Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 2.djvu/289

 B. xii. c. ii. 7. CAPPADOCIA. 281 ated throughout the whole of Cappadocia, and which the Cappadocians have taken as a model of their own temples. Nor have the other provinces, except two, any cities. Of the rest, Sargarausene has a small town Herpa, and a river Car- malas, which also discharges itself into the Cilician sea. 1 In the other provinces is Argos, a lofty fortress near the Taurus, and Nora, now called Neroassus, in which Eumenes sustained a long siege. In our time it was a treasure-hold of Sisinus, who attempted to take possession of the kingdom of Cappa- docia. To him belonged Cadena, a royal seat, built after the form of a city. Situated upon the borders of Lycaonia is Garsauira, a village town, said to have been formerly the capital of the country. In Morimene, among the Venasii, is a temple of Jupiter, with buildings capable of receiving nearly three thousand ser- vants of the temple. It has a tract of sacred land attached to it, very fertile, and affording to the priest a yearly revenue of fifteen talents. The priest is appointed for life like the priest at Comana, and is next to him in rank. 7. Two provinces only have cities. In the Tyanitis is Tyana, 2 lying at the foot of the Taurus at the Cilician Gates, 3 where are the easiest and the most frequented passes into Cilicia and Syria. It is called, "Eusebeia at the Taurus." Tyanitis is fertile, and the greatest part of it consists of plains. Tyana is built upon the mound of Semiramis, which is fortified with good walls. At a little distance from this city are Castabala and Cybistra, towns which approach still nearer to the mountain. At Castabala is a temple of Diana Perasia, where, it is said, the priestesses walk with naked feet unhurt upon burning coals. To this place some persons apply the story respecting Orestes and Diana Tauropolus, and say that the goddess was called Perasia, because she was con- veyed from beyond (Tre'paflev) sea. In Tyanitis, one of the ten provinces above mentioned, is the city Tyana. But with these I do not reckon the cities that were afterwards added, Castabala, and Cybistra, and those in Cilicia Tracheia, to which belongs Eteussa, a small 1 There is some confusion in this statement. 2 Kara-Hissar. 3 Between the mountains Bulghar-Dagh and Allah-Dagh.