Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 2.djvu/276

 268 STRABO. CASATJB. 527. by 'the Commageni, and Meliteni formed by the Euphrates, belongs Mount Masius, which is situated on the south above the Mygdones in Mesopotamia, in whose territory is Nisibis ; on the northern parts is Soph en e, lying between the Masius and Anti-Taurus. Anti-Taurus begins from the Euphrates and the Taurus, and terminates at the eastern parts of Armenia, enclosing within it Sophene. It has on the other side Acili- sene, which lies between [Anti-] Taurus and the bed of the Euphrates before it turns to the south. The royal city of Sophene is Carcathiocerta. 1 Above Mount Masius far to the east along Gordyene is the Niphates, then the Abus, 2 from which flow both the Euphrates and the Araxes, the former to the west, the latter to the east ; then the Nibarus, which extends as far as Media. 3. We have described the course of the Euphrates. The Araxes, after running to the east as far as Atropatene, makes a bend towards the west and north. It then first flows beside Azara, then by Artaxata, 3 a city of the Armenians ; afterwards it passes through the plain of Araxenus to discharge itself into the Caspian Sea. 4. There are many mountains in Armenia, and many mountain plains, in which not even the vine grows. There are also many valleys, some are moderately fertile, others are very productive, as the Araxenian plain, through which the river Araxes flows to the extremities of Albania, and empties itself into the Caspian Sea. Next is Sacasene, which borders upon Albania, and the river Cyrus ; then Gogarene. All this district abounds with products of the soil, cultivated fruit trees and evergreens. It bears also the olive. There is Phauene, (Phanenas, Phasiana ?) a province of Ar- menia, Comisene, and Orchisterie, which furnishes large bo- dies of cavalry. 1 Kharput. 2 An almost uniform tradition has pointed out an isolated peak of this range as the Ararat of Scripture. It is still called Ararat or Agri-Dagh, and by the Persians Kuh-il-Nuh, mountain of Noah. Smith. 3 Formerly the mass of ruins called Takt-Tiridate, (Throne of Tiri- dates,) near the junction of the Aras and the Zengue, were supposed to represent the ancient Artaxata. Col. Monte ith fixes the site at a remark- able bend of the river somewhat lower down than this. See Smith, art. Artaxata.