μετὰ δὲ Καρμανίαν ἡ Περσὶς ἔστι, πολλὴ μὲν ἐν τῇ παραλίᾳ τοῦ ἀπʼ αὐτῆς ὀνομαζομένου κόλπου, πολὺ δὲ μείζων ἐν τῇ μεσογαίᾳ, καὶ μάλιστα ἐπὶ μῆκος τὸ ἀπὸ τοῦ νότου καὶ τῆς Καρμανίας ἐπὶ τὰς ἄρκτους καὶ τὰ περὶ Μηδίαν ἔθνη. τριττὴ δʼ ἐστὶ καὶ τῇ φύσει καὶ τῇ τῶν ἀέρων κράσει. ἡ μὲν γὰρ παραλία καυματηρά τε καὶ ἀμμώδης καὶ σπανιστὴ καρποῖς ἐστι πλὴν φοινίκων, ὅσον ἐν τετρακισχιλίοις καὶ τετρακοσίοις ἢ τριακοσίοις ἐξεταζομένη σταδίοις, καταστρέφουσα εἰς ποταμὸν μέγιστον τῶν ταύτῃ καλούμενον Ὀρόατιν· ἡ δʼ ὑπὲρ ταύτης ἐστὶ πάμφορος καὶ πεδινὴ καὶ θρεμμάτων ἀρίστη τροφός, ποταμοῖς τε καὶ λίμναις πληθύει. τρίτη δʼ ἐστὶν ἡ πρὸς βορρᾶν χειμέριος καὶ ὀρεινή· πρὸς δὲ ταῖς ἐσχατιαῖς εἰσιν οἱ καμηλοβοσκοί. μῆκος μὲν οὖν ἐστι κατʼ Ἐρατοσθένη τὸ ἐπὶ τὰς ἄρκτους καὶ * τὰς Κασπίους πύλας περὶ ὀκτακισχιλίων […] κατά τινας προπιπτούσας ἄκρας. λοιπὴ δʼ ἐστὶν ἐπὶ Κασπίους πύλας οὐ πλεῖον ἢ τῶν τρισχιλίων. πλάτος δὲ τὸ ἐν τῇ μεσογαίᾳ τὸ ἀπὸ Σούσων εἰς Περσέπολιν στάδιοι τετρακισχίλιοι διακόσιοι, κἀντεῦθεν ἐπὶ τοὺς τῆς Καρμανίας ὅρους ἄλλοι χίλιοι ἑξακόσιοι. φῦλα δὲ οἰκεῖ τὴν χώραν οἵ τε Πατεισχορεῖς λεγόμενοι καὶ οἱ Ἀχαιμενίδαι καὶ Μάγοι· οὗτοι μὲν οὖν σεμνοῦ τινός εἰσι βίου ζηλωταί, Κύρτιοι δὲ καὶ Μάρδοι λῃστρικοί, ἄλλοι δὲ γεωργικοί.
NEXT to Carmania is Persis. A great part of it extends along the coast of the Gulf, which has its name from the country, but a much larger portion stretches into the interior, and particularly in its length, reckoned from the south, and Carmania to the north, and to the nations of Media.
It is of a threefold character, as we regard its natural condition and the quality of the air. First, the coast, extending for about 4400 or 4300 stadia, is burnt up with heat; it is sandy, producing little except palm trees, and terminates at the greatest river in those parts, the name of which is Oroatis. Secondly, the country above the coast produces everything, and is a plain; it is excellently adapted for the rearing of cattle, and abounds with rivers and lakes.
The third portion lies towards the north, and is bleak and mountainous. On its borders live the camel-breeders.
Its length, according to Eratosthenes, towards the north and Media, is about 8000, or, including some projecting promontories, 9000 stadia; the remainder (from Media) to the Caspian Gates is not more than 3000 stadia. The breadth in the interior of the country from Susa to Persepolis is 4200 stadia, and thence to the borders of Carmania 1600 stadia more.
The tribes inhabiting this country are those called the Pateischoreis, the Achaemenidae, and Magi; these last affect a sedate mode of life; the Curtii and Mardi are robbers, the rest are husbandmen.
σχεδὸν δέ τι καὶ ἡ Σουσὶς μέρος γεγένηται τῆς Περσίδος μεταξὺ αὐτῆς κειμένη καὶ τῆς Βαβυλωνίας, ἔχουσα πόλιν ἀξιολογωτάτην τὰ Σοῦσα. οἱ γὰρ Πέρσαι κρατήσαντες Μήδων καὶ ὁ Κῦρος, ὁρῶντες τὴν μὲν οἰκείαν γῆν ἐπʼ ἐσχάτοις που ταττομένην, τὴν δὲ Σουσίδα ἐνδοτέρω καὶ πλησιαιτέραν τῇ Βαβυλωνίᾳ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἔθνεσιν, ἐνταῦθα ἔθεντο τὸ τῆς ἡγεμονίας βασίλειον· ἅμα καὶ τὸ ὅμορον τῆς χώρας ἀποδεξάμενοι καὶ τὸ ἀξίωμα τῆς πόλεως καὶ * κρεῖττον τὸ μηδέποτε καθʼ ἑαυτὴν τὴν Σουσίδα πραγμάτων μεγάλων ἐπήβολον γεγονέναι, ἀλλʼ ἀεὶ ὑφʼ ἑτέροις ὑπάρξαι καὶ ἐν μέρει τετάχθαι συστήματος μείζονος, πλὴν εἰ ἄρα τὸ παλαιὸν τὸ κατὰ τοὺς ἥρωας. λέγεται γὰρ δὴ κτίσμα Τιθωνοῦ τοῦ Μέμνονος πατρός, κύκλον ἔχουσα ἑκατὸν καὶ εἴκοσι σταδίων, παραμήκης τῷ σχήματι· ἡ δʼ ἀκρόπολις ἐκαλεῖτο Μεμνόνιον· λέγονται δὲ καὶ Κίσσιοι οἱ Σούσιοι· φησὶ δὲ καὶ Αἰσχύλος τὴν μητέρα Μέμνονος Κισσίαν. ταφῆναι δὲ λέγεται Μέμνων περὶ Πάλτον τῆς Συρίας παρὰ Βαδᾶν ποταμόν, ὡς εἴρηκε Σιμωνίδης ἐν Μέμνονι διθυράμβῳ τῶν Δηλιακῶν. τὸ δὲ τεῖχος ᾠκοδόμητο τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἱερὰ καὶ βασίλεια παραπλησίως ὥσπερ τὰ τῶν Βαβυλωνίων ἐξ ὀπτῆς πλίνθου καὶ ἀσφάλτου, καθάπερ εἰρήκασί τινες· Πολύκλειτος δὲ διακοσίων φησὶ τὸν κύκλον καὶ ἀτείχιστον.
Susis also is almost a part of Persis. It lies between Persis and Babylonia, and has a very considerable city, Susa. For the Persians and Cyrus, after the conquest of the Medes, perceiving that their own country was situated towards the extremities, but Susis more towards the interior, nearer also to Babylon and the other nations, there placed the royal seat of the empire. They were pleased with its situation on the confines of Persis, and with the importance of the city; besides the consideration that it had never of itself undertaken any great enterprise, had always been in subjection to other people, and constituted a part of a greater body, except, perhaps, anciently in the heroic times.
It is said to have been founded by Tithonus, the father of Memnon. Its compass was 120 stadia. Its shape was oblong. The Acropolis was called Memnonium. The Susians have the name also of Cissii. Aeschylus calls the mother of Memnon, Cissia. Memnon is said to be buried near Paltus in Syria, by the river Badas, as Simonides says in his Memnon, a dithyrambic poem among the Deliaca. The wall of the city, the temples and palaces, were constructed in the same manner as those of the Babylonians, of baked brick and asphaltus, as some writers relate. Polycletus however says, that its circumference was 200 stadia, and that it was without walls.
κοσμήσαντες δὲ τὰ ἐν Σούσοις βασίλεια μάλιστα τῶν ἄλλων οὐδὲν ἧττον καὶ τὰ ἐν Περσεπόλει καὶ τὰ ἐν Πασαργάδαις ἐξετίμησαν· καὶ ἥ γε γάζα καὶ οἱ θησαυροὶ καὶ τὰ μνήματα ἐνταῦθα ἦν τοῖς Πέρσαις, ὡς ἐν τόποις ἐρυμνοτέροις καὶ ἅμα προγονικοῖς. ἦν δὲ καὶ ἄλλα βασίλεια τὰ ἐν Γάβαις ἐν τοῖς ἀνωτέρω που μέρεσι τῆς Περσίδος καὶ τὰ ἐν τῇ παραλίᾳ τὰ κατὰ τὴν Ταόκην λεγομένην· ταῦτα μὲν τὰ κατὰ τὴν τῶν Περσῶν ἀρχήν, οἱ δʼ ὕστερον ἄλλοις καὶ ἄλλοις ἐχρήσαντο, ὡς εἰκός, εὐτελεστέροις τισίν, ἅτε καὶ τῆς Περσίδος ἠλαττωμένης ὑπό τε τῶν Μακεδόνων καὶ ἔτι μᾶλλον ὑπὸ τῶν Παρθυαίων. καὶ γὰρ εἰ βασιλεύονται μέχρι νῦν ἴδιον βασιλέα ἔχοντες οἱ Πέρσαι, τῇ γε δυνάμει πλεῖστον ἀπολείπονται καὶ τῷ Παρθυαίων προσέχουσι βασιλεῖ.
They embellished the palace at Susa more than the rest, but they did not hold in less veneration and honour the palaces at Persepolis and Pasargadae. For in these stronger and hereditary places were the treasure-house, the riches, and tombs of the Persians. There was another palace at Gabae, in the upper parts of Persia, and another on the sea-coast, near a place called Taoce.
This was the state of things during the empire of the Persians. But afterwards different princes occupied different palaces; some, as was natural, less sumptuous, after the power of Persis had been reduced first by the Macedonians, and secondly still more by the Parthians. For although the Persians have still a kingly government, and a king of their own, yet their power is very much diminished, and they are subject to the king of Parthia.
τὰ μὲν οὖν Σοῦσα ἐν μεσογαίοις κεῖται ἐπὶ τῷ Χοάσπῃ ποταμῷ περαιτέρω κατὰ τὸ ζεῦγμα, ἡ δὲ χώρα μέχρι τῆς θαλάττης καθήκει· καὶ ἔστιν αὐτῆς ἡ παραλία μέχρι τῶν ἐκβολῶν σχεδόν τι τοῦ Τίγριος ἀπὸ τῶν ὅρων τῆς Περσικῆς παραλίας σταδίων ὡς τρισχιλίων. ῥεῖ δὲ διὰ τῆς χώρας ὁ Χοάσπης εἰς τὴν αὐτὴν τελευτῶν παραλίαν, ἀπὸ τῶν Οὐξίων τὰς ἀρχὰς ἔχων. παρεμπίπτει γάρ τις ὀρεινὴ τραχεῖα καὶ ἀπότομος μεταξὺ τῶν Σουσίων καὶ τῆς Περσίδος, στενὰ ἔχουσα δυσπάροδα καὶ ἀνθρώπους λῃστάς, οἳ μισθοὺς ἐπράττοντο καὶ αὐτοὺς τοὺς βασιλέας κατὰ τὴν ἐκ Σούσων εἰς Πέρσας εἰσβολήν. φησὶ δὲ Πολύκλειτος εἰς λίμνην τινὰ συμβάλλειν τόν τε Χοάσπην καὶ τὸν Εὔλαιον καὶ ἔτι τὸν Τίγριν, εἶτʼ ἐκεῖθεν εἰς τὴν θάλατταν ἐκδιδόναι· πρὸς δὲ τῇ λίμνῃ καὶ ἐμπόριον εἶναι, τῶν ποταμῶν μὲν οὐ δεχομένων τὰ ἐκ τῆς θαλάττης, οὐδὲ καταπεμπόντων διὰ τοὺς καταράκτας ἐπίτηδες γενομένους, πεζῇ δʼ ἐμπορευομένων· ὀκτακοσίους γὰρ εἶναι σταδίους εἰς Σοῦσα * λέγουσιν ἄλλοι· ἄλλοι δέ φασι τοὺς διὰ Σούσων ποταμοὺς εἰς ἓν ῥεῦμα τὸ τοῦ Τίγριος συμπίπτειν κατὰ τὰς μεταξὺ διώρυγας τοῦ Εὐφράτου· διὰ δὲ τοῦτο κατὰ τὰς ἐκβολὰς ὀνομάζεσθαι Πασίτιγριν.
Susa is situated in the interior, upon the river Choaspes, beyond the bridge; but the territory extends to the sea: and the sea-coast of this territory, from the borders of the Persian coast nearly as far as the mouths of the Tigris, is a distance of about 3000 stadia.
The Choaspes flows through Susis, terminating on the same coast, and has its source in the territory of the Uxii. For a rugged and precipitous range of mountains lies between the Susians and Persis, with narrow defiles, difficult to pass; they were inhabited by robbers, who constantly exacted payment even from the kings themselves, at their entrance into Persis from Susis.
Polycletus says, that the Choaspes, and the Eulaeus, and the Tigris also enter a lake, and thence discharge themselves into the sea; that on the side of the lake is a mart, as the rivers do not receive the merchandise from the sea, nor convey it down to the sea, on account of dams in the river, purposely constructed, and that the goods are transported by land a distance of 800 stadia to Susa; according to others, the rivers which flow through Susis discharge themselves by the intermediate canals of the Euphrates into the single stream of the Tigris, which on this account has at its mouth the name of Pasitigris.
νέαρχος δὲ τὸν παράπλουν τῆς Σουσίδος τεναγώδη φήσας πέρας αὐτοῦ λέγει τὸν Εὐφράτην ποταμόν· πρὸς δὲ τῷ στόματι κώμην οἰκεῖσθαι τὴν ὑποδεχομένην τὰ ἐκ τῆς Ἀραβίας φορτία· συνάπτειν γὰρ ἐφεξῆς τὴν τῶν Ἀράβων παραλίαν τῷ στόματι τοῦ Εὐφράτου καὶ τοῦ Πασιτίγριος, τὸ δὲ μεταξὺ πᾶν ἐπέχειν λίμνην τὴν ὑποδεχομένην τὸν Τίγριν. ἀναπλεύσαντι δὲ τῷ Πασιτίγρει σταδίους πεντήκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν τὴν σχεδίαν εἶναι τὴν ἄγουσαν ἐπὶ Σούσων ἐκ τῆς Περσίδος, ἀπέχουσαν Σούσων σταδίους * ἑξήκοντα· τὸν δὲ Πασίτιγριν ἀπὸ τοῦ Ὀροάτιδος διέχειν περὶ δισχιλίους σταδίους· διὰ δὲ τῆς λίμνης ἐπὶ τὸ στόμα τοῦ Τίγριος τὸν ἀνάπλουν εἶναι σταδίων ἑξακοσίων· πλησίον δὲ τοῦ στόματος κώμην οἰκεῖσθαι * τὴν Σουσιανὴν διέχουσαν τῶν Σούσων σταδίους πεντακοσίους· ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ στόματος τοῦ Εὐφράτου καὶ μέχρι Βαβυλῶνος τὸν ἀνάπλουν εἶναι διὰ γῆς οἰκουμένης καλῶς σταδίων πλειόνων ἢ τρισχιλίων. Ὀνησίκριτος δὲ πάντας φησὶν ἐκβάλλειν εἰς τὴν λίμνην τόν τε Εὐφράτην καὶ τὸν Τίγριν, ἐκπεσόντα δὲ πάλιν τὸν Εὐφράτην ἐκ τῆς λίμνης ἰδίῳ στόματι πρὸς τὴν θάλατταν συνάπτειν.
According to Nearchus, the sea-coast of Susis is swampy, and terminates at the river Euphrates; at its mouth is a village, which receives the merchandise from Arabia; for the coast of Arabia approaches close to the mouths of the Euphrates and the Pasitigris; the whole intermediate space is occupied by a lake which receives the Tigris; on sailing up the Pasitigris 150 stadia is the bridge of rafts leading to Susa from Persis, and is distant from Susa 60 (600?) stadia; the Pasitigris is distant from the Oroatis about 2000 stadia; the ascent through the lake to the mouth of the Tigris is 600 (6000?) stadia; near the mouth stands the Susian village (Aginis), distant from Susa 500 stadia; the journey by water from the mouth of the Euphrates, up to Babylon, through a well-inhabited tract of country, is a distance of more than 3000 stadia.
Onesicritus says that all the rivers discharge themselves into the lake, both the Euphrates and the Tigris; and that the Euphrates, again issuing from the lake, discharges itself into the sea by a separate mouth.
ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἄλλα πλείω στενὰ διεκβάλλοντι τὰ ἐν τοῖς Οὐξίοις κατʼ αὐτὴν τὴν Περσίδα, ἃ καὶ αὐτὰ βίᾳ διῆλθεν Ἀλέξανδρος, κατά τε τὰς Περσικὰς πύλας καὶ κατʼ ἄλλους τόπους διεξιὼν τὴν χώραν, καὶ κατοπτεῦσαι σπεύδων τὰ κυριώτατα μέρη καὶ τὰ γαζοφυλάκια, ἃ τοσούτοις χρόνοις ἐξεπεπλήρωτο, οἷς ἐδασμολόγησαν Πέρσαι τὴν Ἀσίαν· ποταμοὺς δὲ διέβη πλείους τοὺς διαρρέοντας τὴν χώραν καὶ καταφερομένους εἰς τὸν Περσικὸν κόλπον. μετὰ γὰρ τὸν Χοάσπην ὁ Κοπράτας ἐστὶ καὶ ὁ Πασίτιγρις, ὃς ἐκ τῆς Οὐξίας καὶ αὐτὸς ῥεῖ· ἔστι δὲ καὶ Κῦρος ποταμὸς διὰ τῆς κοίλης καλουμένης Περσίδος ῥέων περὶ Πασαργάδας, οὗ μετέλαβε τὸ ὄνομα βασιλεὺς ἀντὶ Ἀγραδάτου μετονομασθεὶς Κῦρος. πρὸς αὐτῇ δὲ τῇ Περσεπόλει τὸν Ἀράξην διέβη· ἦν δὲ ἡ Περσέπολις μετὰ Σοῦσα κάλλιστα κατεσκευασμένη μεγίστη πόλις, ἔχουσα βασίλεια ἐκπρεπῆ, καὶ μάλιστα τῇ πολυτελείᾳ τῶν κειμένων. ῥεῖ δʼ ὁ Ἀράξης ἐκ τῶν Παραιτακῶν· συμβάλλει δʼ εἰς αὐτὸν ὁ Μῆδος ἐκ Μηδίας ὁρμηθείς. φέρονται δὲ διʼ αὐλῶνος παμφόρου συνάπτοντος τῇ Καρμανίᾳ καὶ τοῖς ἑωθινοῖς μέρεσι τῆς χώρας, καθάπερ καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ Περσέπολις. ἐνέπρησε δὲ ὁ Ἀλέξανδρος τὰ ἐν Περσεπόλει βασίλεια τιμωρῶν τοῖς Ἕλλησιν, ὅτι κἀκείνων ἱερὰ καὶ πόλεις οἱ Πέρσαι πυρὶ καὶ σιδήρῳ διεπόρθησαν.
There are many other narrow defiles in passing out through the territory of the Uxii, and entering Persis. These Alexander forced in his march through the country at the Persian Gates, and at other places, when he was hastening to see the principal parts of Persis, and the treasure-holds, in which wealth had been accumulated during the long period that Asia was tributary to Persis.
He crossed many rivers, which flow through the country and discharge themselves into the Persian Gulf.
Next to the Choaspes are the Copratas and the Pasitigris, which has its source in the country of the Uxii. There is also the river Cyrus, which flows through Coele Persis, as it is called, near Pasargadae. The king changed his name, which was formerly Agradatus, to that of this river. Alexander crossed the Araxes close to Persepolis. Persepolis was distinguished for the magnificence of the treasures which it contained. The Araxes flows out of the Paraetacene, and receives the Medus, which has its source in Media. These rivers run through a very fruitful valley, which, like Persepolis, lies close to Carmania and to the eastern parts of the country. Alexander burnt the palace at Persepolis, to avenge the Greeks, whose temples and cities the Persians had destroyed by fire and sword.
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