Artemita was a large town in Mesopotamia, according to Pliny the
naturalist; but Strabo, more correctly, places it in Babylonia, five
hundred stadia east of Seleucia, on the banks of the lake Arsissa, now
called Argish.
Though Chosroes was undoubtedly sovereign of Ctesiphon and built the
splendid palace, of which the remains are visible; he did not approach
the gates of that city for nearly four-and-twenty years. His favourite
residence was Dustegerd (Artemita), situate on the Tigris, not less than
sixty miles north of Ctesiphon; and here, since the length of his
residence at Ctesiphon has not been clearly ascertained, and with a view
of giving the reader some idea with respect to the power and splendour
of this prince, we will cite the description that has been given of the
wealth and magnificence for which his name has been rendered remarkable
to all posterity. "The adjacent pastures were covered with flocks and
herds; the paradise or park was replenished with pheasants, peacocks,
ostriches, roebucks, and wild boars; and the noble game of lions and
tigers were sometimes turned loose for the bolder pleasures of the
chase. Nine hundred and sixty elephants were maintained for the use and
splendour of the great king; his tents and baggage were carried into the
field by twelve thousand great camels and eight thousand of a smaller
size; and the royal stables were filled with six thousand mules and
horses, among which the names of Shebdiz and Barid were renowned for
their speed and beauty." The treasure, which consisted of gold, silver,
gems, silk, and aromatics, were deposited in one hundred subterranean
vaults; and his palace walls are described as having been hung with
thirty thousand rich hangings, and thousands of globes of gold were
suspended in the dome to imitate the planets and constellations of the
firmament. When this palace was sacked by Heraclius, the conqueror found
in it, as we are informed by Cedrenus, sugar, ginger, pepper, silk robes
woven, and embroidered carpets; aloes, aloes-wood, mataxa, silk, thread,
muslins, muslin garments without number, and a vast weight of gold
bullion.
Dustegerd stood upon the spot where now are seen the vast ruins of
Kesra-Shirene. These have been described by Sir R. Ker Porter. "We are
told, that the city of Dustegerd was the most stationary residence of
Khosroo Purviz, and that it contained his most superb palace, treasury,
and public buildings. There he passed his winters, with the beautiful
object of his idolatry[46]; and thence he flew with her from the
conquering arms of the emperor Heraclius. We entered upon a chain of
hills, amongst which our road led in the most circuitous and intricate
mazes I had ever trod; heights and depths, ravines, dry or water
courses, rugged promontories, short stony plains, in short, every
species of mountain difficulties, diversified our path for full fifteen
miles, till we arrived at a once formidable barrier, not far from which
we caught a view of the meandering river Zohaub. All along the alpine
bridge we mounted, runs a massy wall of large hewn stone, which, in many
places, like a curtain, closes the openings left by nature in the rocky
bulwarks of the country. It had evidently been intended for a defence
against any hostile approach from the eastward, and, on passing it, we
went through what had formed one of its gates."
Journeying on a mile or two further, the traveller came to a second
wall, still higher and stronger, and from that ran a third wall, which
partly enclosed a large angular space. On various spots lay large stones
of a great length, and hollowed in the middle, as if they were the
remains of some ancient covered channel to convey water. This is still
called the aqueduct of Khosroo Purviz; and the natives told Sir Robert,
that it was one of the works constructed by that prince to win the
smiles of his beloved Shirene.
Numerous fragments and continuations of the great rampart wall tracked
their way, till they came to the ruins of another wall, the position and
extent of which seemed to declare it to have been one side of the
battlements of some large and ancient city. This they were informed was
Kesra-Shirene.
They passed under a gateway of simple construction, formed of hewn
stones, twelve feet high and about six in thickness. The wall ran to a
considerable distance, then disappeared, and then started up in massy
fragments; the whole seeming to have formerly enclosed an area of
several miles, and likely to have been occupied by the streets, courts,
and public buildings of a very noble city. "The first ruined edifice we
approached," continues Sir Robert, "was built of stone, and consists of
long ranges of vaulted rooms, nearly choked up with the fallen masses of
what may have been its magnificent superstructures. A little onward, we
came to the remains of some place of great magnitude. It is a square
building of nearly a hundred feet along each side; four entrances have
led into the interior, and the arches of these portals, which are
falling to the last stage of decay, cannot be less than from thirty to
forty feet in height. The walls are of equal elevation, and of a more
than ordinary thickness for any structure to stand the brunt of war,
being twelve feet in solidity. The interior of the place, which seems to
have been one enormous chamber or hall, is covered with lime, stones,
and other fragments of masonry. No remnant of any sculptural ornaments
or inscription was to be seen. At the southern angle of the great arch
within the city walls, on a commanding rise of ground, stands a ruin of
a stronger character; the massiveness and form of the work proving it to
be the remains of a fortress. The building is of stone and brick; the
latter being of a large square surface, but not very thick. Various
lofty arched chambers, as well as deep subterraneous dungeons, compose
this noble ruin. In ranging over the rest of the ground, contained
within the circuit of the great interior walls, we found it covered with
every indication that there had once stood the busy streets of a great
and populous city[47].