elymais, which we 

 have already mentioned M as joining up to the coast of Persia. 

 Susa is distant two hundred and fifty miles from the Persian 

 Sea. Near the spot where the fleet of Alexander came up 81 the 

 Pasitigris to Susa, there is a village situate on the Chaldaean 

 Lake, Aple byname, from which to Susa is a distance of sixty 

 miles and a half. Adjoining to the people of Susiane, on the 

 east, are the CossiaBi j 88 and above them, to the north, is Mesa- 

 batene, lying at the foot of Mount Cambalidus, 89 a branch of 

 the Caucasian chain : from this point the country of the Bactri 

 is most accessible. 



Susiane is separated from Elymais by the river Eulaeus, 

 which rises in Media, and, after concealing itself in fhe 

 earth for a short distance, rises again and flows through Mesa- 

 batene. It then flows round the citadel of Susa 90 and the 



81 More to the south, and nearer the sea. 



82 Previously mentioned in c. 26. 



83 A part of Mount Zagrus, previously mentioned, according 1 to Hardouin. 



84 Its site appears to he unknown. According to Stephanus, it was a 

 city of Persia. Forbiger conjectures that it is the same place as Badaca, 

 mentioned by Uiodorus Siculus, B. xix. c. 19 ; but that was probably 

 nearer to Susa. 



85 The buryer excepted, perhaps. 



86 In c. 28 of the present Book. 



87 As mentioned in c. 26 of the present Book, 



88 A warlike tribe on the borders of Susiana and the Greater Media. In 

 character they are thought to have resembled the Bakhtiara tribes, who 

 now roam over the mountains which they formerly inhabited. It has been 

 suggested that their name may possibly be connected with the modern 

 Khuzistan. 



89 Supposed to be the same as the modern Kirmanshah mountains. 



90 As mentioned in a previous Note, (67 in p. 77), Pliny mistakes 



