1836.] Memoir on the Ancient Coins of Beghrdm. 9 



Kabul, which we detect in our ancient geographers. The distance 

 between the modern cities of Kabul and Kandahar, agreeably to admea- 

 surements made under the Chaghdtai Emperors of India, is ninety-two 

 Jeribi koss, or nearly 210 British miles ; the miles of Pliny are no 

 doubt Roman ones, which were, I believe, a little less than our British 

 statute ones : this slight difference will not however compensate for the 

 excess in the distance fixed by Alexander's officers ; but there are 

 reasons to suspect that the ancient capital of Arachosia was situated 

 some eighteen or twenty miles west of the modern Kandahar, at the 

 base of a hill called Panchvahi, where traditions affirm a large city 

 once flourished, and of which there is abundant proof in the huge mounds 

 to be observed there. The ancient city of Kabul, which I infer to 

 have been Ortospanum, was seated also some three or four miles east of 

 the modern one ; the distances here gained, with the difference between 

 British and Roman miles on two hundred and fifty of the latter, (if 

 they be, as above assumed, less,) will reconcile the measurements of 

 the officers of Alexander with those of the Chaghatai Emperors, and 

 we can have little doubt but that Ortospanum is represented by the 

 present KdbuL From Kabul to Beghrdm, the distance is not certainly 

 more than twenty-seven British miles ; but from Kabul to Nildb of 

 Ghorband, the distance is nearly, if not fully, fifty miles, coinciding with 

 the account of Diognetes and Boston. It may however be observed, 

 that different copies of Pliny have in this instance various numbers, so 

 that we feel perplexed to select the genuine ones ; fifty I believe to be 

 the least mentioned, and I have calculated with it, supposing it the 

 more probable one. The same itinerary gives the distance between 

 Alexandria ad Caucasum and Peucalaotis, stated to be 227 Roman 

 miles : this latter place has generally been located near the modern 

 Peshawar ; from Kabul to Peshawar are estimated 112 ordinary koss, 

 which, calculated at one mile and half each, yield nearly 170 miles, 

 Beghrdm will be nearly equidistant from Peshawar with Kabul, therefore 

 the distance noted in the itinerary will coincide rather with the locality 

 of Nildb, which may be about 30 British miles from Beghrdm, and 

 consequently 200 or more British miles from Peshawar, equivalent 

 perhaps to 227 Roman miles. But I do not feel confident that Peucalaotis 

 has been justly referred to the site of Peshawar. It appears to have 

 been the name of a province, the capital of which was Peucela; in these 

 terms we detect a considerable affinity to the modern appellation Puekoli, 

 applied to a district with capital of the same name east of the Indus, and 

 above Attock, which in ancient times included a considerable territory 

 west of the Indus. It is not certain that Alexander visited the 

 immediate vicinity of Peshawar, although Heph^stion will have done 



