Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 2.djvu/260

 252 STRABO CASAUB. 516. mountains, and partly of inhabited plains. Some tribes of Sce- nitae (dwellers in tents) occupy the mountains ; the plains are watered by the rivers Arius and by the Margus. Aria borders upon Bactriana, and the mountain l which has Bactriana at its foot. It is distant from [the] Hyrcania[n sea] about 6000 stadia. Drangiana as far as Carmania furnished jointly with Aria payment of the tribute. The greater part of this country is situated at the foot of the southern side of the mountains ; some tracts however approach the northern side opposite Aria. Arachosia, which belongs to the territory of Aria, is not far distant ; it lies at the foot of the southern side of the moun- tains, and extends to the river Indus. The length of Aria is about 2000 stadia, -and the breadth of the plain 300 stadia. Its cities are Artacaena, Alexandreia, and Achaia, which are called after the names of their founders. The soil produces excellent wines, which may be kept for three generations in unpitched vessels. 2. Margiana is like this country, but the plain is surround- ed by deserts. Antiochus Soter admired its fertility ; he enclosed a circle of 1500 stadia with a wall, and founded a city, Antiocheia. The soil is well adapted to vines. They say that a vine stem has been frequently seen there which would require two men to girth it, and bunches of grapes two cubits in size. CHAPTER XL 1. SOME parts of Bactria lie along Aria to the north, but the greater part stretches beyond (Aria) to the east. It is an extensive country, and produces everything except oil. The Greeks who occasioned its revolt became so powerful by means of the fertility and advantages of the country, that they became masters of Ariana and India, according to Apollodorus of Artamita. Their chiefs, particularly Menan- der, (if he really crossed the Hypanis to the east and reached Isamus,) 2 conquered more nations than Alexander. These 1 The Parapomisus. Kramer's proposed correction is adopted. 2 For Isamus in the text, Imaus is adopted by Groskurd, and Kramer