Chap. 30.] iCOOTIM-T OF COTJNTEIES, ETC. 71 



formed these commuhities into cities, being prompted thereto 

 by the extraordinary fertility of the soil. Besides the cities 

 already mentioned, it contains those of Selenoia,'"' Laodicea," 

 Aiteniita ;^' and in Arabia, the peoples known as the 

 Orei" and the Mardani, besides Antiochia," founded by Nica- 

 nor, the governor of Mesopotamia, and called Arabis. Join- 

 ing up to these in the interior is an Arabian people, called 

 the Eldamani, and above them, upon the river PaUaconta, the 

 town of ■Bura, and the Arabian peoples known as the Sal- 

 mani and the Masei. Up to the Gordysei^ join the Aloni, 

 through whose territoiy runs the river Zerbis, which falls into 

 the Tigris ; next are the Azones, the Silici, a mountain 

 tribe, and the Orontes, to the west of whom lies the town of 

 Gaugamela,^ as also ,Sue, situate upon the rocks. Beyond 

 these are the Silici, sumamed Classitae, through whose dis- 

 trict runs the river Lycus on its passage from Armenia, the 

 Absithris " running south-east, the town of Accobis, and then in 

 the plains the towns of Diospage, Polytelia,^'- Stratonice, and 

 Anthermis.''' In the Ticinity of the Euphrates is Mcephorion, 

 of which we have^ already stated that Alexander, struck with 



™ On the left bant of the Euphra'tes, opposite to the ford of Zeugma ; 

 a fortress of considerable importance. 



- '' Its site is unknown. Dupiuet confounds it with the place of this name 

 mentioned in the last Chapter, calling them by the name of Lor. 



" Pliny is wrong in placing Artemita in Mesopotamia. It was a city 

 of Babylonia, in the district of ApoUoniatis. The modern Sherbin is 

 supposed to occupy its site. 



^' Bumouf, having found the name of these people, as he supposes, in 

 a cuneiform inscription, written " Ayura," would have them to be called 

 Aroei. The Orel are also mentioned in B. t. c. 20. 



** This Autioch does not appear to have been identified. 



™ The mountains of the Gordysei are mentioned in c. 12. 



" This, as previously mentioned in a Note to c. 16, was the scene of 

 the last great battle between Alexander and Darius, and known as the 

 battle of Arbela. It has been suggested that it may perhaps be repre- 

 sented by a place now called Karnelis. ' See p. 27. 



" According to Ansart, now oaUed the Lesser Zab, and by the inha- 

 bitants the Altun-su, meaning the " Golden river." 



^ According to Parisot, the modem name is Calicala. 



*> Strabo speaks of the Aborras, or modern Khabur, as flovring in the 

 vicinity of Aithemusia, the district probably in which the town of An- 

 tliermis was situate. According to Isidorus of Charax, it lay between 

 Edessa and the Euphrates. Its site does not appear to have been any 

 furtl^er identified. It is called Anthemusia iu B. v. c. 21, 



»" In B. V. 0. 21. 



