Geography

​For those who cross the Mesogis, which lies between the Carians and the territory of Nysa—which is the region on the far side of the Maeander as far as Cibyratis and Cabalis—there are cities: near the Mesogis, directly opposite Laodiceia, is Hierapolis, where are the hot waters and the Plutonion, both having a sort of miraculous nature. For the water so easily solidifies and changes into tufa that by leading it through channels they construct monolithic barriers; and the Plutonion is a moderate opening under a small brow of the overhanging mountainous country, capable of receiving a man, but reaching to a great depth. In front of it is a square railing, about half a plethron in circumference; this is full of a misty, thick gloom, so that one can hardly see the ground. Now, for those who approach the railing around it, the air is harmless, being free from that gloom in calm weather, for the gloom remains inside the enclosure; but for any animal that enters inside, death meets it instantly. Bulls, at any rate, when led in, fall and are dragged out dead, and we ourselves sent in sparrows and they fell immediately, having breathed their last. But the castrated Galli pass in without harm, so as even to approach the opening, lean over, and dive down to a certain depth, holding their breath for the most part; for we could see from their appearance a sort of indication of a suffocating condition, whether this happens to all who are thus mutilated, or only to those associated with the temple, and whether it occurs by divine providence, as is likely in cases of divine possession, or by certain antidotes. They say that this petrifying quality also occurs in the rivers at Laodiceia, even though they are drinkable. The water of Hierapolis is also wonderfully suited for the dyeing of wool, so that things dyed with the roots rival those dyed with coccus or with purple; and the abundance of water is so great that the city is full of natural baths.

​After Hierapolis are the parts on the far side of the Maeander. The region around Laodiceia, Aphrodisias, and as far as Carura has already been described; the parts next in order are, to the west, the city of the Antiocheians on the Maeander, which is already in Caria; and to the south, Cibyra the Great, Sinda, and Cabalis as far as the Taurus and Lycia. Antioch is a city of moderate size, situated on the Maeander itself on the side towards Phrygia, and a bridge has been built over it; it has much land on either side of the river, all of it fertile, and it produces in greatest abundance the so-called Antiochian dried fig, which they also call ‘triple-leaved’; and this place too is subject to earthquakes. Among them arose Diotrephes, a famous sophist, whose lectures Hybreas attended, who became the greatest orator of our time.

​They say that the Cabaleis are Solymi; at any rate, the hill overhanging the citadel of the Termessians is called Solymus, and the Termessians themselves are called Solymi. Nearby is also the rampart of Bellerophon and the tomb of his son Peisandros, who fell in the battle against the Solymi. These things agree also with what is said by the poet; for about Bellerophon he speaks thus: ‘Secondly, again, he fought with the glorious Solymi.’ And about his son: ‘And his son Peisandros was slain by Ares, insatiable of war, as he fought with the Solymi.’ Termessus is a Pisidian city situated most directly and closely above Cibyra.

​The Cibyratae are said to be descendants of the Lydians who occupied Cabalis; and later, when the neighboring Pisidians settled there and relocated them to another place, which was very well fortified, about a hundred stadia in circumference. It grew because of its good laws, and its villages extended from Pisidia and the neighboring Milyas as far as Lycia and the Peraea of the Rhodians. When three neighboring cities, Bubon, Balbura, and Oenoanda, were added, the union was called Tetrapolis, each having one vote, but Cibyra having two; for the latter could send out thirty thousand infantry and two thousand cavalry. It was always ruled by tyrants, but nevertheless moderately; the tyranny ended under Moagetes, when Murena dissolved it and annexed Balbura and Bubon to the Lycians. Nonetheless, the Cibyratic district is reckoned among the greatest jurisdictions of Asia. The Cibyratae used four languages: the Pisidian, the Solymian, the Greek, and the Lydian; but of the Lydian, not even a trace remains in Lydia. A peculiar feature in Cibyra is that iron is easily chased. Milyas is the mountainous region extending from the passes near Termessus and the passage through them into the interior of the Taurus, as far as Isinda, and reaching to Sagalassus and the territory of the Apameians.