The most eastern parts are, Serica, Cathay; Sinarum regio, China; and India. This last country was better known anciently than the two former. It was divided into two parts; the one on this side the Ganges, included between that river and the Indus, which now composes the dominions [pg xxiv] of the Great Mogul; the other part was that on the other side of the Ganges.
The remaining part of Asia, of which much greater mention is made in history, may be divided into five or six parts, taking it from east to west.
I. Upper Asia, which begins at the river Indus. The chief provinces are Gedrosia, Carmania, Arachosia, Drangiana, Bactriana, the capital of which was Bactra; Sogdiana, Margiana, Hyrcania, near the Caspian sea; Parthia, Media, its chief city Ecbatana; Persia, the cities of Persepolis and Elymais; Susiana, the city of Susa; Assyria, the city of Nineveh, situated on the river Tigris; Mesopotamia, between the Euphrates and Tigris; Babylonia, the city of Babylon on the river Euphrates.
II. Asia between the Pontus Euxinus and the Caspian Sea. Therein we may distinguish four provinces. 1. Colchis, the river Phasis, and mount Caucasus. 2. Iberia. 3. Albania; which two last-mentioned provinces now form part of Georgia. 4. The greater Armenia. This is separated from the lesser by the Euphrates; from Mesopotamia by mount Taurus; and from Assyria by mount Niphates. Its cities are Artaxata and Tigranocerta, and the river Araxes runs through it.
III. Asia Minor. This may be divided into four or five parts, according to the different situation of its provinces.
1. Northward, on the shore of the Pontus Euxinus; Pontus, under three different names. Its cities are, Trapezus, not far from which are the people called Chalybes or Chaldæi; Themiscyra, a city on the river Thermodon, and famous for having been the abode of the Amazons. Paphlagonia, Bithynia; the cities of which are, Nicæa, Prusa, Nicomedia, Chalcedon opposite to Constantinople, and Heraclea.
2. Westward, going down by the shores of the Ægean sea; Mysia, of which there are two. The Lesser, in which stood Cyzicus, Lampsacus, Parium, Abydos opposite to Sestos, from which it is separated only by the Dardanelles; Dardanum, Sigæum, Ilion, or Troy; and almost on the opposite side, the little island of Tenedos. The rivers are, the Æsepus, the Granicus, and the Simois. Mount Ida. This region is sometimes called Phrygia Minor, of which Troas is part.
The Greater Mysia. Antandros, Trajanopolis, Adramyttium, [pg xxv] Pergamus. Opposite to this Mysia is the island of Lesbos; the cities of which are, Methymna, where the celebrated Arion was born; and Mitylene, which has given to the whole island its modern name Metelin.
Æolia. Elea, Cumæ, Phocæa.
Ionia. Smyrna, Clazomenæ, Teos, Lebedus, Colophon, Ephesus, Priene, Miletus.