SECT. III.

A geographical description of Afia. Asia

As Afia will hereafter be the principal scene of the history we are now entering upon, it may not be improper to give the reader fuch a general idea of it, as may acquaint him with the most confiderable pro

vinces and cities thereof.

The northern and eastern parts of Afia are lefs known in ancient hiftory.

To the north, are ASIATIC SARMATIA and ASIATIC SCYTHIA, which answer to Tartary.

Sarmatia is fituated between the river Tanais, which divides Europe and Afia; and the river Rha, or Volga. Scythia is divided into two parts; the one on this, the other on t'other fide of mount Imaus. The nations of Scythia best known to us, are the Sace and the Massagetæ.

The most eastern parts are, SERICA, Cathay 3 SINARUM REGIO,. China; and INDIA. This laft country was better known anciently than the two former. 'Twas divided into two parts; the one on this fide the river Ganges, included between the river and the Indus, which now composes the dominions of the great Mogul; the other part, was that on the other fide the Ganges.

The remaining part of Afia, of which much greater mention is made in history, may be divided into five or fix parts, going from caft to west.

I. The GREATER ASIA, which begins at the river Indus. The chief provinces are GEDROSIA, CARMANIA, ARACHOSIA, DRANGIANIA, BACTRIANUM, the capital of which was Bactria; SOGDIANA; MARGIANA; HYRCANIA, near the Cafpian Sea PARTHIA, MEDIA, the city Ecbatana; PERSIA, the cities of Perfepolis and Elymais; SUSIANA, the

;

city of Sufa; ASSYRIA, the city of Nineveh, fitua ted on the river Tigris. MESOPOTAMIA, between the Euphrates and Tigris. BABYLONIA, the city of Babylon on the river Euphrates.

II. ASIA BETWEEN PONTUS EUXINUS AND THE CASPIAN SEA. Therein we may diftinguish four provinces. 1. COLCHIS, the river Phafis and mount Caucafus. 2. IBERIA. 3. ALBANIA; which two laft mentioned provinces now form part of Georgia. 4. The greater ARMENIA. This is separated from the leffer, by the Euphrates; from Mefopotamia by mount Taurus, and from Affyria by mount Niphates. Its cities are Artaxata and Tigranocerta, and the river Araxes runs thro' it.

III. ASIA MINOR. This may be divided into four or five parts, according to the different fituation of its provinces.

1. Northward, on the fhore of Pontus Euxinus: PONTUS, under three different names. Its cities are, Trapezus; not far from whence are the people call'd Chalybes or Chaldæi: Themifcyra, a city on the river Thermodoon, and famous for having been the abode of the Amazons. PAPHLAGONIA. BITHYNIA; the cities of which are Nicia, Prufa, Nicomedia, Chalcedon oppofite to Conftantinople, and Heraclea.

2. Weftward, going down by the fhores of the Ægean Sea; MYSIA, of which there are two. The LESSER, in which ftood Cyzicus, Lampfacus, Parium, Abydos oppofite to Seftos, from which it's feparated only by the Dardanelles. Dardanum, Sigaum, Ilion or Troy; and almoft on the oppofite fide, the little ifland of Tenedos. The rivers are, the Acfepe, the Granicus, the Simois. Mount Ida. This region is fometimes called Phrygia Minor, of which Troas is part.

The GREATER MYSIA. Antandros. Trajanopolis. Adrayttium. Pergamus. Oppofite to this Myfia is the

island of LESBOs, the cities of which are Methymnd, the birth-place of the celebrated Arion; and Mitylene, whence the whole island was fo call'd.

EOLIA. Elea. Cuma. Phocæa.

IONIA. Smyrna. Clazomena. Teos. Lebedus. Colophon. Ephefus. Priene. Miletus.

CARIA. Laodicea. Antiochia. Magnefia. Alabanda. The river Maander.

DORIS. Halicarnaffus. Cnidos.

Oppofite to these four last countries, are the islands CHIOS, SAMOS, PATHMOS, Cos; and lower towards the fouth, RHODES.

3. Southward, along the Mediterranean :

LYCIA, the cities of which are, Telmeffus. Patara. The river Xanthus. Here begins mount Taurus, which runs quite over Afia long-wife, and affumes different names, according to the feveral countries through which it paffes.

PAMPHYLIA. Perga. Afpendus. Sida.

CILICIA. Seleucia. Corycium. Tarfus, on the river Cydmus. Oppofite to Cilicia is the island of Cyprus. The cities are Salamis. Amathus. Paphos. 4. Along the banks of the Euphrates, going up northward:

The LESSER ARMENIA. Comana. Arabyza. Melitene. Satala. The river Melas, which empties it self in the Euphrates.

5. Inlands.

CAPPADOCIA. The cities whereof are, Neocafarea. Comana Pontica. Sebaftia. Sebaftopolis. Diocafarea. Cæfarea, otherwise call'd Mazaca, Tyana. LYCAONIA and ISAURIA. Iconium. Ifauria. PISIDIA. Seleucia and Antiochia of Pifidia. LYDIA. Its cities are, Thyatira. Sardes. Philadelphia. The rivers are, Cayftrus and Hermus, in which the Paftolus empties it felf. Mount Sipylus and Tmolus.

PHRYGIA MAJOR. Synnada.

Apamia.

IV. SYRIA

IV. SYRIA, now nam'd Suria, called under the Roman emperors the East, the chief provinces of which are;

I. PALESTINE,, by which name is fometimes understood all Judea. Its cities are, Jerufalem. Samaria. Cæfarea Palestina. The river Jordan waters it. The name of Palestine is alfo given to the land of Canaan, which extended along the Mediterrean; the chief cities of which are, Gaza, Afcalon, Azotus, Accaron, and Geth.

2. PHOENICIA, whofe cities are Ptolemais. Tyre. Sidon. Berytus. its mountains, Libanus and Antilibanus.

3. SYRIA properly fo called, or ANTIOCHENE; the cities whereof are Antiochia. Apamia. Laodicea. Seleucia.

4. COMAGENA. The city of Samofata.

5. COELE-SYRIA. The cities Zeugma. Thapfacus. Palmyra. Damafcus,

V. ARABIA PETRAEA. Its cities are, Petra. Boftra. Mount Cafius. DESERTA. FOELIX.

THE

ASSYRIANS.

This Book will comprehend, as I have mentioned already, the hiftory of the Affyrian empire, both of Niniveh and Babylon, the kingdom of the Medes, and the kingdom of the Lydians."

T

CHAPTER I.

The first empire of the Affyrians.

HE Affyrian empire was without difpute one of the moft powerful in the world. As to the length of its duration, two particular opinions have chiefly prevail'd. Some authors, as Ctefias, whofe Sentiment is followed by Juftin, be lieve it to have lafted thirteen hundred years: Others reduce it to five hundred and twenty, which is the opinion of Herodotus. The diminution, or ra

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ther