[49] Suri (now Surieh), a few miles west of Callinicum. (W.)
[50] Is this the same as Tetrapyrgia, where St. Sergius was buried? (W.)
[51] Barbalissus (now Kala), at Balis, on the Euphrates. See Ant. Mart., ‘Itin.,’ xlvii. (W.)
[52] On the Euphrates, now probably Jerablûs, supposed by some to be the site of Carchemish. (W.)
[53] Hierapolis (Bambych), formerly the capital of Euphratesia, on west of Euphrates, between Antioch and Edessa. ‘Has no records of its ancient greatness but its walls, which may be traced all round; cannot be less than three miles in compass ... with towers of large square stone, extremely well built. A deep pit of about 100 yards diameter seemed to have had great buildings all round it, with the pillars and ruins of which it is now in part filled up, but not so much but that there was still water in it. Here are a multitude of subterraneous aqueducts brought to this city. You can ride nowhere about the city without seeing them.’—Maundrell’s ‘Journey from Aleppo to Euphrates,’ Bohn’s edition, 8vo., p. 507, 1848. (L.)
Hierapolis (Bambij, or Membij). The whole place is now a mass of ruin, but the outlines of a theatre and stadium can be traced. The lake is now represented by a deep circular pool, said to be always full of water. There are several springs in the ruins, and water was also supplied by ‘Kariz,’ or underground channels. Formerly a centre of great commercial importance; our word ‘bombazine’ comes from Bambya. (W. MS. notes, 1881.)
[54] Zeugma, on the right bank of the Euphrates, opposite Biredjik. (W.)
[55] Antiochia, now Antâkieh, founded by Seleucus Nicator. Having been nearly ruined by an earthquake it was almost rebuilt by Justinian, and called by him Theodopolis. In A.D. 1163, it is described by Benjamin of Tudela as a large city very strongly fortified, ‘overlooked by a very high mountain; a wall surrounds this height, on the summit of which is situated a well. The inspector of the well distributes the water by subterranean aqueducts, and thus provides the houses of the principal inhabitants of the city. The other side of the city is surrounded by the river.’ A plan of the city is given under ‘Antioch’ in Smith’s ‘Dict. of Antiquities.’
‘The city (the modern Antakieh) covers but a small part of the ground occupied by the ancient city, though it still contains fourteen mosques.
‘The population in 1836 was under 6,000.