58 
pliny's natural history. 
[Book yi. 
Dangalae,^^ the Parapinse/^ the Catnces, and the Mazi ; and 
then at the foot of Caucasus, to the Cadrusi, whose town^ was 
built by Alexander. 
Below all these countries, is the line of coast which Aye come 
to after leaving the Indus. Ariana^^ is a region parched by the 
sun and surrounded b}^ deserts ; still, however, as the face of 
the country is every hero and there diversified with well-shaded 
spots, it finds communities grouped together to cultivate it, 
and more especially around the two rivers, known as the 
Tonberos^^ and the Arosapes.^^ There is also the town of 
Artacoana,^''' and the river Arius,^® which flows past Alex- 
andria,^^ a city founded by Alexander ; this place is thirty 
stadia in extent. Much more beautiful than it, as well as 
of much greater antiquity, is Artacabane,^^ fortified a second 
time by Antiochus, and fifty stadia in breadth. We then 
come to the nation of the Dorisdorsigi, and the rivers Phar- 
21 Inhabiting the modem Danra, according to Parisot. 
22 Inhabitants of the modern Parasan, according to Parisot. 
The modern Candahar is generally supposed to occupy its site. 
2^ Pliny is thouglit to have here confounded the extensive district of 
Ariana with the smaller province of Aria, which only formed a portion of 
it. Ariana comprehended nearly the whole of Avhat had been previously 
ancient Persia 
2^ The river known in modern times as the Ilincut, according to Pa- 
risot. 
'-^6 This is supposed by Forbiger to be the modern Arghasan, one of the 
tributaries of the Helmend. Parisot says that it was the same as the 
modern Sat. 
2" Supposed to be the same as the "Aria civitas," or "city of Aria" of 
other authors, which, however, is most probably represented by Alexandria, 
the modern Herat, situate on the small stream now called the Heri-Eud. 
At all events, Artacoana (proved by M. Court to be a word of Persian origin 
— Arde Koun) was, if not the same place, at a very small distance from it. 
M. Barbie de Bocage is of opinion that it occupied the site of Pushing, 
a town on the Heri river, one stage from Herat ; and by M. Court it is 
thought to have been at Obeh, near the same place. 
28 Now called the Heri-Pud, which runs to the west of Herat. 
29 It is said that, judging from a traditional verse still current among 
the people of Herat, that town is believed to unite the claims of the 
ancient capital built by Alexander the Great, or indeed, more properly, 
repaired by him, as he was but a short time in Aria. The distance also 
from the Caspian Gates to Alexandria favours its identification with the 
modern Herat, 
This place does not appear to have been identified. 
