Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 2.djvu/265

 B. xi. c. xi. $ 7. NORTHERN ASIA. 257 Again, since the breadth of the longest part of the habitable earth, which has the shape of a chlamys, (or a military cloak,) is about 30,000 stadia, this distance would be near the meri- dian line drawn through the Hyrcanian and the Persian Seas, for the length of the habitable earth is 70,000 stadia. If therefore from Hyrcania to Artemita 1 in Babylonia are 8000 stadia according to Apollodorus of Artemita, and thence to the mouth of the Persian Sea 8000, and again 8000, or a little short of that number, to the places on the same parallel with the extremities of ^Ethiopia, there would remain, to complete the breadth as I have described it, of the habitable earth, the number of stadia 2 which I have mentioned, reckon- ing from the recess of the Hyrcanian Sea to its mouth. This segment of the earth being truncated towards the eastern parts, its figure would resemble a cook's knife, for the moun- tainous range being prolonged in a straight line, answers to the edge, while the shape of the coast from the mouth of the Hyrcanian Sea to Tamarus on the other side terminates in a circular truncated line. Chlamys, its greatest breadth would be found about the middle of its greatest length. 2. The greatest length of the Habitable World being 70,000 stadia, its greatest breadth ought to be found at the distance of 35,000 stadia from its eastern or western extremity, but this greatest breadth is only 30,000 stadia, and it does not extend, on the north, beyond the parallel of the mouth of the Hyrcanian Sea. B. ii. 3. The meridian which passes at the distance of 35,000 stadia from the eastern or western extremities of the Habitable Earth, is that which, drawn from the mouth of the Hyrcanian Sea to the Northern Ocean, and prolonged in another direction through the mouth of the Persian Gulf to the sea called Erythraean, would pass through the city Artemita. Con- sequently it is on the meridian of Artemita that we must look for the greatest breadth of the Habitable Earth. 4. On this same meridian, we must reckon from the parallel of the last habitable country in the south to the mouth of the Persian Gulf, about 8000 stadia ; then from the mouth of the Persian Gulf to Artemita, 8000 stadia ; and from Artemita to the bottom of the Hyrcanian Sea, 8000 stadia : total 24,000 stadia. 5. It being established that the breadth of the Habitable Earth is 30,000 stadia, and not to extend it northwards beyond the parallel of the mouth of the Hyrcanian Sea, where it communicates with the Northern Ocean, the distance to this point from the bottom of this same sea must be calculated at 6000 stadia. Du Theil. 1 The modern Shirban is supposed to occupy its site. 2 Namely 6000. B. ii. c. i. 17. VOL. II. S