have already said, I intend to omit from
this description, the first province to be mentioned is Commagena, now
called Euphratensis, which has arisen into importance by slow degrees,
and is remarkable for the splendid cities of Hierapolis, the ancient
Ninus, and Samosata.

8. The next province is Syria, which is spread over a beautiful
champaign country. This province is ennobled by Antioch, a city known
over the whole world, with which no other can vie in respect of its
riches, whether imported or natural: and by Laodicea and Apameia, and
also by Seleucia, all cities which have ever been most prosperous from
their earliest foundation.

9. After this comes Phoenicia, a province lying under Mount Lebanon,
full of beauty and elegance, and decorated with cities of great size and
splendour, among which Tyre excels all in the beauty of its situation
and in its renown. And next come Sidon and Berytus, and on a par with
them Emissa and Damascus, cities founded in remote ages.

10. These provinces, which the river Orontes borders, a river which
passes by the foot of the celebrated and lofty mountain Cassius, and at
last falls into the Levant near the Gulf of Issus, were added to the
Roman dominion by Cnaeus Pompey, who, after he had conquered Tigranes,
separated them from the kingdom of Armenia.

11. The last province of the Syrias is Palestine, a district of great
extent, abounding in well-cultivated and beautiful land, and having
several magnificent cities, all of equal importance, and rivalling one
another as it were, in parallel lines. For instance, Caesarea, which
Herod built in honour of the Prince Octavianus, and Eleutheropolis, and
Neapolis, and also Ascalon, and Gaza, cities built in bygone ages.

12. In these districts no navigable river is seen: in many places, too,
waters naturally hot rise out of the ground well suited for the cure of
various diseases. These regions also Pompey formed into a Roman province
after he had subdued the Jews and taken Jerusalem: and he made over
their government to a local governor.

13. Contiguous to Palestine is Arabia, a country which on its other side
joins the Nabathaei--a land full of the most plenteous variety of
merchandize, and studded with strong forts and castles, which the
watchful solicitude of its ancient inhabitants has erected in suitable
defiles, in order to repress the inroads of the neighbouring nations.
This province, too, besides several towns, has some mighty