Page:The Natural History of Pliny.djvu/478

 444 pliny's NATUEAL HISTOET. [Book T. there. Adjoining to tliis is the prsefecture of Mesopotamia, which derives its origin from the Assyrians, and in which are the towns of Anthemusia^ and Nicephorium^ ; after which come the Arabians, known by the name of Prsetavi, with Sin- gara^ for their capital. Below Samosata, on the side of Syria, the river Marsyas'* flows into the Euphrates. At Cingilla ends the territory of Commagene, and the state of the Immei begins. The cities which are here washed by the river are those of Epiphania^ and Antiochia^, generally known as Epiphania and Antiochia on the Euphrates ; also Zeugma, seventy-two miles distant from Samosata, famous for the passage there across the Euphrates. Opposite to it is Apamia', which Seleucus, the founder of both cities, united by a bridge. The people who join up to Mesopotamia are called the E-hoali. Other towns in Syria are those of Europus^, and what was formerly Thapsa- was here, as alluded to by Pliny, that Crassus was defeated and slain by the Partliian general, Surena. It was situate in Osroene, in Mesopo- tamia, and not far from Edessa. According to Stephanus, it had its name from Carrha, a river of Syria, and was celebrated in ancient times for its temple of Luna, or Lunus. ^ According to Strabo, the Aborras, now the Khabur, flowed round this town. By Tacitus it is called Anthemusias. According to Isidorus of Charax, it ky between Edessa and the Euplu-ates. 2 Now Rakkah, a fortified town of Mesopotamia, on the Euphrates, near the mouth of the river Bilecha. It was built by order of Alexander the Great, and completed probably by Seleucus. It is supposed to have been the same place as CaUinicum, the fortifications of which were re- paired by Justinian. Its name was changed in later times to Leontopolis by the Emperor Leo. 3 Now called Sinjar, according to Brotier. Some writers imagine that this was the site of " the plain in the land of Sliinar," on which the Tower of Babel was built, mentioned in the Book of Genesis, xi. 2. 5 Probably not that in the district of Cassiotis, and on the western bank of the Orontes, mentioned in C. 19 of the present Book. Of this locahty nothing seems to be known, except that Dupinet states that it is now called Adelphe by the Turks. ^ Probably the " Antiochia ad Taurum " mentioned by the geographer Stephanus, and by Ptolemy. Some writers place it at the modem Ainthb, seventy-five miles north-east of Aleppo. 7 Now called Roum-Cala, or the "Roman Castle." For Zeugma Bee p. 424. 8 In the north-east of the district of Astropatene, origmaUy called Ehaga. It was rebuilt by Seleucus Nicator, and by him called Euro-
 * Mentioned in C. 17 of the present Book.