718 Notes on the Antiquities of Bdmian. [Not. 



of king Gustasp, who became his disciple and admirer. The origi- 

 nal seat therefore of his new religion or doctrine was Bactra, whence 

 (under the protection of Gustasp) it was disseminated over Iran." 



Zerdesht, in giving the name of the sovereign of Bactra, his pa- 

 tron, possibly gives that of one of the sovereigns commemorated at 

 Bdmirin. If it be so, we may associate with him Lohrasp his prede- 

 cessor, and it is deserving of particular notice that the romantic his- 

 tory of Persia ascribes to Lohrasp the construction of a hermitage, 

 to which he retired, abdicating his throne in favor of Gustasp, and 

 from which he was called forth to repel an invasion upon Bulkh, 

 (Gustasp being absent at the time in Seistan.) when he fell in battle. 

 We perhaps gain from this history a hint as to the origin of the 

 caves and idols of Bdmidn. Having coins with legends, which itisjnot 

 too much to hope may be interpreted, we may ultimately ascertain 

 theee facts, when we shall be afforded triumphant evidence of the age 

 of the Zendavesta ; and it is cheering to reflact that records are pre- 

 served of these kings independent of the Zendavesta, itself a most 

 important and valuable one. These records are within our reach, and 

 we have only to distinguish fiction from reality, and history from ro- 

 mance, to acquire a full and satisfactory knowledge of a hitherto dark 

 period. 



Zerdesht has accurately described the extent and partitions of the 

 kingdom in which he lived, as justly observed by Professor Heeren, 

 and what he describes we shall allow the Professor also to state for 

 us. " The opening of his Vendidad contains a catalogue of the pro- 

 vinces and principal cities of that kingdom ; and this record, so inva- 

 luable to the historian, is so clear and complete as to leave no room 

 for doubt. The chief provinces and places, sixteen in number, are 

 registered according to their oriental appellations, and for the most 

 part are easily to be recognized. We learn hence that, except Azer- 

 bijan, to the west of the Caspian, all the countries east of the same, 

 as far as northern Hindustan, were, together with the latter country, 

 subject to king Gustasp, at whose court the sage resided. The 

 whole of Khordsdn is here enumerated, with the several provinces of 

 which it is composed — Bactriana and Sogdiana, Aria or Sehestan, 

 Cabul, Arokhage, the confines of Hindustan, and finally Lahore in the 

 Punjab, are all successively mentioned." 



The record of Zerdesht is indeed historically valuable, and de- 

 scribes the extended empire of Bactria as it probably existed under 

 Eucratides, and as it may possibly have fallen into the hands of the 

 Kianians — in many of the countries as we know, and very probably 

 in all of them, are found their coins and memorials. It will be re- 



