7. Pag. 111. ΜΑΛΕΝΤΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΓΡΙΠΠΑΝ lege ΜΑΛΗΝ ΤΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΓΡΙΠΠΑΝ, it being written ΜΑΛΗΝΤΟΝ, with Η in the two other Copies I have seen, whereby the Sence is cleared.
8. Pag. 117. ΑΓΑΘΑΝΓΕΛΟΣ ΑΒΙΛΗΝΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΔΕΚΑΠΟΛΕΟΣ, Agathangelus Abilenus, Decapolitanus, Patronymice. There were in these Parts two Cities known by the Name of Abila; to distinguish which, the one was called Abila Lysaniæ, from the Name of the Tetrarch: St. Luke, ch. 3. 1. and is placed by Ptolemy (in his Cælosyria) about mid-way between Damascus and Heliopolis: The other in Judæa, called Abila ad Jordanem, described by Josephus in many Places, to lie over-against Jericho, near the Dead-Sea. Decapolis was so called from its Ten Cities, enumerated by Pliny (lib. 5. 18.) And with them he reckons up, among others, the Tetrarchy of Abila, in the same Decapolis: Which demonstrates the Abila Decapolis and Abila Lysaniæ to be the same Place. And tho' it cannot be denied, but that some of Pliny's Ten Cities are not far distant from that near Jordan; yet it doth not appear that ever this other had the Title of a Tetrarchy. Here it is to be observed, that what Pliny calls Decapolis, Ptolemy makes his Cæle Syria; and the Cæle Syria of Pliny, is that part of Syria about Aleppo, formerly call'd Chalcidene, Cyrrhistice, &c.
What this Town of Teibe was anciently call'd, is not so easily conjectured: But if the Numbers of Ptolemy may be confided in, it is very near the Situation of a City he calls Oriza; and perhaps his Adada may be our Soukney, and his Rhæsapha what is now called Arsoffa.
It is taken for granted, that Old Aleppo was anciently the City of Berrhæa, and there wants not ancient Testimony to prove it; which being granted, I think I may without scruple conclude, that Andrene (pag. 122. and 133.) is the Ruins of the City of Androna; and Esree (pag. 135.) that of Seriane, both mentioned in the Itinerary of Antoninus, in the Journey à Dolicâ Seriane. But this whole Country is laid about half a Degree more Southerly than it ought, by Ptolemy, who places Berrhæa in Lat. 36 deg. For the Meridian Altitude of the Tropical Sun at Aleppo is found there but 77 deg. whence the Latitude 36 deg. 30 min. as it was observed, Anno 1680. by three several Quadrants, in the presence of a curious Gentleman, to whom I am obliged for this Communication.
By the same Observation a much greater Error is amended in the Latitude of Aleppo, in the Rudolfine Tables of Kepler, who supposes Aleppo to have been the ancient Antiochia ad Taurum, and accordingly places it Lat. 37. deg. 20 min. wherein he is followed by Bullialdus and others; and several Maps have copied the Mistake. But a much greater use of it is, that thereby we are assured, that the City of Aracta, wherein Albatani made the Observations we have Publish'd in the Philosoph. Transact. Numb. 204. was, without doubt, the same which is now called Racca on the Euphrates; of which Town an Account may be seen in Rauwolf's Voyages, and which was not many Miles below the Place where our Travellers first came on the River: And if Arecca, in the Language of this Country, relates to Victory (as is said in pag. 143.) it was, doubtless, anciently the City Nicephorion, built by Alexander the Great; with which the Situation exactly agrees. The Latitude thereof was observed by that Albatani with great accurateness, about eight hundred Years since; and therefore I recommended it to all that are curious of such Matters, to endeavour to get some good Observation made at this Place, to determine the Height of the Pole there, thereby to decide the Controversie, whether there hath really been any Change in the Axis of the Earth, in so long an Interval; which some great Authors of late, have been willing to suppose. And if any curious Traveller, or Merchant residing there, would please to observe, with due care, the Phases of the Moons Eclipses at Bagdat, Aleppo and Alexandria, thereby to determin their Longitudes, they could not do the Science of Astronomy a greater Service: For in and near these Places were made all the Observations whereby the middle Motions of the Sun and Moon are limited: And I could then pronounce in what Proportion the Moon's Motion does Accelerate; which that it does, I think I can demonstrate, and shall (God willing) one Day, make it appear to the Publick.
The Philosophical Reader is desired to excuse our breaking in upon the Subject of these Tracts, by intermixing Historical and Philological Matters, as also our exceeding the Bounds of an Extract: But we hope the Curiosity of the Subject, joyned to the Desires of the Royal Society, may make an easie Apology suffice. There may be many other Instructive Remarks made thereon, which still deserve the Consideration of the Learned, and from such the Publick may yet expect a further Account.