BOOK VI. xxx. 1 21-123 



200 ft. high and 50 ft. wide (the Assyrian foot 

 measures 3 inches more than ours). The Euphrates 

 flows through the city, with marvellous embank- 

 ments on either side. Thc temple of Jupiter Belus " 

 in Babylon is still standing — Behis ■\vas tiie discoverer 

 of the scicnce of astronomy ; but in all other respects 

 the place has gone back to a desert, having been 

 drained of its population by the proximity of Seleucia, 

 founded for that purpose by Nicator not quite 90 

 miles away, at the point where the canaUsed 

 Euphrates joins the Tigris. However, Seleucia is 

 still described as being in the territory of Babylon, 

 although at the present day it is a free and indepen- 

 dent city and retain.s the Macedonian manners. 

 It is said that the population of the city numbers 

 600,000 ; that the plan of the walls resembles the 

 shape of an eagle spreading its wings ; and that its 

 territory is the most fertile in the whole of the east. 

 For the purpose of dra^nng away the population of 

 Seleucia in its turn, the Parthians founded Ctesiphon, 

 which is about three miles from Seleucia in the 

 Chalonitis district, and is now the capital of the 

 kingdoms of Parthia. And after it was found that 

 the intended purpose was not being achieved, another 

 town was recently founded in the neighbourhood by 

 King Vologesus, named Vologesocerta. There are 

 in addition the foUowing towns in Mesopotamia : 

 Hippareni — this also a school* of Chaldaean learn- 

 ing hke Babylon — situated on a tributary of the 

 river Narraga, from which the city-state takes its 

 name (the walls of Hippareni were demohshed 

 by the Persians) ; also Orcheni, a third seat ^ of 

 Chaldaean learning, is situated in the same neighbour- 

 hood towards the south ; and next Notitae and 

 Orothophanitae and Gnesiochartac. 



431 



