BOOK VI. XXXI. 1 28-131 



Euphrates. The Tigris hoAvever after receiving as 

 tributaries from Armenia those notable rivers the 

 Parthenias and Nicephorion, makes a frontier between 

 the Arab tribes of the Orroei and Adiabeni and forms 

 the region of Mesopotamia montioned above ; it§25. 

 then traverses the mountains of the Gurdiaei, flowing 

 round Apamea, a town belonging to Mesene, and 

 125 miles short of Babylonian Seleucia spHts into 

 two channels, one of which flows south and reaches 

 Seleucia, watering Mesene on the way, while the 

 other bends northward and passing behind the same 

 people cuts through the plains of Cauchae ; when 

 the two streams have reunited, the river is called 

 Pasitigris. Aftervvards it is joined by the Kerkhah 

 from Media, and, as we have said, after flowing§i22. 

 between Seleucia and Ctesiphon empties itself into 

 the Chaldaean Lakes, and broadens them out to a 

 width of 62 miles. Then it flows out of the Lakes 

 in a vast channel and passing on the right-hand side 

 of the tOAvn of Charax discharges into the Persian 

 Sea, the mouth of the river being 10 miles wide. 

 The mouths of the two rivei-s used to be 25 miles 

 apart, or as others record 7 " miles, and both were 

 navigable ; but a long time ago the Euphrates was 

 dammed by the Orcheni and other neighbouring 

 tribes in order to irrigate their lands, and its water 

 is only discharged into the sea by way of the Tigris. 



The country adjacent to the Tigris is called Para- Ttte Tigris 

 potamia. It contains the district of Mesene, men- ''^?"^- 

 tioned above ; a town in this is Dabitha, and adjoining § 129. 

 it is Chalonitis, with the town of Ctesiphon, a wooded 

 district containing not only palm groves but also 

 oHves and orchards. Mount Zagrus extends as far 

 as Chalonitis from Armenia, coming between the 



voL. 11. P 437 



