Chap. 31.] 
ACCOUNT OF COUNTRIES, ETC. 
79 
Below®^ this district is Susiane, in which is the city of Susa,^^ 
the ancient residence of the kings of Persia, built by Darius, 
the son of Hystaspes ; it is distant from Seleucia Babylonia 
four hundred and fifty miles, and the same from Ecbatana of 
the Medi, by way of Mount Carbantus.®^ Upon the northern 
channel of the river Tigris is the town of Babytace,^ distant 
from Susa one hundred and thirty-five miles. Here, for the 
only place in all the world, is gold held in abhorrence ; the 
people collect it together and bury it in the earth, that it may 
be of use to no one.^^ On the east of Susiane are the Oxii, a 
predatory people, and forty independent savage tribes of the 
Mizsei. Above these are the Mardi and the Saitse, subject to 
Parthia : they extend above the district of Elymais, which we 
have already mentioned as joining up to the coast of Persis. 
Susa is distant two hundred and fifty miles from the Persian 
Sea. Near the spot where the fleet of Alexander came up®' the 
Pasitigris to Susa, there is a village situate on the Chaldsean 
Lake, Aple by name, from which to Susa is a distance of sixty 
miles and a half. Adjoining to the people of Susiane, on the 
east, are the Cossisei and above them, to the north, is Mesa- 
batene, lying at the foot of Mount Cambalidus,®^ a branch of 
the Caucasian chain : from this point the country of the Bactri 
is most accessible. 
Susiane is separated from Elymais by the river Eulaeus, 
which rises in Media, and, after concealing itself in the 
earth for a short distance, rises again and flows through Mesa- 
batene. It then flows round the citadel of Susa^^ and the 
81 More to the south, and nearer tiie sea. 
82 Previously mentioned in c. 26. 
83 A part of Mount Zagrus, previously mentioned, according to Hardouin. 
84 Its ^iiQ appears to be unknown. According to Stephanus, it was a 
city of Persia. Forbiger conjectures that it is the same place as Badaca, 
mentioned by Diodorus Siculus, B. xix. c. 19 ; but that was probably 
nearer to Susa. 
85 The buryer excepted, perhaps. 
86 In c. 28 of the present Book. 
8'' As mentioned in c, 26 of the present Book. 
88 A warlike tribe on the borders of Susiana and the Greater Media. In 
character they are thought to have resembled the Bakhtiara tribes, who 
now roam over the mountains which they formerly inhabited. It has been 
suggested that their name may possibly be connected with the modern 
Khuzistan. 
89 Supposed to be the same as the modern Kirm§.nshah mountains. 
As mentioned in a previous Note, (67 in p. 77), Pliny mistakes 
