30 MINES OF ASIA 



CHAP. II. 



means of the commerce of the inhabitants with 

 those of other divisions of the world. Thus 

 Phoenicia, and Palestine, and the land to the 

 frontier of Egypt were taxed at three hundred 

 and fifty talents of silver, though neither gold 

 nor silver, nor any metal, except some copper 

 from Sarephta, was produced in the country. 



It seems probable that the precious metals 

 were first known to mankind in the eastern parts 

 of Asia and in Egypt, but which of those coun- 

 tries is entitled to a priority in the discovery it 

 is now almost impossible to determine. The 

 tribute imposed by the law of Darius shows their 

 wealth in general, as compared with the other 

 divisions of his dominions. Thus, in eastern 

 Asia, " Babylon and the other parts of Assyria, 

 which formed the ninth satrapy, paid a thousand 

 talents of silver. Ecbatana, the rest of Media, 

 with the Parycanii and Orthocorybantes, which 

 was the tenth satrapy, furnished four hundred 

 and fifty talents. The Caspians, the Daritae, 

 and some others, composing the eleventh satrapy, 

 contributed two hundred talents. The country 

 of the Bactrians, or twelfth satrapy, furnished 

 three hundred and sixty talents ; to which may 

 be added Susa, and the rest of the Cessians, 

 who supplied three hundred talents." Thus the 

 eastern part of Asia, exclusive of India, which 

 " supplied six hundred talents in golden ingots," 

 afforded nearly one half of the whole metallic 



