Ἀρχὴ δὲ τῆς Ἀραβίας ἀπὸ τῆς Βαβυλωνίας ἐστὶν ἡ Μαικήνη· πρόκειται δὲ ταύτης τῇ μὲν ἡ ἔρημος τῶν Ἀράβων τῇ δὲ τὰ ἕλη τὰ κατὰ Χαλδαίους, ἃ ποιεῖ παρεκχεόμενος ὁ Εὐφράτης, τῇ δὲ ἡ κατὰ Πέρσας θάλαττα. δυσάερος οὖσα καὶ ὁμιχλώδης καὶ ἔπομβρος ἅμα καὶ καυματηρά, καλλίκαρπός ἐστιν ὅμως· ἡ δʼ ἄμπελος ἐν ἕλεσι φύεται, καλαμίναις ῥιψὶν ἐπιβαλλομένης γῆς, ὅση δέξαιτʼ ἂν τὸ φυτόν, ὥστε φορητὴν γίνεσθαι πολλάκις, εἶτα κοντοῖς ἀπωθεῖσθαι πάλιν εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν ἕδραν.
ARABIA commences on the side of Babylonia with Maecene. In front of this district, on one side lies the desert of the Arabians, on the other are the marshes opposite to the Chaldaeans, formed by the overflowing of the Euphrates, and in another direction is the Sea of Persia. This country has an unhealthy and cloudy atmosphere; it is subject to showers, and also to scorching heat; still its products are excellent. The vine grows in the marshes; as much earth as the plant may require is laid upon hurdles of reeds; the hurdle is frequently carried away by the water, and is then forced back again by poles to its proper situation.
Ἐπάνειμι δὲ ἐπὶ τὰς Ἐρατοσθένους ἀποφάσεις ἃς ἑξῆς περὶ τῆς Ἀραβίας ἐκτίθεται. φησὶ δὲ περὶ τῆς προσαρκτίου καὶ ἐρήμης ἥτις ἐστὶ μεταξὺ τῆς τε εὐδαίμονος Ἀραβίας καὶ τῆς Κοιλοσύρων καὶ τῶν Ἰουδαίων μέχρι τοῦ μυχοῦ τοῦ Ἀραβίου κόλπου, διότι ἀπὸ Ἡρώων πόλεως, ἥτις ἐστὶν πρὸς τὸν Νεῖλον μυχῷ τοῦ Ἀραβίου κόλπου, πρὸς μὲν τὴν Ναβαταίων Πέτραν εἰς Βαβυλῶνα πεντακισχίλιοι ἑξακόσιοι, πᾶσα μὲν πρὸς ἀνατολὰς θερινάς, διὰ δὲ τῶν παρακειμένων Ἀραβίων ἐθνῶν Ναβαταίων τε καὶ Χαυλοταίων καὶ Ἀγραίων· ὑπὲρ δὲ τούτων ἡ εὐδαίμων ἐστίν, ἐπὶ μυρίους καὶ δισχιλίους ἐκκειμένη σταδίους πρὸς νότον μέχρι τοῦ Ἀτλαντικοῦ πελάγους. ἔχουσι δʼ αὐτὴν οἱ μὲν πρῶτοι μετὰ τοὺς Σύρους καὶ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους ἄνθρωποι γεωργοί· μετὰ δὲ τούτους δίαμμός ἐστι γῆ καὶ λυπρά, φοίνικας ἔχουσα ὀλίγους καὶ ἄκανθαν καὶ μυρίκην καὶ ὀρυκτὰ ὕδατα, καθάπερ καὶ ἡ Γεδρωσία· σκηνῖται δʼ ἔχουσιν αὐτὴν Ἄραβες καὶ καμηλοβοσκοί. τὰ δʼ ἔσχατα πρὸς νότον καὶ ἀνταίροντα τῇ Αἰθιοπίᾳ βρέχεταί τε θερινοῖς ὄμβροις καὶ δισπορεῖται παραπλησίως τῇ Ἰνδικῇ, ποταμοὺς δʼ ἔχει καταναλισκομένους εἰς πεδία καὶ λίμνας, εὐκαρπία δʼ ἐστὶν ἥ τε ἄλλη καὶ μελιτουργεῖα δαψιλῆ, βοσκημάτων τε ἀφθονία πλὴν ἵππων καὶ ἡμιόνων καὶ ὑῶν, ὄρνεά τε παντοῖα πλὴν χηνῶν καὶ ἀλεκτορίδων. κατοικεῖ δὲ τὰ μέγιστα τέτταρα ἔθνη τὴν ἐσχάτην λεχθεῖσαν χώραν, Μιναῖοι μὲν ἐν τῷ πρὸς τὴν Ἐρυθρὰν μέρει, πόλις δʼ αὐτῶν ἡ μεγίστη Κάρνα ἢ Κάρνανα· ἐχόμενοι δὲ τούτων Σαβαῖοι, μητρόπολις δʼ αὐτῶν Μαρίαβα· τρίτοι δὲ Κατταβανεῖς καθήκοντες πρὸς τὰ στενὰ καὶ τὴν διάβασιν τοῦ Ἀραβίου κόλπου, τὸ δὲ βασίλειον αὐτῶν Τάμνα καλεῖται· πρὸς ἕω δὲ μάλιστα Χατραμωτῖται, πόλιν δʼ ἔχουσι Σάβαταν.
I return to the opinions of Eratosthenes, which he next delivers respecting Arabia. He is speaking of the northern and desert part, lying between Arabia Felix, Coele-Syria, and Judaea, to the recess of the Arabian Gulf.
From Heroopolis, situated in that recess of the Arabian Gulf which is on the side of the Nile, to Babylon, towards Petra of the Nabataei, are 5600 stadia. The whole tract lies in the direction of the summer solstice (i. e. east and west), and passes through the adjacent Arabian tribes, namely Nabataei, Chaulotaei, and Agraei. Above these people is Arabia Felix, stretching out 12,000 stadia towards the south to the Atlantic Sea.
The first people, next after the Syrians and Jews, who occupy this country are husbandmen. These people are succeeded by a barren and sandy tract, producing a few palms, the acanthus, and tamarisk; water is obtained by digging [wells] as in Gedrosia. It is inhabited by Arabian Scenitae, who breed camels. The extreme parts towards the south, and opposite to Ethiopia, are watered by summer showers, and are sowed twice, like the land in India. Its rivers are exhausted in watering plains, and by running into lakes. The general fertility of the country is very great; among other products, there is in particular an abundant supply of honey; except horses, there are numerous herds of animals, mules (asses?), and swine; birds also of every kind, except geese and the gallinaceous tribe.
Four of the most populous nations inhabit the extremity of the above-mentioned country; namely, the Minaei the part towards the Red Sea, whose largest city is Carna or Carnana. Next to these are the Sabaeans, whose chief city is Mariaba. The third nation are the Cattabaneis, extending to the straits and the passage across the Arabian Gulf. Their royal seat is called Tamna. The Chatramotitae are the furthest of these nations towards the east. Their city is Sabata.
μοναρχοῦνται δὲ πᾶσαι καὶ εἰσὶν εὐδαίμονες, κατεσκευασμέναι καλῶς ἱεροῖς τε καὶ βασιλείοις, αἵ τε οἰκίαι ταῖς Αἰγυπτίαις ἐοίκασι κατὰ τὴν τῶν ξύλων ἔνδεσιν· χώραν δʼ ἐπέχουσιν οἱ τέτταρες νομοὶ μείζω τοῦ κατʼ Αἴγυπτον Δέλτα· διαδέχεται δὲ τὴν βασίλειαν οὐ παῖς παρὰ πατρός, ἀλλʼ ὃς ἂν πρῶτος γεννηθῇ τινι τῶν ἐπιφανῶν παῖς μετὰ τὴν κατάστασιν τοῦ βασιλέως· ἅμα γὰρ τῷ κατασταθῆναί τινα εἰς τὴν ἀρχὴν ἀναγράφονται τὰς ἐγκύους γυναῖκας τῶν ἐπιφανῶν ἀνδρῶν καὶ ἐφιστᾶσι φύλακας, ἥτις ἂν πρώτη τέκῃ, τὸν ταύτης υἱὸν νόμος ἐστὶν ἀναληφθέντα τρέφεσθαι βασιλικῶς ὡς διαδεξόμενον.
All these cities are governed by one monarch, and are flourishing. They are adorned with beautiful temples and palaces. Their houses, in the mode of binding the timbers together, are like those in Egypt. The four countries comprise a greater territory than the Delta of Egypt.
The son does not succeed the father in the throne, but the son who is born in a family of the nobles first after the accession of the king. As soon as any one is invested with the government, the pregnant wives of the nobles are registered, and guardians are appointed to watch which of them is first delivered of a son. The custom is to adopt and educate the child in a princely manner as the future successor to the throne.
φέρει δὲ λιβανωτὸν μὲν ἡ Κατταβανία, σμύρναν δὲ ἡ Χατραμωτῖτις· καὶ ταῦτά τε καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ἀρώματα μεταβάλλονται τοῖς ἐμπόροις. ἔρχονται δὲ πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐξ Αἰλάνων μὲν εἰς Μιναίαν ἐν ἑβδομήκοντα ἡμέραις· ἔστι δʼ ἡ Αἴλανα πόλις ἐν θατέρῳ μυχῷ τοῦ Ἀραβίου κόλπου τῷ κατὰ Γάζαν, τῷ Αἰλανίτῃ καλουμένῳ, καθάπερ εἰρήκαμεν· Γερραῖοι δʼ εἰς τὴν Χατραμωτῖτιν ἐν τετταράκοντα ἡμέραις ἀφικνοῦνται. τοῦ δʼ Ἀραβίου κόλπου τὸ μὲν παρὰ τὴν Ἀραβίαν πλευρὸν ἀρχομένοις ἀπὸ τοῦ Αἰλανίτου μυχοῦ, καθάπερ οἱ περὶ Ἀλέξανδρον ἀνέγραψαν καὶ Ἀναξικράτης, μυρίων καὶ τετρακισχιλίων σταδίων ἐστίν· εἴρηται δὲ ἐπὶ πλέον. τὸ δὲ κατὰ τὴν Τρωγλοδυτικήν, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἐν δεξιᾷ ἀποπλέουσιν ἀπὸ Ἡρώων πόλεως, μέχρι μὲν Πτολεμαΐδος καὶ τῆς τῶν ἐλεφάντων θήρας ἐνακισχίλιοι πρὸς μεσημβρίαν στάδιοι καὶ μικρὸν ἐπὶ τὴν ἕω· ἐντεῦθεν δὲ μέχρι τῶν στενῶν ὡς τετρακισχίλιοι καὶ πεντακόσιοι πρὸς τὴν ἕω μᾶλλον. ποιεῖ δὲ ἄκρα τὰ στενὰ πρὸς τὴν Αἰθιοπίαν Δειρὴ καλουμένη, καὶ πολίχνιον ὁμώνυμον αὐτῇ· κατοικοῦσι δὲ ἰχθυοφάγοι. καί φασιν ἐνταῦθα στήλην εἶναι Σεσώστριος τοῦ Αἰγυπτίου μηνύουσαν ἱεροῖς γράμμασι τὴν διάβασιν αὐτοῦ· φαίνεται γὰρ τὴν Αἰθιοπίδα καὶ τὴν Τρωγλοδυτικὴν πρῶτος καταστρεψάμενος οὗτος, εἶτα διαβὰς εἰς τὴν Ἀραβίαν κἀντεῦθεν τὴν Ἀσίαν ἐπελθὼν τὴν σύμπασαν· διὸ δὴ πολλαχοῦ Σεσώστριος χάρακες προσαγορεύονται, καὶ ἀφιδρύματά ἐστιν Αἰγυπτίων θεῶν ἱερῶν. τὰ δὲ κατὰ Δειρὴν στενὰ συνάγεται εἰς σταδίους ἑξήκοντα· οὐ μὴν ταῦτά γε καλεῖται νυνὶ στενά, ἀλλὰ προσπλεύσασιν ἀπωτέρω, καθὸ τὸ μὲν δίαρμά ἐστι τὸ μεταξὺ τῶν ἠπείρων διακοσίων που σταδίων, ἓξ δὲ νῆσοι συνεχεῖς ἀλλήλαις τὸ δίαρμα ἐκπληροῦσαι στενοὺς τελέως διάπλους ἀπολείπουσι, διʼ ὧν σχεδίαις τὰ φορτία κομίζουσι δεῦρο κἀκεῖσε, καὶ λέγουσι ταῦτα στενά. μετὰ δὲ τὰς νήσους ὁ ἑξῆς πλοῦς ἐστιν ἐγκολπίζουσι παρὰ τὴν σμυρνοφόρον ἐπὶ τὴν μεσημβρίαν ἅμα καὶ τὴν ἕω μέχρι πρὸς τὴν τὸ κιννάμωμον φέρουσαν, ὅσον πεντακισχιλίων σταδίων· πέρα δὲ ταύτης οὐδένα ἀφῖχθαί φησι μέχρι νῦν. πόλεις δʼ ἐν μὲν τῇ παραλίᾳ μὴ πολλὰς εἶναι, κατὰ δὲ τὴν μεσόγαιαν πολλὰς οἰκουμένας καλῶς. τὰ μὲν δὴ τοῦ Ἐρατοσθένους περὶ τῆς Ἀραβίας τοιαῦτα· προσθετέον δὲ καὶ τὰ παρὰ τῶν ἄλλων.
Cattabania produces frankincense, and Chatramotitis myrrh; these and other aromatics are the medium of exchange with the merchants. Merchants arrive in seventy days at Minaea from Aelana. Aelana is a city on the other recess of the Arabian Gulf, which is called Aelanites, opposite to Gaza, as we have before described it. The Gerrhaei arrive in Chatramotitis in forty days.
The part of the Arabian Gulf along the side of Arabia, if we reckon from the recess of the Aelanitic bay, is, according to the accounts of Alexander and Anaxicrates, 14,000 stadia in extent; but this computation is too great. The part opposite to Troglodytica, which is on the right hand of those who are sailing from Heroopolis to Ptolemaïs, to the country where elephants are taken, extends 9000 stadia to the south, and inclines a little towards the east. Thence to the straits are about 4500 stadia, in a direction more towards the east. The straits at Ethiopia are formed by a promontory called Deire. There is a small town upon it of the same name. The Ichthyophagi inhabit this country. Here it is said is a pillar of Sesostris the Egyptian, on which is inscribed, in hieroglyphics, an account of his passage (across the Arabian Gulf). For he appears to have subdued first Ethiopia and Troglodytica, and afterwards to have passed over into Arabia. He then overran the whole of Asia. Hence in many places there are dykes called the dykes of Sesostris, and temples built in honour of Egyptian deities.
The straits at Deire are contracted to the width of 60 stadia; not indeed that these are now called the Straits, for ships proceed to a further distance, and find a passage of about 200 stadia between the two continents; six islands contiguous to one another leave a very narrow passage through them for vessels, by filling up the interval between the continents. Through these goods are transported from one continent to the other on rafts; it is this passage which is called the Straits. After these islands, the subsequent navigation is among bays along the Myrrh country, in the direction of south and east, as far as the Cinnamon country, a distance of about 5000 stadia; beyond this district no one to this time, it is said, has penetrated. There are not many cities upon the coast, but in the interior they are numerous and well inhabited. Such is the account of Arabia given by Eratosthenes. We must add what is related also by other writers.
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