BOOK XL ASIA. SUMMARY. The Eleventh Book commences with Asia and the river Don, which, taking its rise in the northern regions, separates Europe from Asia. It includes the nations situated in Asia near its sources on the east and south, and the barbarous Asiatic nations who occupy the neighbourhood of Mount Caucasus, among whom are the Amazones, Massagetae, Scythians, Al- bani, Iberes, Bactriani, Caspii, Medes, Persians, and the two Armenias, extending to Mesopotamia. Among these nations are included the Tro- glodytae, Heniochi, Sceptuchi, Soanes, Assyrians, Polyphagi, Nabiani, Siraci, and Tapyri. Mention is made of Jason and Medea, and of the cities founded by them : of Xerxes, Mithridates, and Alexander, son of Philip. CHAPTER I. 1. ASIA is contiguous to Europe, approaching close to it at the Tanais or Don. I am to describe this country next, after dividing it, for the sake of perspicuity, by certain natural boundaries. What Eratosthenes has done with respect to the whole habitable earth, this I propose to do with respect to Asia. 2. The Taurus, extending from west to east, embraces the middle of this continent, like a girdle, leaving one portion to the north, another to the south. The Greeks call the former Asia Within the Taurus, 1 the latter, Asia Without the Taurus. We have said this before, but it is repeated now to assist the memory. 3. The Taurus has in many places a breadth of 3000 stadia ; its length equals that of Asia, namely 45,000 stadia, 2 1 B. ii. c. v. 31. 2 The following are the measurements of our author : Stadia. From Rhodes to Issus 5,000 From Issus to the Caspian Gates .... 10,000 From the Caspian Gates to the sources of the Indus 14,000 From the Indus to the mouth of the Ganges . . 13.500 From thence to Thina 2,500 45,000
