Annentan 

 :oast.t. 



BOOK VI. X. zS-xn. 30 



the proper place, and is entirely surrounded by the § S6. 

 Caucasus Mountains. 



We sliall now mention the pcoples dwelling along 

 the border of Armenia. 



XI. AU the plain from the Kur onward is oc- The 

 cupied by the race of the Albani and then that of thc 

 Hibcrcs, separated from the Albani by the river 

 Alazon, which flows down from Mount Caucasus into 

 the Cyrus. Important towns are Kablas-Var in 

 Albania and Hermastus on the river and Neoris in 

 Hiberia. The districts of Thasie and Thriare reach 



to the Parihcdri Mountains, and beyond them is 

 the Colchian desert, on the side of which towards 

 the Ceraunii dwell the Armenochalybes, and the 

 country of the Moschi reaching to the river Hiberus, 

 a tributary of the Kur, and below them the Sacasani 

 and then the Macerones reaching to the river 

 Absarrus. This gives the population of the plains 

 or mountain slopes ; then after the frontier of Albania 

 the whole face of the mountains is occupied by the wild 

 tribes of the Silvi and below them those of the Lupenii, 

 and afterwards the Diduri and Sodi. 



XII. Onleavingtheseonecomestothe Gatesof the a Caucasian 

 Caucasus," which many vcry erroneously call the '"''"• 

 Caspian Gates, an enormous work of Nature, who 



has here suddcnly rent thc mountains asundcr. Here 

 gates have been placed, with iron-covered bcams, 

 under the centre of which flows a river emitting a 

 horrible odour ; and on this side of it on a i-ock 

 stands the fortress called Cumania, erected for the 

 purpose of barring the passage of the innumerable 

 tribes. At this spot therefore the world is divided 

 by gates into two portions ; it is just opposite the 

 Hiberian town of Hermastus. licyond the Gates of 



359 



