HKB
The distance from Thapsacus to Babylon, according to Eratosthenes, is 4800 stadia, and from the (Zeugma)[526] bridge in Commagene, where Mesopotamia begins, to Thapsacus, is not less than 2000 stadia.
The country lying at the foot of the mountains is very fertile. The people, called by the Macedonians Mygdones, occupy the parts towards the Euphrates, and both Zeugmata, that is, the Zeugma in Commagene, and the ancient Zeugma at Thapsacus. In their territory is Nisibis,[527] which they called also Antioch in Mygdonia, situated below Mount Masius,[528] and Tigranocerta,[529] and the places about Carrhæ, Nicephorium,[530] Chordiraza,[531] and Sinnaca, where Crassus was taken prisoner by stratagem, and put to death by Surena, the Parthian general.[532]
Near the Tigris are the places belonging to the Gordyæi,[533] whom the ancients called Carduchi; their cities are Sareisa, Satalca, and Pinaca, a very strong fortress with three citadels, each enclosed by its own wall, so that it is as it were a triple city. It was, however, subject to the king of Armenia; the Romans also took it by storm, although the Gordyæi had the reputation of excelling in the art of building, and to be skilful in the construction of siege engines. It was for this reason Tigranes took them into his service. The rest of Mesopotamia (Gordyæa?) was subject to the Romans. Pompey assigned to Tigranes the largest and best portion of the country; for it has fine pastures, is rich in plants, and produces evergreens and an aromatic, the amomum. It breeds lions also. It furnishes naphtha, and the stone called Gangitis,[534] which drives away reptiles.
Gordys, the son of Triptolemus, is related to have colonized Gordyene. The Eretrians[535] afterwards, who were carried away by force by the Persians, settled here. We shall soon speak of Triptolemus in our description of Syria.
The parts of Mesopotamia inclining to the south, and [CAS. 747] at a distance from the mountains, are an arid and barren district, occupied by the Arabian Scenitæ, a tribe of robbers and shepherds, who readily move from place to place, whenever pasture or booty begin to be exhausted. The country lying at the foot of the mountains is harassed both by these people and by the Armenians. They are situated above, and keep them in subjection by force. It is at last subject for the most part to these people, or to the Parthians, who are situated at their side, and possess both Media and Babylonia.
Between the Tigris and the Euphrates flows a river called Basileios (or the Royal river), and about Anthemusia another called the Aborrhas.[536] The road for merchants going from Syria to Seleuceia and Babylon lies through the country of the (Arabian) Scenitæ, [now called Malii,][537] and through the desert belonging to their territory. The Euphrates is crossed in the latitude of Anthemusia, a place in Mesopotamia.[538] Above the river, at the distance of four schœni, is Bambyce, which is called by the names of Edessa and Hierapolis,[539] where the Syrian goddess Atargatis is worshipped. After crossing the river, the road lies through a desert country on the borders of Babylonia to Scenæ, a considerable city, situated on the banks of a canal. From the passage across the river to Scenæ is a journey of five and twenty days. There are (on the road) owners of camels, who keep resting-places, which are well supplied with water from cisterns, or transported from a distance.