64 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO \6Q5. 



entire, in a manner as they were left, neither being used to other structures on the 

 place, nor worth carrying away, because of its great distance from any other city. 

 As to the geographical site of Palmyra, Ptolemy places it in the latitude of 

 Tripoli on the coast of Syria, and 4 degrees more easterly, and he makes it the 

 capital of l6 cities in Syria Palmyrena, whereof Alalis, Danaba, and Evaria, 

 were afterwards bishops' sees. Pliny places it 203 miles from the nearest coast 

 of Syria, and 337 from Seleucia on the Tygris near Bagdat. Josephus places 

 it one day's journey from the Euphrates, and six from Babylon, which must be 

 understood of a horseman's journey of about 6o miles a-day, it being more than 

 so much from the Euphrates. Ptolemy mentions also a river running by Pal- 

 myra, which did not appear to our travellers, unless that gut or channel in which 

 they were overflowed by the rain waters, was its bed ; which may possibly run 

 with a constant stream in the winter, or times of much rain; but this, as the 

 rivers of Aleppo and Damascus at this day, is made by Ptolemy to have no exit; 

 but to go off' in vapour, and to be imbibed by the thirsty earth of these deserts. 

 The sera, or account of years, observed by the Palmyrenes in their inscrip- 

 tions, is evidently that of Seleucus, called afterwards Dhilcarnain or Bicornis 

 by the Arabs, and by them kept in use till above QOO years after Christ, and 

 not that of the death of Alexander. This may be demonstrated from an in- 

 scription, where Alexander Severus is stiled 0GOC; thai is, after the death and 

 consecration of that emperor, or after the year of our Lord 234 ; and from the 

 name of Julius, who, when this inscription was set up, was Pra:fectus Prastorio, 

 and could be no other than Julius Philippus Arabs, who might be esteemed by 

 the Palmyrenes as their countryman, it follows, that it was in the last year of 

 Gordian, Anno Christi 242 or 243 ; and that emperor being soon after mur- 

 dered by the treachery of this Pliilip, who succeeded him, and his treason 

 coming afterwards to light, it is not strange that his name was purposely effaced 

 in this inscription. lis date, anno 5 54, shows the beginning of this account 

 311 or 312 years before Christ, coincident with the sera of Seleucus, which was 

 likewise observed by several other cities in the East. 



It is taken for granted, that old Aleppo was anciently the city of Berrhoea, 

 and I think I may without scruple conclude, that Andrene is the ruins of the 

 city of Androna ; anrl Esree that of Serianc, botli mentioned in the itinerary of 

 Antoninus, in the journey a Dolica Seriane. But this whole country is laid 

 about half a degree n)ore southerly than it ought by Ptolemy, who places Ber- 

 rhcea in lat. 36°. For the meridian altitude of the tropical sun at Aleppo is 

 found there but 77°; whence the lat. 3(3" 30', as it was observed, anno l()80, 

 by three several quadrants, in the presence of a curious gentleman, to whom I 

 am obliged for this communication. 



