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Herodotus · Histories §3.91.1-3.91.4

Tributes of the Fifth to Eighth Satrapies

Passage 495 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

This section describes the boundaries and tribute amounts of the fifth (Syria-Palestine), sixth (Egypt), seventh (Sattagydians, etc.), and eighth (Susa) provinces of the Persian Empire.

§3.91.1ἀπὸ δὲ Ποσιδηίου πόλιος, τὴν Ἀμφίλοχος ὁ Ἀμφιάρεω οἴκισε ἐπʼ οὔροισι τοῖσι Κιλίκων τε καὶ Σύρων, ἀρξάμενος ἀπὸ ταύτης μέχρι Αἰγύπτου, πλὴν μοίρης τῆς Ἀραβίων (ταῦτα γὰρ ἦν ἀτελέα), πεντήκοντα καὶ τριηκόσια τάλαντα φόρος ἦν.
From the city of Posideium, which Amphilochus, son of Amphiaraus, founded on the borders of the Cilicians and the Syrians, starting from this city as far as Egypt, except for the territory of the Arabians (for these were exempt from tax), the tribute was three hundred and fifty talents.
ἔστι δὲ ἐν τῷ νομῷ τούτῳ Φοινίκη τε πᾶσα καὶ Συρίη ἡ Παλαιστίνη καλεομένη καὶ Κύπρος· νομὸς πέμπτος οὗτος.
In this province are all Phoenicia, the Syria called Palestine, and Cyprus; this was the fifth province.
§3.91.2ἀπʼ Αἰγύπτου δὲ καὶ Λιβύων τῶν προσεχέων Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ Κυρήνης τε καὶ Βάρκης (ἐς γὰρ τὸν Αἰγύπτιον νομὸν αὗται ἐκεκοσμέατο) ἑπτακόσια προσήιε τάλαντα, πάρεξ τοῦ ἐκ τῆς Μοίριος λίμνης γινομένου ἀργυρίου, τὸ ἐγίνετο ἐκ τῶν ἰχθύων· §3.91.3τούτου τε δὴ χωρὶς τοῦ ἀργυρίου καὶ τοῦ σίτου προσήιε ἑπτακόσια τάλαντα· σίτου γὰρ δύο καὶ δέκα μυριάδας Περσέων τε τοῖσι ἐν τῷ Λευκῷ τείχεϊ τῷ ἐν Μέμφι κατοικημένοισι καταμετρέουσι καὶ τοῖσι τούτων ἐπικούροισι.
From Egypt and the Libyans adjacent to Egypt, and Cyrene and Barce (for these latter were annexed to the Egyptian province), there came in seven hundred talents, besides the money coming from Lake Moeris, which was derived from the fish; apart from this money and the corn, there came in seven hundred talents; for they measure out one hundred and twenty thousand medimnoi of corn for the Persians quartered in the White Wall at Memphis and for their mercenaries.
νομὸς ἕκτος οὗτος.
This was the sixth province.
§3.91.4Σατταγύδαι δὲ καὶ Γανδάριοι καὶ Δαδίκαι τε καὶ Ἀπαρύται ἐς τὠυτὸ τεταγμένοι ἑβδομήκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν τάλαντα προσέφερον· νομὸς δὲ οὗτος ἕβδομος.
The Sattagydians, Gandarians, Dadicae, and Aparytae, being assessed together, paid one hundred and seventy talents; this was the seventh province.
ἀπὸ Σούσων δὲ καὶ τῆς ἄλλης Κισσίων χώρης τριηκόσια· νομὸς ὄγδοος οὗτος.
And from Susa and the rest of the Cissian country, three hundred talents; this was the eighth province.

Notes

  1. §3.91.1ἀρξάμενος — Nominative masculine singular participle. Although there is no explicit grammatical subject (referring to Darius or an indefinite administrative organizer), it is used idiomatically as an adverbial phrase meaning 'starting from...'.
  2. §3.91.1ταῦτα γὰρ ἦν ἀτελέα — The feminine singular `μοίρης` (part) is referred to by the neuter plural pronoun `ταῦτα`. This constructio ad sensum (synesis) refers vaguely to the Arabian territories or their conditions as a whole.
  3. §3.91.2ἐκεκοσμέατο — Third-person plural pluperfect passive in the Ionic dialect (equivalent to Attic ἐκεκόσμηντο). The subject is the feminine plural demonstrative pronoun `αὗται` (referring to Cyrene and Barce), which agrees in number with the verb.
  4. §3.91.3τούτου τε δὴ χωρὶς τοῦ ἀργυρίου καὶ τοῦ σίτου — The prepositional adverb `χωρίς` governs both genitives: `τούτου τοῦ ἀργυρίου` (this money) and `τοῦ σίτου` (the corn). It means 'apart from this money and the corn, [another] seven hundred talents came in.'

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §3.91.1-3.91.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:3.91.1-3.91.4

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