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.
ΔΙΙ ΥΨΙΣΤΩ ΜΕΓΙΣΤΩ ΚΑΙ ΕΠΗΚΟΩ ΒΩΛΑΝΟΣ ΖΗΝΟΒΙΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΑΙΡΑΝΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΜΟΚΙΜΟΥ
ΤΟΥ ΜΑΘΘΑ ΕΠΙ ΜΕΛΕΤΗ ΣΟΗ ΑΙΡΕΘΕΙΣ _ΕΦΚΑΣ_ ΠΗΓΗΣ ΥΠΟ ΙΑΡΙΒΩΛΟΥ ΘΕΟΥ ΤΟΝ
ΒΩ [forsan ΒΩΜΟΝ] ΕΞ ΙΔΙΩΝ ΑΝΕΘΗΚΕΝ ΕΤΟΥΣ Δ Ο Υ ΜΗΝΟΣ YΠΕΡΒΕΡΕΤΑΙΟΥ Κ.
I am pretty confident that the Word I have mark'd with a Line under
it, is rightly taken, and therefore know not what to guess it to be,
unless the proper Name of the Fountain. And upon that Supposition the
Inscription is easily Intelligible, shewing that _Bolanus_, Son of
_Zenobius_, &c. being elected Overseer or Curator of this Fountain,
under _Jaribolus_, built this Altar to _Jupiter_, in the Year of
_Alexander_ 474. _i. e._ of our Lord 150. and on the 20_th_ of
_October_, if the last _Kappa_ be a Numeral, as I suppose it must. But
who this _Jaribolus_ was, on whom they bestow, as generally upon the
_Roman_ Emperors, whose Names occur in the Inscriptions, the Title of
ΘΕΟΣ, is not so facile a Conjecture. They were under the _Parthians_,
before the _Romans_ fell in amongst them; but the Date shews this to
be after the time of _Hadrian_, and so after their coming. Nay, and in
an Inscription before mentioned, which is of a later Date than this by
88 Years, we have the Name of the same Person. Hot Sulphureous Baths
are things very frequent in this Country; and thence it was that it
obtained the Name of _Syria Salutifera_. The scent of the Waters here
is much like those of _Bath_ in _England_, but not so strong, neither
is the Taste so offensive. On the contrary, when they have run so far
from the Fountain, as to become cold, they are very potable, and are
the only Waters the Inhabitants use. But we, during our stay there,
sent to a Fountain of very excellent Water, about an hour distant from
the City.
[Sidenote: The little Temple.]
On the East side likewise of the long Piazza stands, if I may use such
an Expression, a Wood of Marble Pillars, some perfect, and others
deprived of their beautiful Capitals; but so scattered and confused,
that it is not possible to reduce them into any Order, so as to
conjecture to what they anciently served. In one place are Eleven
together in Square after this manner
. . . .
. .
. .
. . .
paved at the bottom with broad flat Stone, but without any Roof or
Covering. And at a little distance from that stands the Ruins of
a small Temple, which by the remains seems to have been for the
Workmanship very curious: But the Roof is wholly gone, and the Walls
very much defaced and consumed with Time. Before the Entrance which
looks to the South, is a Piazza supported by six Pillars, two on one
Hand of the Door, and two on the other, and at each end one. And the
Pedestals of those in the Front have been filled with Inscriptions,
both in _Greek_ and the other Language; but they are now so obliterated
and worn out, as not to be Intelligible. The most perfect was this that
follows.
ΜΑΛΕΝΤΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΓΡΙΠΠΑΝ ΙΑΡΑΙΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΡΑΑΙΟΥ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΕΑ ΓΕΝΟΜΕΝΟΝ ΤΟ
ΔΕΥΤΕΡΟΝ ΕΠΙΔΗΜΙ[Α] ΘΕΟΥ ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟΥ ΑΛΙΜΜΑ ΠΑΡΑΣΧΟΤΑ ΞΕΝΟΙΣ ΤΕ, ΚΑΙ
ΠΟΛΕΙΤΑ[ΙΣ]...... And a little below were these straggling Letters
visible.
ΕΝΗ....Ν ΥΠΗΡΕΤΗΣΑΝΤΑ ΤΗΤ.... ΣΤΡΑΤΕΥΜΑ ΤΟΥ ... ΥΠΟ....ΗΚΑΙ.....ΤΟΝ
ΝΑΟΝ ΤΟΝ....ΔΙΟΣ....ΝΤΩΤ......
I should have imagined the ΚΑΙ to have been a Copulative, and
the second Name _Agrippa_ distinct from the former, but that the
Words following in the Singular Number, will not admit of such a
Construction. The Person then in Memory of whom this Inscription was
made, must have been named _Malentus Cæagrippa_, who bearing such
an Office as Scribe, or the like, in the Expedition of _Adrian_ the
Emperor, performed an Act of Publick Benificence and Generosity, both
to Strangers and Citizens, denoted by the Word[16] ΑΛΙΜΜΑ, or ἄλειμμα,
which signifies Unction. Perhaps he distributed amongst them Sweet
Oyls, to be used in or after their Bathings. 'Tis pity what follows is
so imperfect; and especially that we cannot find out the Date: For that
might have directed us to the precise time of _Hadrian_'s Expedition
into these Oriental Parts, where he made great Conquests, and enlarged
the Bounds of the _Roman_ Empire.
[Sidenote: The Sepulchers.]
But as great a Curiosity as any were their Sepulchers, being Square
Towers, four or five Stories high, and standing on both sides of a
hollow way, towards the North part of the City. They stretch out in
length the space of a Mile, and perhaps formerly might extend a great
way further. At our first view of them, as we entred the place, we
could not conjecture what they were; some thought them the Steeples
of ruined Churches, and were in hopes we should have found some
footsteps of Christianity here. Others took them to have been Bastions,
and part of the Old Fortifications, tho' there is not so much as any
Foundation of a Wall to be seen. But when we came a Day or two after,
more curiously to enquire into them, we quickly found their use. They
were all of the same Form, but of different Splendor and Greatness,
according to the Circumstances of their Founders. The first we viewed
was entirely Marble; but is now wholly in Ruins, and nothing but a heap
of broken Stones, among which we found the pieces of two Statues, one
of a Man, and another of a Woman, cut in a sitting, or rather leaning
posture; and the Heads and part of the Arms of both being broken off,
but their Bodies remaining pretty entire; so that we had the Advantage
of seeing their Habits, which appeared very Noble, but more approaching
the _European_ Fashion, than what is now in use in the East; which
inclined me to believe they might be _Romans_. Upon broken pieces of
Stone tumbled here and there, we found some as broken Inscriptions, but
not affording any perfect Sense, they are not worth the Transcribing.