1836.] Memoir on the Ancient Coins of Beghrdm. T 



has a greater extent of course than that of Panjshir ; but the latter is 

 the more considerable stream. At the point where the river of Panjshir 

 issues from the hills into the level country of the Kohistdn, is a spot now 

 called Nildb; also at the very site of Beghrdm after its union with the 

 Ghorband river, the united stream has the same name, in both instances 

 derived from the great depth of the water, and its consequent limpid 

 and blue appearance. In the valley of Ghorband is a spot called Nildb, 

 which now by some contradiction is conferred upon the land adjacent 

 to the river, and not upon the river itself. I incline to consider the 

 river of Ghorband to be the Nildbi of our ancient authors, and if it be 

 found that the Nauldbi of Ptolemy, Strabo, or Pliny, the writers who 

 have probably mentioned it, be conducted by Drapsaca or Drashtoca, 

 which may be concluded to be the modern Bamidn, we can have no 

 doubt of the fact, and the merit of being considered the site of Alexan- 

 dria ad Caucasum, or ad calcem Caucasi, can only be contested by two 

 sites, that of Nildb, in the valley of Ghorband, and that of Beghrdm. Near 

 Nildb, in Ghorband, we find the remains of a most stupendous fortress; 

 but however valuable as a military post, it does not seem calculated to 

 have been the site of a large city. Beghrdm, on the contrary, possesses 

 every advantage of situation, and would in these days, if revived, bid 

 fairer to realize its pristine prosperity, than any other site in these coun- 

 tries. With the term Alexandria ad calcem Caucasi, the situation of 

 Nilab would precisely agree, and we learn also that the city so called 

 was near the cave of Prometheus. This appears to have been justly 

 located by Wilford, near the pass of Shibr ; and we find at Ferinjal, a 

 dependency of Ghorband, between it and Bamidn, or near Shibr, a most 

 extraordinary cave, which we would fain believe to be that of Prome- 

 theus. With the term Alexandria ad Caucasum, the site of Beghrdm 

 would sufficiently coincide ; while its distance from the cave of Ferinjal, 

 or that of Prometheus, is not so great as to violate propriety in its 

 being termed contiguous, while its propinquity to the base of Hindu 

 Kosh, or Caucasus, would seem to justify its being entitled Alexandria 

 ad calcem Caucasi. That Alexander established not merely a military 

 post, but founded a large city, we ascertain, when we learn from Curtius, 

 that he peopled it with no less then seven thousand menials of his army, 

 besides a number, of course considerable, but not mentioned, of his 

 military followers, and are distinctly informed, that the city in question 

 became a large and flourishing one. No doubt, if this part of Asia 

 were to come under European control, the re- edification of Beghrdm 

 would be deemed a necessary measure, for a considerable city at this 

 spot would not only provide for the due submission of the half- obedient 



