Part 7

As soon as you are entred within the Court, you see the Remainders of two Rows of very Noble Marble Pillars 37 Foot high, with their Capitals of most exquisite Carved Work; as also must have been the Cornishes between them, before by Rude and Superstitious Hands they were broken down. Of these there are now no more than 58 remaining entire; but there must have been a great many more, for they appear to have gone quite round the whole Court, and to have supported a most spacious double Piazza or Cloyster. Of this Piazza the Walks on the West side, which is opposed to the Front of the Temple, seem to have exceeded the other in Beauty and Spaciousness; and at each end thereof are two Niches for Statues at their full length, with their Pedestals, Borders, Supporters, and Canopies, carved with the greatest Artifice and Curiosity. The Space within this once Beautiful Enclosure, which is now filled with nothing but the dirty Huts of the Inhabitants, I conceive to have been an open Court, in the midst whereof stands the Temple, encompass'd with another row of Pillars of a different Order, and much higher than the former, being above 50 Foot high. Of these remain now but 16, but there must have been about double that Number, which whether they enclosed an inner Court, or supported the Roof of a Cloyster, there being nothing now of a Roof remaining, is uncertain. Only one great Stone lies down, which seems to have reach'd from these Pillars to the Walls of the Temple. The whole Space contained within these Pillars we found to be 59 Yards in Length, and in Breadth near 28. In the midst of which Space is the Temple, extending in Length more than 33 Yards, and in Breadth 13 or 14. It points North and South, having a most Magnificent Entrance on the West, exactly in the middle of the Building, which by the small Remains yet to be seen, seems to have been one of the most glorious Structures in the World. I never saw Vines and clusters of Grapes cut in Stone, so Bold, so Lively, and so Natural, in any Place: And we had doubtless seen things abundantly more curious, if they had not been maliciously broken to pieces. Just over the Door we could make a shift to discern part of the Wings of a large Spread-Eagle, extending the whole wideness thereof. The largeness whereof led me at first to imagine it might have been rather a Cherub over-shadowing the Entrance, there being nothing of the Body remaining to guide ones Judgment, and some little Angels or _Cupids_ appear still in the corners of the same Stone. But afterwards seeing other Eagles upon Stones that were fallen down, I conclude this must have been one likewise, only of a much larger size. Of this Temple there is nothing at present but the outward Walls standing, in which it is observable, that as the Windows were not large, so they were made narrower towards the top, than they were below; but all adorned with excellent Carvings. Within the Walls, the _Turks_, or more probably the _Mamalukes_, have built a Roof, which is supported by small Pillars and Arches; but a great deal lower, as well as in all other respects disproportionate and inferior to what the Ancient Covering must have been. And they have converted the place into a Mosque, having added to the South End thereof new Ornaments after their manner, with _Arabick_ Inscriptions and Sentences out of the _Alcoran_, wrote in Flourishes and Wreaths, not without Art. But at the North End of the Building, which is shut out of the Mosque, are Relicks of much greater Artifice and Beauty. Whether they were in the Nature of Canopies over some Altars placed there, or to what other use they served, I am not able to conjecture. They are beautified with the most curious Fretwork and Carvings; in the midst of which is a Dome or Cupola, above six Foot Diameter, which we found above to be of one piece; whether hewn out of a Rock entire, or made of some Artificial Cement or Composition, by Time hardened into a Lapideous Substance, seems doubtful; though I am rather inclined to believe the latter. It is in fine, a most exquisite Piece of Workmanship, and on which I could have bestowed more time to view it, than what was allowed us, hastening to other Sights.

[Sidenote: _A Mosch._]

Having taken this Survey of the Temple, we went Abroad, where our Eyes were presently accosted with an amazing sight of a multitude of Marble Pillars, standing scattered up and down, for the space of near a Mile of Ground, this way and that, but so disposed as to afford no solid Foundation to judge, what sort of Structures they formerly framed. I pass by the Ruins of a Mosch, which directing our Course Northward, was the first thing occurr'd to our View, after we came out of the Court of the Temple, which though of a more Artificial Frame and Composure than many I have seen, yet is not worthy to stop us in the way to things both of greater Antiquity, and every way more noble and worthy our Consideration. Having therefore past this, you have the Prospect of such Magnificent Ruins, that if it be lawful to frame a Conjecture of the Original Beauty of the Place, by what is still remaining, I question somewhat whether any City in the World could have challenged Precedence of this in its Glory. But it being impossible as they now stand to reduce them to any regular Method, I must be forced to give you a rude Account of them as they came in sight; and which will fall much short of the Greatness and Stateliness which they shew to the Eye.

[Sidenote: An Obelisk.]

Advancing then towards the North, you have before you a very tall and stately Obelisk or Pillar, consisting of seven large Stones, besides its Capital and a wreath'd Work above it; the Carvings here, as in all other Places, being extraordinary fine. The height of it is above 50 Foot, and upon it I conceive may have stood a Statue, which the _Turks_, zealous Enemies of all Imagery, have thrown down, and broken in pieces. 'Tis in compass, just above the Pedestal, 12 Foot and a half. On each Hand of this, towards the East and West, you see two other large Pillars, each a quarter of a Mile distant from you, which seem to have some Correspondence one to the other. And there is a piece of another standing near that of the East, which would incline one to think there was once a continued row of them. The height of this to the East I took with my Quadrant, and conclude to be more than 42 Foot high, and the Circumference proportionable. Upon the Body thereof is the following Inscription.

Η ΒΟΥΛΗ ΚΑΙ Ο ΔΗΜΟΣ ΛΛΙΛΑΜΕΝΑ ΠΑΝΟΥ ΜΟΚΙΜΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΑΙΡΑΝΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΜΑΘΘΑ ΚΑΙ ΑΙΡΑΝΗΝ ΤΟΝ ΠΑΤΕΡΑ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΕΥΣΕΒΕΙΣ ΚΑΙ ΦΙΛΟΠΑΤΡΙΔΑΣ Κ(ΑΙ) ΠΑΝΤΙ ΤΡΟΠΩ (ΕΥ)ΣΕΙΜΩΣ ΑΡΕΣΑΝΤΑΣ ΤΗ ΠΑΤΡΙΔΙ ΚΑΙ ΠΑΤΡΙΟΙΣ ΘΕΟΙΣ ΤΕΙΜΗΣ ΧΑΡΙΝ ΕΤΟΥΣ Ν Υ Λ ΜΗΝΟΣ ΞΑΝΔΙΚΟΥ.

I perswade my self it would be but lost Labour to spend time in making Reflections upon this or the following Inscriptions; as for the Knowledge they may exhibit to the World, your own Conjectures will more happily lead you unto it, than any thing I am like to suggest. It seems however pretty evident they were a Free State, governed by a Senate and People, though perhaps under the Protection of great Empires, the _Parthians_, it is probable, first, and afterward the _Romans_, who for a long time contended for the Mastery here in the East. And this Government might continue among them till about the time of _Aurelian_, who demolished the Place, and led _Zenobia_, Wife of _Odenatus_, Captive to _Rome_: Who, though she be called Queen, yet I find not that ever her Husband had the Title of King; but was only one of the Chief Inhabitants, a Leading Man in the Senate (as 'tis probable this _Alilamanes_ and _Airanes_ were before him) who while the _Romans_ were busied in _Europe_, made himself great here, and by his own Force repelled the _Parthians_; who having Master'd whatever was held by the _Romans_ on the other side of _Euphrates_, made an Incursion into _Syria_, but were by _Odenatus_ driven back beyond the River. In the course of these Wars _Odenatus_ was slain, but his Wife _Zenobia_, being a Woman of a Masculine Spirit, not only kept her Ground against her Enemies Abroad, but maintained her Authority at Home, keeping the Government in her Hands. Afterwards out of a desire to cast off the _Roman_ Yoke, she caused the whole Garrison, which was left there by _Aurelian_, to be barbarously cut off: Which bringing _Aurelian_ back with his Army, he quickly took the City, and destroyed it, putting the Inhabitants to the Sword, and carrying _Zenobia_ Captive to _Rome_; which was the Fatal Period of the Glory of the Place. This Custom of theirs of running up their Genealogies or Pedigrees to the fourth or fifth Generation, shews them to have borrowed some of their Fashions from their Neighbours the _Jews_, with whom it is not unlikely they had of old great Commerce; and perhaps many of them were descended from that People, _Zenobia_ her self being said to have been a _Jewess_; Or else this must have been the manner of all the Eastern Nations. Their _Æra_ or Account of Time they begin from the Death of _Alexander_ the Great, as the _Syrians_ generally do; the very Christians at this Day following the same usage. Yet though they mark the Date of the Year by _Greek_ Letters, you may observe they place them a different way from the _Greeks_, setting the lesser Number first, as if they were to be read backward, from the right Hand to the left; as Ν Υ here, denoting 450. The third Letter Λ, I take to stand for the Day of the Month, _viz._ the last of _Xandicus_, which is with us _April_; this and other names of Months, which are found in other Inscriptions, being borrowed from the _Macedonians_ with very little variation. That they were Idolaters, is plain by the mention of their Country Gods, both here and in other Places: So that their Commerce with the _Jews_, did not, it seems, bring them to the Knowledge of the true God, or else they must have degenerated therefrom, and relapsed into Idolatry. The other Pillar towards the West in Height and Circumference answers this, and has upon the side the following Inscription engraved.

Η ΒΟΥΛΗ ΚΑΙ Ο ΔΗΜΟΣ ΒΑΡΕΙΧΕΙΝ ΑΜΡΙΣΑΜΣΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΙΑΡΙΒΩΛΕΟΥΣ ΚΑΙ ΜΟΚΙΜΟΝ ΥΙΟΝ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΕΥΣΕΒΕΙΣ ΚΑΙ ΦΙΛΟΠΑΤΡΙΔΑΣ ΤΕΙΜΗΣ ΧΑΡΙΝ.

The Date of this is not legible, neither does one know what Judgment to make of the thing it self. That such a Pillar should be erected only to support the Inscription, and convey these Mens Names to After-Ages, without particularizing what they did to deserve that Honour, is something strange: unless we may suppose it was a prevailing Vanity in these Eastern Countries thus to endeavour to Eternize their Fame. An Instance whereof we have in Scripture, in _Absalom_'s setting him up a Pillar, 2 _Kings_ 18. 18. and perhaps before him, in _Saul_, 1 _Sam._ 15. 12. Otherwise it may appear no improbable Conjecture, that the Pillar was erected long before upon some other Occasion, and afterwards made use of to this end: And I look upon it as past all doubt that several other Inscriptions which we saw, were much more Modern than the Pillars, on which they were engraved.

[Sidenote: The Piazza.]

Proceeding forward, directly from the Obelisk, about 100 Paces, you come to a Magnificent Entrance, vastly large and lofty, and for the exquisiteness of the Workmanship not inferior to any thing before described. I wish I could add, that it had not suffered the same Fate as the rest, and then we might have seen a rare Piece of the Ancient Beauty of the Place. This Entrance leads you into a Noble Piazza of more than half a Mile long, 938 Yards according to our Measuring, and 40 Foot in breadth, enclosed with two rows of stately Marble Pillars, 26 Foot high, and 8 or 9 about. Of these remain standing and entire 129, but by a moderate Calculate there could not have been less at first than 560. Covering there is none remaining, nor any Pavement at the bottom, unless it be buried under the Rubbish. But upon almost all the Pillars we found Inscriptions, both in _Greek_ and the Language unknown, of which we had time to take but very few, and those not very Instructive. But such as they are I'll present you them here, without observing any other Order, but as they happened to be transcribed.

ΙΟΥΛΙΟΝ ΑΥΡΗΛΙΟΝ ΖΕΒΕΙΔΑΝ ΜΟΚΙΜΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΖΕΒΕΙΔΟΥ .......: ΑΣΘΩΡΟΒΑΙΔΑΟΙ ΣΥΝ Α(Υ)ΤΩ ΚΑΤΕΛΘΟΝΤΕΣ ΕΙΣ ΟΛΟΓΕΣΙΑΔΑ ΕΝΠΟΡΟΙΑΝ ΕΣΤΗΣΑΝ ΑΡΕΣΑΝΤΑ ΑΥΤΟΙΣ ΤΕΙΜΗΣ ΧΑΡΙΝ ΞΑΝΔΙΚΩ ΤΟΥ ΗΝΦ ΕΤΟΥΣ....

I give you, Sir, these Inscriptions, as those before, just as I found them, without any Amendments, so much as of litteral Faults, only where a Letter, or piece of a Word was not legible, if I could make a probable Conjecture what it should be, I have ventured to add it. The last seems to have been put up in Memory of an Embassy, performed by those Men that are named therein, for settling a Commerce and Traffick, which was to their Satisfaction accomplish'd: But with whom, till I can find out what Place is meant by[15]ΟΛΟΓΕΣΙΑΔΑ, I must remain Ignorant. I am unwilling to entertain any Thoughts of _Getia_ in _Macedonia_, or of _Olgassus_, a Place mentioned by _Strabo_ in _Bythinia_, which comes a little nearer the Name, being both so remote, and the City of _Tadmor_ ill contrived for a Place of Trade, being far from the Sea, and without the Advantage of any River. Yet the Magnificence of the Place shews they have not wanted Riches among them: And their Salt is a Commodity which still brings them in a considerable Advantage. The Order of the Numeral Letters you may take notice is again inverted; but taking them the right way, the Year 558 falls in with the last Year of the Reign of _Alexander Severus_, which is of our Lord 234.

About the middle of the Piazza, upon another Pillar, was this following Inscription.

Η ΒΟΥΛΗ ΚΑΙ Ο ΔΗΜΟΣ ΙΟΥΛΙΟΝ ΑΥΡΗΛΙΟΝ ΖΗΝΟΒΙΟΝ ΤΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΖΑΒΔΙΛΑΝ ΔΙΣΜΑΛΧΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΝΑΣΣΟΥΜΟΥ ΣΤΡΑΤΗΓΗΣΑΝΤΑ ΕΝ ΕΠΙΔΗΜΙΑ ΘΕΟΥ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΥΠΗΡΕΤΗΣΑΝΤΑ ΠΑΡΟΥΣΙΑ ΔΙΗΝΕΚΕΙ ΡΟΥΤΙΛΛΙΟΥ ΚΡΙΣΠΕΙΝΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΗΓΗΣΑΜΕΝΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΕΠΙΔΗΜΗΣΑΣΑΙΣ ΟΥΗΞΙΛΛΑΤΙΟΣΙΝ ΑΓΟΡΑΝΟΜΗΣΑΝΤΑΤΕ ΚΑΙ ΟΥΚΟΝΙΣΩΝΑ ΦΕΙΔΗΣΑΝΤΑ ΧΡΗΜΑΤΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΚΑΛΩΣ ΠΟΛΕΙΤΕΥΣΑΜΕΝΟΝ ΩΣ ΔΙΑ ΤΑΥΤΑ ΜΑΡΤΥΡΗΘΕΝΤΑ ΥΠΟ ΘΕΟΥ ΙΑΡΙΒΩΛΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΥΠΟ ΙΟΥΛΙΟΥ ....... ΤΟΥ ΕΞΟΧΩΤΑΤΟΥ ΕΠΑΡΧΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΙΕΡΟΥ ΠΡΑΙΤΩΡΙΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΣ ΠΑΤΡΙΔΟΣ ΤΟΝ ΦΙΛΟΠΑΤΡΙΝ ΤΕΙΜΗΣ ΧΑΡΙΝ ΕΤΟΥΣ ΔΝΦ.

This is as perfect an Inscription as any I met with, by the help of which we may make a Judgment of all the rest; at least thus far, that they were put up in Memory of some, who had behaved themselves, in those publick Offices they bore, either in their own Republick, or under the _Romans_, with Commendation; this being a Publick Place, where their Names and worthy Actions were Recorded and Transmitted to Posterity. What I further observed particularly in this, was the want of the Name after ΙΟΥΛΙΟΥ, and took notice of the like space vacant in the other Language under it; and in both places it seemed to be not worn out with Time, but voluntarily scratch'd out. Which confirms me in the Opinion that they are both one, and that the unknown was the Vulgar, as the _Greek_ was the learned Language of the Place. Upon another Pillar in the same Walk was this.

ΣΕΠΤΙΜΙΟΝ ΟΥΟΡΩΔΗΝ ΤΟΝ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΟΝ ΕΠΙΤΡΟΠΟΝ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΥ ΔΟΥΚΗΝΑΡΙΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΡΟΑΠΕΤΗΝ ΙΟΥΛΙΟΣ ΑΥΡΗΛΙΟΣ ΕΑΛΜΗΣ ΚΑΣΣΙΑΝΟΥ ΤΟΥ Μ(Ε)ΛΕΝΑΙΟΥ ΙΠΠΕΥΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΩΝ ΤΟΝ ΦΙΛΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΠΡΟΣΤΑΤΗΝ ΕΤΟΥΣ Η Ο Φ ... ΜΗΝΕΙ (Ξ)ΑΝΔΙΚΩ.

From another Pillar in the same Piazza was Transcribed this broken Inscription which follows, which I have endeavoured to make up from the former, believing them in substance the very same, with some little Alteration of Names.

ΣΕΠΤΙΜ(ΙΟΝ ΟΥΟΡΩΔΗΝ) ΤΟΝ ΚΡΑ(ΤΙΣΤΟΝ ΕΠΙΤΡΟ)ΠΟΝ ΣΕΒΑΣ(ΤΟΥ ΔΟΥΚ)ΗΝΑΡΙΟΝ ΚΑ[Ι ΑΡΟΑΠΕ]ΤΗΝ ΙΟΥΛΙΟΣ ΑΥ[ΡΗΛΙ]ΟΣ Ε[ΑΛΜΗΣ] ΠΥΙΛΣΟΣ Μ[ΕΛΕΝΑΙ]ΟΣ ΜΑΛΩΧΑ ΝΑΣΣΟΥΜΟ[Υ] Ο ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΟΣ ΤΟΝ [ΦΙΛΟΝ] ΚΑΙ ΠΡΟΣΤΑΤΗΝ ΤΕΙΜΗΣ ΕΝΕΚΕΝ ΕΤΟΥΣ ... [ΜΗΝΕΙ Ξ]ΑΝΔΙΚΩ.

This is so like the preceeding, that I thought I might fairly take the Liberty to make these Additions to it. And what we may Collect from both, and divers others of a like Import, is, That as the State, the Senate, and People, did sometimes Honour those that had been in Publick Trust, with Inscriptions upon these Pillars: So when this was not done by them, private Persons had the Liberty to do the same for their Friends. And I shall give you an Instance by and by of one Engraven by a Husband in Memory of his Wife. Upon several of these Pillars are little Pedestals jetting out about the middle of them, sometimes one way only, and sometimes more, which seem to have been the Bases or standing Places of Statues. But none of these are remaining; neither is it to be expected they should, in a place which has been so long in the Hands of the _Turks_. On these Pedestals we saw many Inscriptions, sometimes when there were none upon the Body of the Pillar, and sometimes when there were. As for Instance this that follows upon the Pedestal, thus.

ΣΕΠΤΙΜΙΟΝ ΑΙΡΑΝΗΝ ΟΔΑΙΝΟΘΟΥ ΤΟΝ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΟΝ ΣΥΝΚΛΗΤΙΚΟΝ. And upon the Body of the Pillar this Imperfect one; which I dare not venture to fill up, but shall give it you as we found it.

ΕΞΑ......ΝΤΩΝ ΑΥΡΗΛΙ.....Ρ ΗΛΙΟΔΩΡ..... ΣΤΡΑΤΙΩΤΗΣ ΛΕ.......ΚΗΣ ΤΩΝ ΠΑΤΡΩΝ ΤΕΙΜΗΣ ΚΑΙ ΕΥΧΑΡΙΣΤΙΑΣ ΧΑΡΙΝ ΕΤΟΥΣ ΓΞΦ.

We see they esteemed it very Honourable to have their Memories preserved after this manner; but it is but little Knowledge of them we can get from hence, save now and then the Time when they lived. As here, 563 Years after the Death of _Alexander_ reach to the Year of our Lord 239. Another Inscription in the same Piazza was thus.

Η ΒΟΥΛ[Η ΚΑΙ Ο ΔΗ]ΜΟΣ ΣΕΠΤΙΜΙΟΝ ΤΟΝ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΟΝ Ε[ΠΙΤΡΟΠΟΝ Σ]ΕΒΑΣΤΟΥ ΔΟΥΚΗΝ[ΑΡΙΟΝ] ....ΕΟΔΟΤΗΝ ΤΗΣ ΜΗΤ[ΡΟΚΟΛΩ]ΝΕΙΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΑΝΑΚΟΜΙΣΑ(ΝΤΑ Τ)ΑΣ ΣΥΝΟΔΙΑΣ ΕΞ ΙΔΙΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΜΑΡΤΥΡΗΘΕΝΤΑ ΥΠΟ ΤΩΝ ΑΡΧΕΜΠΟΡΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΛΑΜΠΡΩΣ ΣΤΡΑΤΗΓΗΣΑΝΤΑ ΚΑΙ ΑΓΟΡΑΝΟΜΗΣΑΝΤΑ ΤΗΣ ΑΥΤΗΣ ΜΗΤΡΟΚΟΛΩΝΕΙΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΠΛΕΙΣΤΑ ΟΙΚΟΘΕΝ ΑΝΑΛΩΣΑΝΤΑ ΚΑΙ ΑΡΕΣΑΝΤΑ ΤΗ ΤΕ ΑΥΤΗ ΒΟΥΛΗ ΚΑΙ ΤΩ ΔΗΜΩ ΚΑΙ ΝΥΝΕΙ ΛΑΜΠΡΩΣ ΣΥΜΠΟΣΙΑΡΧΟΝ ΤΩΝ ΤΟΥ ΔΙΟΣ ΒΗΛΟΥ ΙΕ[Ρ]ΩΝ ΤΕΙΜΗΣ ΕΝΕΚΕΝ ΕΤ..... ΞΑΝΔΙΚΩ.

This affords a sufficient confirmation of what I before observed, that these were Honorary Inscriptions in Memory of those that had behaved themselves well in Publick Offices; of which we have several mentioned here, whereof some are very well known, but the others not easie to be met with in Books. By the Word ΜΗΤΡΟΚΟΛΩΝΕΙΑΣ, we may be assured that though the City was reduced by the _Romans_ into the form of a Colony, yet it had a peculiar mark of Honour set upon it, to signifie that it was the chief of their Colonies in these Oriental Parts. That the Authority also of their Senate and People was continued to them. And besides that there was a Society of Men, either Curators of the Temple of _Jupiter Belus_ (to whom the Temple before described perhaps was dedicated,) or Overseers of the Sports and Festivals that were celebrated in Honour of him; of which Sodality this _Septimius_ was, when this Inscription was made, a _Symposiarch_, perhaps their Chief and Governour. By this too we find they did not wait for the Deaths of those they thus honoured, before they provided for the Preservation of their Memories; but Famous Men were thus Registered for After-Ages even while they were alive. Upon one of these Pedestals before described, not far from the former, was the following Inscription; which I valued the more for the little remainder it has preserved of the Name of _Palmyra_, by which the Place was known to the _Romans_.

...ΥΠΙΛΙΟΝ ΟΥΟΡΩΔΗΝ [ΣΥΝΚΛ]ΗΤΙΚΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΒΟΥΛΕΥΤΗΝ ΠΑΛΜΥΡΗΝΟΝ ΒΗΛΑ ΚΑΒΟΣΑΡΣΑ ΤΟΝ ΦΙ[ΛΟΝ] ΤΕΙΜΗΣ ΧΑΡΙΝ ΕΤΟΥΣ Ο Φ.

[Sidenote: The Banquetting-House.]

The upper end of this spacious Piazza was shut in by a row of Pillars, standing somewhat closer than those on each side; and perhaps there might have been a kind of Banquetting-House above, but now no certain Footsteps thereof remain. But a little farther to the left Hand, and, it may be, continued with the former Walk, lie the Ruins of a very stately Building, which I am apt to believe might have been for such an use. 'Tis built of better Marble, and has an Air of Delicacy and Exquisiteness in the Work, beyond what is discernable in the Piazza. The Pillars which supported it are of one entire Stone; and on one of them that is fallen down, but so firm and strong that it has received no Injury thereby, we measured, and found 22 Foot in length, and in compass 8 Foot and 9 Inches. Among these Ruins we found the only _Latin_ Inscription we saw in the Place, and that so imperfect, there is but little of it Intelligible.

_......es Orbis & Propagatores Generis Humani D. D. N. N. _Diocletianus_ ............ssimi Impp. Et _Constantius_ & _Maximianus_ Nobb. Cæs. Castra feliciter condiderunt._

And upon the same Stone a little lower,

_........ntes _Ossiano Hieroclete_, V. P. Præs. Provinciæ D. N. M. O. Eorum._ The Name of _Maximianus Hercules_, who was Partner in the Empire with _Dioclesian_ which should have followed in the Inscription, seems to have been on purpose scratch'd out, and defaced, for what reason I cannot guess. The rest is lost by the breaking of the Stone.

[Sidenote: The Palace.]

In the West side of the great Piazza are several openings for Gates leading into the Court of the Palace: Two whereof, one would easily believe when they were in their Perfection, were the most Magnificent and Glorious in the World, both for the Elegancy of the Work in general, and particularly for those stately Porphyry Pillars with which they were adorned. Each Gate had four, not standing in a Line with the others of the Wall, but placed by couples in the Front of the Gate, facing the Palace, two on one Hand, and two on the other. Of these remain two entire, and but one standing in its place. They are about 30 Foot in length, and 9 in circumference; of a Substance so exceeding hard, that it was with great difficulty we broke off a few shivers to bring home with us for a pattern of the Stone, the Art of making which, I think is quite lost. We saw several other broken pieces of Porphyry, but neither of so accurate a Mixture and Composition, nor so large as the former. The hard Fate of one I could not but lament, when I saw it debased to support the corner of a little Hut, scarce good enough for a Dog-Kennel, or a Hogsty. The Palace it self is so entirely ruined, that no Judgment can be made what it was in its Ancient Splendor, either for the Figure or Workmanship thereof. There is only here and there a broken piece of a Wall remaining, beat into pieces by Violence, and consumed by Time to that degree, that without the help of Tradition we could hardly be well assured, that a Royal Palace did once fill that Space. We may guess however that it fronted the Famous Piazza before mentioned, and was surrounded with rows of Pillars of different Orders, many of which are still standing, some plain, and some wrought and channell'd, as those immediately encompassing the Temple. And upon those little Pedestals which stood out of the middle of some of them, I observed several Inscriptions, but could not conveniently take more than one, which together with the Pillar that supported it was fallen to the Ground. 'Twas this.

ΜΑΡΘΕΙΝ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΚΑΠΑΔΗΤΟΥ ΟΥΑΒΑΛΛΑΘΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΣΥΜΩΝΟΥ ΣΟΡΑΙΧΟΣ ΑΙΡΑΝΟΥ ΑΝΗΡ ΑΥΤΗΣ ΜΝΗΜΗΣ ΕΝΕΚΕΝ ΜΗΝΕΙ ΔΥΣΤΡΩ ΤΟΥ Ϟ Υ ΕΤΟΥΣ.

If the rest were of a like Nature with this, we have lost no great matter by not taking them, this being only a Memorial, which a kind Husband caused to be set up in Honour of his Wife. The Month _Dystrus_, answers our _March_, and the Year 490 from the Death of _Alexander_ the Great, the Year of our Lord 166.

I omitted to mention before, that under the long Walk runs a Current of hot Sulphureous Waters; and there is a Well and other Passages down to them. But whatever they may have been of old, they are not now so convenient as another about half a Mile Westward from hence; where there is a very good Descent into the Water, and it is still used by the People to Bath in. Near to which, upon the Pedestal of a broken Pillar, (or perhaps it might be an Altar) remains this following Inscription.