BOOK VI. xviii. 46-48 



while on this side of the Sideris are the rivers Maziris 

 and Straor, all three streams rising in the Caucasus. 

 Next comes the Margiane country, famous for its 

 sunny climate — it is the only district in that region 

 where the vine is grown ; it is shut in all round by a 

 beautiful ring of mountains, 187 miles in circuit, and 

 is difficult of access on account of sandy deserts 

 stretching for a distance of 120 miles ; and it is 

 itself situated opposite to the region of Parthia. 

 In Margiane Alexander had founded a city " bearing 

 his name, which was destroyed by the bar- 

 barians, but Antiochus son of Seleucus re-estab- 

 hshed a Syrian city on the same site, intersected 

 by the river Murghab, which is canaUzed into 

 Lake Zotha ; he had preferred that the city should 

 be named after himself. Its circuit measures 8| 

 miles. This is the place to which the Roman 

 prisoners taken in the disaster * of Crassus were 

 brought by Orodes. From the heights of Merv 

 across the ridges of the Caucasus right on to the 

 Bactrians extend the fierce tribe of the Mardi, an 

 independent state. Below this region are the 

 tribes of the Orciani, Commori, Berdrigae, Ilarmato- 

 tropi, Citomarae, Comani, Murrasiarae and Man- 

 druani ; the rivers Mandrum and Chindrum, and 

 beyond them the Chorasmi, Gandari, Paricani, 

 Zarangae, Arasmi, Marotiani, Arsi, Gaeh (called 

 by the Greeks the Cadusii), and Matiani ; the town 

 of Heraclea, founded by Alexander and subsequently 

 overthrown, but restored by Antiochus, who gave it 

 the name of Achais ; the Drebices, whose territory is 

 intersected by the river Amu Darya rising in Lake 

 Oaxus ; the Syrmatae, Oxyttagae, Moei, Bateni, 

 Saraparae ; and the Bactri, whose town was called 



voL. II M 373 



