Part 12
and he makes it the Capital of sixteen Cities in _Syria Palmyrena_, whereof _Alalis_, _Danaba_ and _Evaria_ were afterwards _Bishops Sees_. _Pliny_ places it CCIII Miles from the nearest Coast of _Syria_, and CCCXXXVII from _Seleucia ad Tygrim_ near _Bagdat_, (which Numbers are erroneously Printed 252 and 537 in most Editions, contrary to the Authority of the MSS.) _Josephus_ places it one Days Journey from _Euphrates_, and six from _Babylon_; which must be understood of Horse-man's Journeys of about sixty Miles _per diem_, it being more than so much from this City to _Euphrates_. _Ptolemy_ also mentions a River running by _Palmyra_, which did not appear to our Travellers, unless that Gut or Channel wherein they were overflowed by the Rain-Waters, were the Bed thereof; which may, possibly, run with a constant Stream in the Winter or times of much Rain: But this (as the Rivers of _Aleppo_ and _Damascus_ at this Day) is made by _Ptolomy_ to have no _exit_; but to go off in _Vapour_, and to be imbibed by the thirsty Earth of these Desarts.
The _Æra_ or Accompt of Years observed by the _Palmyreni_ in these Inscriptions, is evidently that of _Seleucus_, call'd afterwards _Dhilcarnian_ or _Bicornis_ by the _Arabians_, and by them kept in use till above 900 Years of Christ (as appears by the Observations of _Albatani_, published in _Numb._ 204 of the _Philosoph. Transact._) and not that of the Death of _Alexander_. This may be demonstrated from the Inscription (_Pag. 101._) wherein _Alexander Severus_ is stiled ΘΕΟΣ; that is, after the Death and Consecration of that Emperor, or after the Year of our Lord 234; and from the Name of _Julius_, who, when this Inscription was put up, was _Præfectus Prætorio_, (and could be no other than _Julius Philippus Arabs_ who might be esteemed by the _Palmyreni_ as their Country-man,) it follows, that it was in the last Year of _Gordian_ _Anno Christi_ 242 or 243: And that Emperor being soon after Murder'd by the Treachery of this _Philip_, who succeeded him: And his Treason coming afterwards to light, 'tis not strange that his Name was purposely effaced in this Inscription. The Date thereof, _Anno_ 554, shews the beginning of this Accompt 311 or 312 Years before Christ, co-incident with the _Æra_ of _Seleucus_, which was likewise observed by several other Cities in the East.
I shall not undertake the part of a Critick on these Inscriptions, but chuse rather to leave them to the more professedly skilful in that part of Learning, and shall only make some few Remarks on them, such as occurred whilst they pass'd through my Hands.
1. That the more ancient of these Inscriptions dated before the Year 500, do no where make use of _Roman Prænomina_, which yet are very frequent in them that follow; particularly _Julius_, _Aurelius_ and _Septimius_, taken up by these People out of Respect to the Emperors that bore those Names; and consequently that _Septimius Odænathus_ (the Inscription of whose Tomb we have, _pag. 91._) was most probably the same who was afterwards _Augustus_. That Name growing in use in the Reign of _Septimius Severus_, under whom or his Son _Caracalla_ this _Odænathus_ was certainly Born. And this Monument being erected by him whilst he was yet a private Man; and he afterwards attaining the Imperial Dignity, it was necessary the Inscription of his Tomb (which perhaps was that single one that was all of Marble) should be changed: Upon which occasion this Stone might be brought back into the Town, and after its Destruction, be clapt up casually over the little Gate-way where now it stands.
2. _Pag. 100._ ΚΑΤΕΛΘΟΝΤΕΣ ΕΙΣ ΟΛΟΓΕΣΙΑΔΑ ΕΝΠΟΡΟΙΑΝ ΕΣΤΗΣΑΝ: _Descendentes Vologesiada Commercium stabiliverunt, Anno_ 558, _sive Anno Christi_ 247. Whereby it appears, that this People having had their Trade interrupted by the Wars between the _Romans_ and the _Persians_, under _Gordian_; did now send an Embassy to the Court of _Sapores_ King of the _Persians_, to get it re-established; which succeeded according to their Desires. _Vologesias_ was a City built by _Vologeses_ King of the _Parthians_ in the time of _Nero_, on the _Euphrates_ below _Babylon_. _Ptolemy_ calls it Οὐολογεσιάς; _Stephanus_, Βολογεσιὰς; _Ammianus_ _Vologessia_; and _Pliny_ lib. 6. _Vologesocirta_.
3. _Pag. 101._ ΚΑΙ ΟΥΚΟΝΙΣΩΝΑ ΦΕΙΔΗΣΑΝΤΑ ΧΡΗΜΑΤΩΝ. I submit it to the Judgment of the Criticks, whether this faulty Place may not be amended by reading it ΟΥΚ ΟΙΚΕΙΩΝ ΑΦΕΙΔΗΣΑΝΤΑ, _&c._ as likewise whether ΔΙΣΜΑΛΚΟΥ in the same Inscription may not be instead of ΜΑΛΛΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΜΑΛΚΟΥ, which is the Ingenious Conjecture of that excellent Grammarian Mr. _William Baxter_.
4. _Pag. 102._ _Septimium Vorodem Procuratorem Ducenarium Augusti &_ ΑΡΟΑΠΕΤΗΝ. This Word, if _Greek_, is faultily transcribed; and in one Copy I have seen, the Ο is very small, as I suppose it on the Stone, which might occasion the transcribing thereof without it in the former Voyage (_Pag. 130._) So that 'tis most probable that 'tis the remains of some other Letter almost worn out. I conjecture it to have been ΑΡΤΑΓΕΤΗΝ, Π being taken for Γ, and that this _Septimius_ was _Præfectus Annonæ_, having the Care to see that the City were sufficiently provided with Bread; which was a most necessary Officer in a Place that must needs be furnish'd with Corn from Abroad. And this same _Septimius_, (in the Inscription, _Pag. 105._) is stiled .... ΕΟΔΟΤΗΝ ΤΗΣ ΜΗΤΡΟΚΟΛΩΝΕΙΑΣ. _lege_ ΚΡΕΟΔΟΤΗΝ, which should signifie that he was the Distributor of the Emperor's Munificence in Flesh to the People. These Inscriptions bear Date in _April_, _Anno Dom._ 267. not long before the Death of _Odænathus_, who is herein stiled ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΣ: and 'tis not improbable but he might institute such a Custom, as at the Publick Charge, to give the People a Largess in Flesh on particular Days, to reconcile them to the Dominion of their Fellow-Citizen. This is certain, that _Aurelian_ first instituted such a Custom of giving Flesh at _Rome_: The Words of _Vopiscus_ are, _Idem Aurelianus & porcinam carnem populo Romano distribuit, quæ hodieque dividitur_; which Custom continued till the time of _Constantine_, when (according to _Zosimus_) one _Lucian_, who had this Office of distributing Swines Flesh at _Rome_, had Interest enough among the People to set up _Maxentius_ for Emperor; and _Salmasius_ assures us, that it was not discontinued till the time of _Heraclius_. It will not therefore seem strange, if I suppose _Aurelian_ might find that Custom at _Palmyra_, and at his return from thence institute the like at _Rome_.
I am inclined to believe, that not only those two Inscriptions, _Pag. 102_, and the last of _Pag. 103_, but also that of _Pag. 106_, were in Honour of the same _Septimius Vorodes_ who seems to have been a great Favourite of _Odænathus_, and was without doubt respected by the _Romans_ on that account, whom I conclude to have effaced all the Memorials of _Zenobia_ and _Waballathus_, insomuch that no one appears, among those many taken, that was set up during the six Years they reigned. The Name _Vorodes_ seems the same with _Orodes_, which was the Name of the King of the _Parthians_ that slew _Crassus_: and the _Persians_ having, about forty Years before, expelled the Race of the _Arsacidæ_, 'tis not improbable but the Remains of that Royal Family might fly for Succour to _Palmyra_, and this _Vorodes_ might be one of them.
5. In two other Copies of these Inscriptions; the first of _pag. 104._ is read, Σεπτίμιον Αἰράνην Ὀδαινάθου, and not Ὀδαινόθου as in the first Copy, and perhaps ought rather to be Ὀδαίναθον, as being the Inscription under a Statue of the same _Odænathus_, who is here, as well as on his Tomb, stiled _Illustrissimus Patricius_, but without a Date.
6. ΥΠΟ ΙΑΡΙΒΩΛΟΥ ΘΕΟΥ (_pag. 101._ & 109.) It cannot well be doubted but that this _Deus Jaribolus_ is the same with what _Gruter_ (_pag._ 86.) and _Spon_ (in the first of his Inscriptions) reads ΑΓΛΙΒΩΛΩ. By the Figure of the Idol extant in _Spon_, it appears that this God was made with the Moon upon his Shoulders, and consequently was the _Deus Lunus_ worshipped by the _Syrians_, whose Name, in the Language of that Country, could not be better expressed than by _Jarehbol_ ירה ביעל _Dominus Lunus_. Whence I am induced to believe, that _Gruter_ mistook it ΑΓΛΙΒΩΛΩ for ΑΓΑΙΒΩΛΩ, the Ι in the beginning, and the lower part of the round stroke of the Ρ, being effaced, so as to pass for Γ. I have taken care to have the Stone purposely viewed, as also to get from thence the exact Figure of the _Syrian_ or _Palmyrene_ Characters thereon, wherein there is an irreconcilable difference between _Spon_ and _Gruter_. By the help of these, compared with two others taken at _Palmyra_, which I have by me, (they being all very near the same Date,) I hope we may be able, one Day, to make out the _Palmyrene_ Alphabet: But it were to be wish'd our Travellers had transcribed them with more Curiosity, and taken more of them.
By the way, it is remarkable, that the Person who dedicated this Monument, in _Gruter_ and _Spon_, is stiled Λ. ΑΥΡ. ΗΛΙΟΔΩΡΟΣ: and the same Name occurs in a broken Inscription which Mr. _Hallifax_ omitted in his Letter to Dr. _Bernard_, as being too imperfect. It stood on the right Hand of the entrance to the little Temple described _pag. 110._ and was thus,
ΛΟΥΚΙΟΥ ΑΥΡΗ[ΛΙ]ΟΥ ..... ΗΛΙΟΔΩΡΟΥ ΤΟΥ.
And after a Blank of three lines all worn out except one single Ο, there followed,
[ΤΕΙ]ΜΗΣ ΧΑΡΙΝ ΕΤΟΥΣ....... ΜΗΝΟΣ [ΑΠ]ΕΛΛΑΙ[ΟΥ]. And that imperfect one in _pag. 104._ seems to have relation to the same Name.
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.
_A Voyage of the Emperour of _China_ into the Eastern _Tartary_, Anno. 1682._
The Emperour of _China_ made a Voyage into Eastern _Tartary_, in the beginning of this Year 1682, after having appeased (by the Death of three Rebellious Kings) a Revolt, formed in some Provinces of the Empire: One of those revolted Princes, was Strangled in the Province, of which he had made himself Master: The second being brought to _Pekin_ with the Principal Heads of his Faction, was cut in Pieces in the sight of the whole Court: The most Considerable among the _Mandarines_, acting with their own hands in this sad Execution, to Revenge upon this Rebel the Death of their Parents, which he had caused to be Cruelly Murdered.
The third which was the most Considerable, (and indeed the Chief of all the Revolt) had by a voluntary Death prevented his deserved Punishment, and so put an end to a War, which had lasted for Seven Years.
The Peace having been settled, by the Re-establishing in the Empire and all the Provinces, the Peaceable Enjoyment of their Ancient Liberties: The Emperour departed the 23_d._ of _March_ to go into the Province of _Leao-tum_, the Country of his Ancestors, with a Design of visiting their Sepulchers, and (after having honoured them with the usual Ceremonies) of prosecuting his Journey into the Eastern _Tartary_: This Journey was was about 1100 _miles_, from _Pekin_ to the end of it.
The Emperour took with him his eldest Son, a young Prince of ten years old, which had already been declared Heir of the Empire: The three principal Queens went also in this Journy, each in their gilded Chariot; the principal Kings also which compose this Empire, were accompanying with all the Grandees of the Court: And the most considerable _Mandarines_ of all the Orders, who having all a very great Train of Attendants, and very numerous Equipage, made a Court about the Emperour of more then 70000 Persons.
It was his Will that I should accompany him in this Journey, and that I should be always near him, to the end I might make in his Presence, the Observations, necessary for knowing the disposition of the Heavens, the elevation of the Pole, the Magnetical Declinations of every Place, and for Measuring with Mathematical Instruments the height of the Mountains, and the distances of Places: He was well pleased also to be informed of what concerned Meteors, and many other Physical and Mathematical Matters.
In so much, that he gave Order to an Officer to carry upon Horses such Instruments as I should have occasion to make use of, and recommended me to the Prince his Unkle, who is also his Father in Law, and the second Person of the State, he is called by a _Chinese_ Name, which signifies an Associate of the Empire: He gave charge to him to cause all things to be provided for me which were necessary for this Journey, which this Prince performed with a very particular goodness, causing me to Lodge always in his own Tent, and to eat at his Table.
The Emperour ordered that they should give me Horses of his own Stables, to the End I might the more easily Change in Riding, and some of those were of them He Himself had Rid, which is a Mark of very extraordinary distinction. In this Journey we always went toward the North-east: From _Pekin_ to the Province of _Leao-tum_, the Way being about 300 Miles is pretty equal: In the Province it self of _Leao-tum_, it is about 400 Miles, but much more unequal by Reason of the Mountains; from the Frontier of this Province to the City of _La_, or the River which the _Tartars_ call _Songoro_, and the _Chinoise_ _Sumhoa_, the way (which is about 400 Miles) is very difficult, being crossed sometimes by Mountains extreamly Steep, sometimes by Valleys of extraordinary Depth, and through Desert Plains, wherein for two or three Days March we met with nothing. The Mountains of this Country are Covered on the East side with great Oaks and old Forrests, which have not been cut for some Ages.
All the Country which is beyond the Province of _Leao-tum_ is exceeding Desert where nothing is to be seen on all sides but Mountains and Valleys, and Dens of _Bears_, _Tigers_ and other _Devouring_ Beasts, you can scarce find a House, but only some _poor Reed Huts_, upon the sides of some Brooks and Streams. All the Cities and _Burrow-towns_ which I have seen in the Province of _Leao-tum_, and which are in very great Numbers are intirely ruined: One can see nothing thro' the whole Country, but old ruined Walls with Rubble, Bricks and Stones. In the out-skirts of these Cities there have been of late some few Houses built, but without any order. Some of them made of Earth, others of the Rubbish of the old Buildings, the most part of them covered with Straw or Thatch, and but few with Tiles. There is now not the least Footsteps remaining of a great number of Towns and Villages which were here before the War. Because the petty King of the _Tartars_, who began to kindle this War having but a very small Army, caused the Inhabitants of those Places to take Arms, which Places he forthwith destroyed, that he might take from his Soldiers the hopes of ever returning again to their own _Homes_.
The Capital City of _Leao-tum_, which is called _Xyn-Yam_, is a City very fair and pretty intire, it has as yet the Remains of an Antient _Palace_. It is (for as much as I was able to remark by divers Observations) of the Latitude of 41 _degrees_ 56 _minutes_; that is to say, two _degrees_ above _Pekin_, tho' hitherto both the _Europeans_ and the _Chinese_ have given that City the Latitude of 41 _degrees_. There is in that City no declination of the Magnetick Needle, as I have found by many reiterated Observations. The City of _Ula_ which was almost the very Extream of our Journey, lies in 44 _degrees_ and 20 _minutes_. The compass there declines from the South to the West one _degree_ 40 _minutes_.
But to resume the Prosecution of our Journey, from _Pekin_ to this Extream towards the East there is made a new Way, by which the Emperour can commodiously March with his Horse, and the Queens in their Chariots. This Way is about 10 _foot_ broad, and as even and streight as could possibly be made; it is extended above 1000 _Miles_, it has a little Raising on each side of about a Foot high every where equal and perfectly Parallel to one another; and this Way was as neat, especially when the Weather was fair, as a Floor where the Husbandmen beat out their Corn in the Field; there were also certain Persons along this way, who only took care to Smooth and Cleanse it. The Christians have no where so great care of Sweeping their Streets and publick Places where the Holy Sacrament is to pass in the Processions, as these Infidels have of cleansing the Ways, where their Kings and their Queens are to pass, every time they go out of their Palaces.
There was made for their Return a way like the former, they plained or levelled the Mountains as far as they were able, they raised Bridges over the Rivers, and for ornamenting them, they had extended on each side of them a sort of Mats upon which they had Painted divers Figures of Animals, which had the same effect with Tapestry Hangings, with which the Streets are usually hung in Procession.
The Emperor did very seldom make use of this Way, being almost always in Hunting: And when he accompanied the Queens he only Rode by the side of it, to the End that the great number of Horse which were in the Train that followed should not spoil it: He ordinarily Marched at the Head of this kind of Army. The Queens followed immediately in their Chariots, with their Train and their Equipage; they notwithstanding left some space between the King and themselves: After these Marched the Kings, the Grandees of the Court and the _Mandarines_, every one according to his Rank, behind these an infinity of Attendants, and other People on Horse-back brought up the Rear-guard.
As there was not one City upon all this Way, that could either Lodge so great a Multitude, or Furnish them with Provisions, and that the greatest Part of their Journey was through a Country very little Inhabited, so they were Necessitated to carry along with them all things that were Necessary for the journey, and even Provisions of Victuals for three Months.
Upon this Account there were sent before by the Ways which were made on each side of the Emperors Way, an Infinity of Waggons, Cammels, Horses, and Mules for to carry the Baggage: Besides these the Emperor, the Kings and almost all the Grandees of the Court, had great numbers of Horses led, for the use of changing from time to time. I do not here reckon the Droves of Beefs, Sheep, and other Cattel, which they were obliged to have with them. And though this great Multitude of Men, Horses, and Droves, passed by a way at a good distance from that of the Emperor, yet it raised so horrible a Dust, that we always seemed to March in a cloud, and thence found it Difficult to distinguish those that Marched 15 or 20 Paces from us.