Histories

And Babylon [44.4,32.55] (deserted settlement), Babil, Iraq, AsiaBabylon, then for the first time, was taken in this way. I shall show how great the power of Babylon [44.4,32.55] (deserted settlement), Babil, Iraq, AsiaBabylon is by many other means, but particularly by this. All the land that the great King rules is parcelled out to provision him and his army, and pays tribute besides: now the territory of Babylon [44.4,32.55] (deserted settlement), Babil, Iraq, AsiaBabylon feeds him for four of the twelve months in the year, the whole of the rest of Asia (continent)Asia providing for the other eight.

Thus the wealth of Assyria is one third of the entire wealth of Asia (continent)Asia. The governorship of this land, which the Persians call “satrapy,” is by far the most powerful of all the governorships, since the daily income of Tritantaechmes son of Artabazus, who governed this province by the king's will, was an artaba full of silver