Media. (Isa. xxi. 2.) This country which probably derives its name from Madai, (Gen. x. 2,) anciently occupied what is now part of the kingdom of Persia, and was bounded north by the Caspian Sea and Armenia, south by Persia proper and west by Assyria. It was a fertile and well cultivated region, and was divided into greater and lesser Media. Ninus, king of Assyria, added this country to his kingdom, and retained it till the time of Sennacherib, when it revolted, and his son became king. B. C. 700. It fell into the hands of Cyrus the Great, about 556 B. C. who perfectly united Media and Persia, forming the Medo-Persian kingdom. Hence, by Esther and Daniel, the laws and chronicles of the Medes and Persians are always mentioned together. God employed the Medes to punish Babylon, and then sent them the cup of his wrath by Cyrus.—(Isa. xiii. 17, 18; xxi. 2, 3; Jer. xxv. 25.)
Achmetha. (Ezra vi. 2.) The Ecbatana of ancient Media, and the place where the records of the kingdom were preserved. The place is occupied, as it is supposed, by the modern city of Hamadan, in Persia. It was surrounded by seven walls, and at one period was considered the strongest and most beautiful city of the east, except Nineveh and Babylon.
Parthians, (Acts ii. 9,) or the inhabitants of Parthia, originally a province of Media, on its eastern side, situated between the Persian Gulf and the Tigris. The Parthians seem to have resembled the Cossacks of our day, and were celebrated for their skill in archery, and especially for shooting as they fled, and were a part of the Scythian horde who so long disputed with Rome for the dominion of the east. Parthia was united to the Persian empire, A. D. 226. The Persian language was spoken there; and indeed in Scripture and other ancient writings, Persia and Parthia are often used as synonymous.
THE KINGDOM AND CITIES OF SYRIA.
Syria was formerly a province of Canaan. The inhabitants were Canaanites, called by the Greeks,
