Chap. 39.] ACCOUNT OF COUNTRIES, ETC. Ill 



divide the world are many in number ; by our people they 

 are known as "circuli" or circles, by the Greeks they are 

 called " paralleli " or parallels. 



(34.) The first begins at that part of India which looks to- 

 wards the south, and extends to Arabia and those who dwell 

 upon the borders of the Bed Sea. It embraces the Gedrosi, 

 the Carmanii, the Persae, the Elymsei, Parthyene, Aria, Susi- 

 ane, Mesopotamia, Seleucia surnamed Babylonia, Arabia as far 

 as Petra, Ccele Syria, Pelusium, the lower parts of Egypt called 

 the Chora of Alexandria, the maritime parts of Africa, all the 

 cities of Cyrenaica, Thapsus, Adrumetum, Clupea, Carthage, 

 Utica, the two Hippo's, Numidia, the two Mauritanias, the 

 Atlantic Sea, and the Pillars of Hercules. Within the me- 

 ridian of this parallel, on the middle day of the equinox, the 

 pin of the dial, usually called the gnomon, if seven feet in 

 length, throws a shadow at mid-day no more than four feet long: 

 the longest day and night are fourteen equinoctial hours 

 respectively, the shortest being only ten. 



The next circle or parallel begins with the western parts of 

 India, and runs through the middle of Parthia, through Per- 

 sepolis, the nearer parts of Persis, the nearer Arabia, Judaea, and 

 the people who live near Mount Libanus, and it embraces Baby- 

 lon, Iduma3a, Samaria, Hierosolyma, Ascalon, Joppa, Caesarea 

 iu Phoenicia, Ptolemais, Sidon, Tyre, Berytus, Botrys, Tripolis, 

 Byblus, Antiochia, Laodicea, Seleucia, the maritime parts of 

 Cilicia, the southern parts of Cyprus, Crete, Lilybaeum in 

 Sicily, and the northern parts of Africa and Numidia. In these 

 regions, at the time of the equinox, a gnomon of thirty-five 

 feet in length gives only a shadow twenty-four feet long ; and 

 the longest day and night are respectively fourteen equinoctial 

 hours, and one-fifth of an hour, in length. 



The third circle or parallel begins at the part of India 

 which lies in the vicinity of Mount Imaiis, and runs through 

 the Caspian Gates and the nearer parts of Media, Cataonia, 

 Cappadocia, Taurus, Amanus, Issus, the Passes of Cilicia, 

 Soli, Tarsus, Cyprus, Pisidia, Side in Pamphylia, Lycaonia, 

 Patara in Lycia, Xanthus, Caunus, Rhodes, Cos, Halicar- 

 nassus, Cnidos, Doris, Chios, Delos, the middle of the Cyclades, 

 Gythium, Malea, Argos, Laconia, Elis, Olympia, Messenia in 

 Peloponnesus, Syracuse, Catina, the middle of Sicily, the 

 southern parts of Sardinia, Carteia, and Gades. A gnomon, 



