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1 The great seat of empire of the Babylonio-Chaldæan kingdom. It either occupied the site, it is supposed, or stood in the immediate vicinity of the tower of Babel. In the reign of Labynedus, Nabonnetus, or Bel- shazzar, it was taken by Cyrus. In the reign of Augustus, a small part only of Babylon was still inhabited, the remainder of the space within the walls being under cultivation. The ruins of Babylon are found to commence a little south of the village of Mohawill, eight miles north of Hillah.
2 Nineveh. See c. 16 of the present Book.
3 On the left bank of the Euphrates, opposite to the ford of Zeugma; a fortress of considerable importance.
4 Its site is unknown. Dupinet confounds it with the place of this name mentioned in the last Chapter, calling them by the name of Lor.
5 Pliny is wrong in placing Artemita in Mesopotamia. It was a city of Babylonia, in the district of Apolloniatis. The modern Sherbán is supposed to occupy its site.
6 Burnouf, having found the name of these people, as he supposes, in a cuneiform inscription, written "Ayura," would have them to be called Aroei. The Orei are also mentioned in B. v. c. 20.
7 This Antioch does not appear to have been identified.
8 The mountains of the Gordyæi are mentioned in c. 12.
9 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 represented by a place now called Karnelis. See p. 27.
10 According to Ansart, now called the Lesser Zab, and by the inhabitants the Altun-su, meaning the "Golden river."
11 According to Parisot, the modern name is Calicala.
12 Strabo speaks of the Aborras, or modern Khabur, as flowing in the vicinity of Anthemusia, the district probably in which the town of Anthermis was situate. According to Isidorus of Charax, it lay between Edessa and the Euphrates. Its site does not appear to have been any further identified. It is called Anthemusia in B. v. c. 21.
13 In B. v. c. 21.
14 In B. v. c. 21.
15 In B. v. c. 21.
16 This canal, leading from the Euphrates to the Tigris, is by some thought, according to Hardouin, to have been the river Chobar, mentioned in Ezekiel, c. i. v. 3.
17 For Arar-Melik, meaning the "River King," according to Parisot.
18 As to the identity of this, see a Note at the beginning of this Chapter.
19 Meaning Jupiter Uranius, or "Heavenly Jupiter," according to Parisot, who observes that Eusebius interprets baal, or bel, "heaven." According to one account, he was the father of king Ninus and son of Nimrod. The Greeks in later times attached to his name many of their legendary fables.
20 The city of Seleucia ad Tigrin, long the capital of Western Asia, until it was eclipsed by Ctesiphon. Its site has been a matter of considerable discussion, but the most probable opinion is, that it stood on the western bank of the Tigris, to the north of its junction with the royal canal (probably the river Chobar above mentioned), opposite to the mouth of the river Delas or Silla (now Diala), and to the spot where Ctesiphon was afterwards built by the Parthians. It stood a little to the south of the modern city of Baghdad; thus commanding the navigation of the Tigris and Euphrates, and the whole plain formed by those two rivers.
21 Ammianus, like Pliny, has ascribed its foundation to the Parthians under Varanes, or Vardanes, of whom, however, nothing is known. It stood in the south of Assyria, on the eastern or left bank of the Tigris. Strabo speaks of it as being the winter residence of the Parthian kings, who lived there at that season, owing to the mildness of the climate. In modern times the site of this place has been identified with that called by the Arabs Al Madain, or the "two cities."
22 Or Vologeses. This was the name of five kings of Parthia, of the race of the Arsacidæ, Arsaces xxiii., xxvii., xxviii., xxix., xxx. It was the first of these monarchs who founded the place here mentioned by Pliny.
23 Or the "City of Vologesus;" certa being the Armenian for "city."
24 Nothing appears to be known of this place; but Hardouin thinks that it is the same with one called Maarsares by Ptolemy, and situate on the same river Narraga.
25 Parisot says that this river is the one set down in the maps as falling into the Tigris below its junction with the Euphrates, and near the mouths of the two rivers. He says that near the banks of it is marked the town of Nabrahan, the Narraga of Pliny.
26 There is great doubt as to the correct spelling of these names.
27 Against the attacks of robbers dwelling on the opposite side; the Attali, for instance.
28 Or "dwellers in tents," Bedouins, as we call them.
29 B. v. c. 20 and 21
30 Towards Mahamedieh.
31 Near Antioch and the Orontes: now Seleukeh, or Kepse, near Suadeiah.
32 See B. v. c. 13.
33 The Mediterranean and the Red Sea; the latter including the modern Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.
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- Cross-references to this page
(13):
- Harper's, Parasanga
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), AETHIO´PIA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ATER
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CTESIPHON
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ICHTHYO´PHAGI
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), LAODICEIA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), MACRO´BII
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), MEGABARI
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ME´ROE
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), NUBAE
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), SEMBRI´TAE
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), SIRBITUM
- Smith's Bio, Arsaces Xxiii or Vologeses I.
- Cross-references in general dictionaries to this page (10):