Vol. III. MifcelUma^Curiofal id^ 



As to the Geographical Site of Palmyra^ 

 Ptolemy places it in the Latitude of Tripoly on 

 the Coafl: of Syrla^ and four Degrees more 

 Eafterly, viz.. 



and he makes it the Capital of lixteen Cities 

 in Syria Palmyrena^ys\itrQoi Aldis^ Danaba and 

 Evaria were afterwards Bijhops Sees. Pliny 

 places it CCIII Miles from the neareft Coafl: 

 of Syria^ and CCCXXXVII from Seleucia ad 

 Tygrim near Bagdat , (which Numbers are 

 crroneoufly Printed 252 and 537 in moft Edi- 

 tions, contrary to the Authority of the 

 MSS.) Jofephm places it one Days Journey 

 from Euphrates^ and fix from Babylon ; which 

 muil be underftood of Horfe-man's Journeys 

 of about fixty Miles per diem^ it being more 

 than fo much from this City to Euphrates. 

 Ptolemy alfo mentions a River running by 

 Palmyra^ which did not appear to our Tra- 

 vellers, unlefi' that Gut or Channel wherein 

 they were overflowed by the Rain- Waters, 

 were the Bed thereof^ which may, poffibly, 

 run with a conltant Stream in the Winter 

 or times of much Rain : But this (as the 

 Rivers of Aleppo and Damafcus at this Day) 

 is made by Ptolomy to have no exit ^ ])ut to 

 go off in Fapovr^ and to be imbjbed by the 

 thirfly Earth of thefe Defarts. 



The Rra or Accompt of Years obferved 

 by the Palmyreni in thefe Infcriptions, is evi- 

 dently that of Seleucus^ calPd afterwards 

 Dhilcarnian or Bicornis by the Arabians^ and 



by them kept in ufe till ^bove 900. A^ears qf 



Chrill 



