Geography and Cities of Aria and Margiana — Strabo, Geography Book 11 (11.10.1–11.10.2), Greek & English

§11.10.1

ἡ δʼ Ἀρία καὶ ἡ Μαργιανὴ κράτιστα χωρία ἐστὶ ταύτῃ, τῇ μὲν ὑπὸ τῶν ὀρῶν ἐγκλειόμενα τῇ δʼ ἐν πεδίοις τὰς οἰκήσεις ἔχοντα. τὰ μὲν οὖν ὄρη νέμονται σκηνῖταί τινες, τὰ δὲ πεδία ποταμοῖς διαρρεῖται ποτίζουσιν αὐτὰ τὰ μὲν τῷ Ἀρίῳ τὰ δὲ Μάργῳ. ὁμορεῖ δὲ ἡ Ἀρία τῇ Βακτριανῇ καὶ τὴν ὑποστᾶσαν ὄρει¹ τῷ ἔχοντι τὴν Βακτριανήν· διέχει δὲ τῆς Ὑρκανίας περὶ ἑξακισχιλίους σταδίους. συντελὴς δʼ ἦν αὐτῇ² καὶ ἡ Δραγγιανὴ μέχρι Καρμανίας, τὸ μὲν πλέον τοῖς νοτίοις μέρεσι τῶν ὀρῶν ὑποπεπτωκυῖα, ἔχουσα μέντοι τινὰ τῶν μερῶν καὶ τοῖς ἀρκτικοῖς πλησιάζοντα τοῖς κατὰ τὴν Ἀρίαν· καὶ ἡ Ἀραχωσία δὲ οὐ πολὺ ἄπωθέν ἐστι, καὶ αὕτη τοῖς νοτίοις μέρεσι τῶν ὀρῶν ὑποπεπτωκυῖα καὶ μέχρι τοῦ Ἰνδοῦ ποταμοῦ τεταμένη, μέρος οὖσα τῆς Ἀριανῆς. μῆκος δὲ τῆς Ἀρίας ὅσον δισχίλιοι στάδιοι, πλάτος δὲ τριακόσιοι τοῦ πεδίου· πόλεις δὲ Ἀρτακάηνα καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρεια καὶ Ἀχαΐα, ἐπώνυμοι τῶν κτισάντων. εὐοινεῖ δὲ σφόδρα ἡ γῆ· καὶ γὰρ εἰς τριγονίαν³ παραμένει ἐν ἀπιττώτοις ἄγγεσι.

Aria and Margiana are the best districts in this part of the world, being enclosed on one side by the mountains and having their dwellings in the plains on the other. Now the mountains are inhabited by certain tent-dwellers, while the plains are traversed by rivers which water them, some parts by the Arius and others by the Margus. Aria borders on Bactria and on the country that lies at the foot of the mountain which holds Bactria; and it is about six thousand stadia distant from Hyrcania. Drangiana was also under the same administration with Aria as far as Carmania, lying for the most part under the southern parts of the mountains, although it has some parts that approach the northern regions near Aria. Arachosia, too, is not far distant, and this also lies under the southern parts of the mountains and extends as far as the Indus River, being a part of Ariana. The length of Aria is about two thousand stadia, and the width of its plain is three hundred stadia. Its cities are Artacaena, Alexandria, and Achaea, named after their founders. The land produces excellent wine; for indeed, it keeps for three generations in unpitched vessels.

§11.10.2

παραπλησία δʼ ἐστὶ καὶ ἡ Μαργιανή, ἐρημίαις δὲ περιέχεται τὸ πεδίον. θαυμάσας δὲ τὴν εὐφυΐαν ὁ Σωτὴρ Ἀντίοχος τείχει περιέβαλε κύκλον ἔχοντι χιλίων καὶ πεντακοσίων σταδίων, πόλιν δὲ ἔκτισεν Ἀντιόχειαν. εὐάμπελος δὲ καὶ αὕτη ἡ γῆ· φασὶ γοῦν τὸν πυθμένα εὑρίσκεσθαι πολλάκις δυσὶν ἀνδράσι περιληπτόν, τὸν δὲ βότρυν δίπηχυν.

Margiana is very similar, but its plain is surrounded by deserts. Antiochus Soter, admiring its fertility, enclosed it with a wall fifteen hundred stadia in circumference, and founded the city of Antiochia. This land also is rich in vines; at any rate, they say that the trunk of the vine is often found to be as thick as two men can clasp, and the cluster of grapes is two cubits long.

Syntax notes3 items

11.10.1τὴν ὑποστᾶσαν ὄρει
While the verb ὁμορεῖ (borders on) normally governs the dative (as in τῇ Βακτριανῇ), here it is coordinated with the accusative phrase τὴν ὑποστᾶσαν (the country lying under). This is best understood as an accusative of specification or extent, defining the geographical area along which the border runs.
11.10.1συντελὴς δʼ ἦν αὐτῇ
The adjective συντελής (contributing together, paying tribute jointly) governs the dative αὐτῇ (referring to Aria), indicating that Drangiana belonged to the same financial or administrative district (satrapy) as Aria.
11.10.1εἰς τριγονίαν
The term τριγονία (three generations) is sometimes interpreted as "three years," but literally and etymologically (from τρεῖς and γονή) it means "three generations." This is an hyperbolic statement emphasizing the extraordinary quality of the local wine, which keeps for nearly a century even in unpitched vessels (ἀπιττώτοις ἄγγεσι).

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0099.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:11.10.1-11.10.2