Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 2.djvu/262

 254 STRABO. CASAUB. 517. to conjecture, 1 if Alexander found such customs prevailing there, what were the customs which probably were observed by them in the time of the first kings of Persia, and of the princes who preceded them. 4. Alexander, it is said, founded eight cities in Bactriana and Sogdiana ; some he razed, among which were Cariata? in Eactriana, where Callisthenes was seized and imprisoned ; Maracarida in Sogdiana, and Cyra, the last of the places founded by Cyrus, situated upon the river laxartes, and the boundary of the Persian empire. This also, although it was attached to Cyrus, he razed on account of its frequent revolts. Alexander took also, it is said, by means of treachery, strong fortified rocks ; one of which belonged to Sisimithres in Bac- triana, where Oxyartes kept his daughter Roxana ; another to Oxus in Sogdiana, or, according to some writers, to Aria- mazas. The stronghold of Sisimithres is described by his- torians to have been fifteen stadia in height, and eighty stadia in circuit. On the summit is a level ground, which is fertile and capable of maintaining 500 men. Here Alexander was entertained with sumptuous hospitality, and here he espoused Roxana the daughter of Oxyartes. The height of the fortress in Sogdiana is double the height of this. It was near these places that he destroyed the city of the Branchidae, whom Xerxes settled there, and who had voluntarily accompanied him from their own country. They had delivered up to the Per- sians the riches of the god at Didymi, and the treasure there deposited. Alexander destroyed their city in abhorrence of their treachery and sacrilege. 5. Aristobulus calls the river, which runs through Sog- diana, Polytimetus, a name imposed by the Macedonians, as they imposed many others, some of which were altogether new, others were deflections 2 from the native appellations. This river after watering the country flows through a desert and sandy soil, and is absorbed in the sand, like the Arius, which flows through the territory of the Arii. It is said that on digging near the river Ochus a spring of oil was discovered. It is probable, that as certain nitrous, as- tringent, bituminous, and sulphurous fluids permeate the earth, greasy fluids may be found, but the rarity of their oc- currence makes their existence almost doubtful. 1 The text is corrupt. 2 Trapi>jv6p.aaav.