Geography

​While these parts are thus situated, the first part is inhabited, on the northern side and towards the Ocean, by certain nomadic Scythians and wagon-dwellers, and further inland than these by the Sarmatians, who are also Scythians, and by the Aorsi and Siraci, extending southward as far as the Caucasian mountains, some being nomads and others tent-dwellers and farmers; and around the lake live the Maeotae. On the sea near the Bosporus are the parts belonging to Asia, and the Sindic region; and after this come the Achaeans, Zygi, Heniochi, Cercetae, and Macropogones. Above these lie the narrows of the Phtheirophages; and after the Heniochi is Colchis, situated under the Caucasian and the Moschian mountains. Since the river Tanais is assumed as the boundary between Europe and Asia, we shall begin from here and describe the details of each part.

​Now the Tanais flows from the northern parts, not indeed running in a diametrically opposite direction to the Nile, as many think, but more to the east of it, having, like that river, its sources unknown. But while the Nile has a large portion of its course visible and running through an easily accessible country, with long voyages up it, of the Tanais we know only the outlets (which are two, emptying into the northernmost parts of Lake Maeotis, sixty stadia distant from one another); but of the region above the outlets only a small part is known, on account of the cold and the poverty of the country, which the natives indeed can endure, living nomadically on meat and milk, but foreigners cannot bear. Besides, the nomads, being difficult to associate with and superior in numbers and force, have blocked off whatever parts of the country are passable, or whatever voyages up the river it happens to afford. For this reason, some have supposed that it has its sources in the Caucasian mountains, and after flowing a long distance towards the north, then turns and empties into Lake Maeotis (and with these Theophanes of Mitylene agrees); while others say it flows from the upper parts of the Ister. But they bring forward no proof of its flowing from such a distance and from other climates, as if it were not possible for it to flow both from near at hand and from the north.

​On the river and the lake is situated a city of the same name, Tanais, a foundation of the Greeks who held the Bosporus. Recently, indeed, King Polemon devastated it because it was disobedient; but it was a common emporium both of the Asiatic and the European nomads, and of those who sailed the lake from the Bosporus, the former bringing slaves, hides, and whatever other nomadic products, and the latter bringing in return clothing, wine, and all other things belonging to civilized life. In front of the emporium, at a distance of one hundred stadia, lies the island of Alopecia, a settlement of mixed people; and there are also other small islands nearby in the lake. The Tanais is distant from the mouth of Lake Maeotis, for those sailing straight to the north, twenty-two hundred stadia, and not much more for those sailing along the coast.

​In the coastal voyage, first as one goes from the Tanais, at a distance of eight hundred stadia, is the so-called Great Rhombites, in which is the greatest catch of fish for curing; then, at another eight hundred stadia, is the Lesser Rhombites, which itself has a cape and smaller fisheries; the former have islands as bases, while in the Lesser Rhombites the Maeotae themselves are the workers. For the Maeotae inhabit this entire coastal route, being farmers, but no less warriors than the nomads. They are divided into several tribes, those near the Tanais being wilder, and those bordering on the Bosporus being more tractable. From the Lesser Rhombites it is six hundred stadia to Tyrambe and the river Anticeites; then one hundred and twenty to the Cimmerian village, which is a starting point for those who sail the lake; and in this coastal voyage some watchtowers of the Clazomenians are also said to exist.