Greek Texts & Translations

tion of Black Syrians. These are the people situated beyond the Taurus, and I extend the name of Taurus as far as the Amanus. ^note

When the historians of the Syrian empire say that the Medes were overthrown by the Persians, and the Syrians by the Medes, they mean no other Syrians than those who built the royal palaces at Babylon and Nineveh; and Ninus, who built Nineveh in Aturia, was one of these Syrians. His wife, who succeeded her husband, and founded Babylon, was Semiramis. These sovereigns were masters of Asia. Many other works of Semiramis, besides those at Babylon, are extant in almost every part of this continent, as, for example, artificial mounds, which are called mounds of Semiramis, and walls ^note and fortresses, with subterraneous passages; cisterns for water; roads ^note to facilitate the ascent of mountains; canals communicating with rivers and lakes; roads and bridges.

The empire they left continued with their successors to the time of [the contest between] Sardanapalus and Arbaces. ^note It was afterwards transferred to the Medes. 3

The city Nineveh was destroyed immediately upon the overthrow of the Syrians. ^note It was much larger than Babylon, and situated in the plain of Aturia. Aturia borders upon the places about Arbela; between these is the river Lycus. ^note Arbela and the parts about it ^note belong to Babylonia. In the country on the other side of the Lycus are the plains of Aturia, which surround Nineveh. ^note