There is little rain in Assyria. This nourishes the roots of the grain; but it is
irrigation from the river that ripens the crop and brings the grain to
fullness. In Egypt [30,27]
(nation), Africa Egypt, the river itself rises and floods the fields; in Assyria, they are watered by hand and by swinging beams.That is, by the “shadoof,” a familiar object to
travellers on the Nahr an- Nil
[31.1,30.166] (river), AfricaNile; a lever with a bucket attached, revolving on a post.
For the whole land of Babylon
[44.4,32.55] (deserted settlement), Babil, Iraq, AsiaBabylon, like Egypt [30,27]
(nation), Africa Egypt, is cut across by canals. The greatest of these is navigable: it
runs towards where the sun rises in winter, from the Euphrates [47.5,31.83] (river), AsiaEuphrates to another river, the Tigris [47.416,31] (river), AsiaTigris, on which stood the city of Nineveh (deserted settlement), Ninawa, Iraq, Asia Ninus. This land is by far the most fertile in grain which we know.
It does not even try to bear trees, fig, vine, or olive, but Demeter's grain is so abundant there that it yields
for the most part two hundred fold, and even three hundred fold when the
harvest is best. The blades of the wheat and barley there are easily four
fingers broad;
and for millet and sesame, I will not say to what height they grow, though
it is known to me; for I am well aware that even what I have said regarding
grain is wholly disbelieved by those who have never visited Babylonia (region (general)), Iraq,
Asia Babylonia. They use no oil except what they make from sesame.Sesame-oil or “Benre-oil” is still in common
use in the East. There are palm trees there growing all over the
plain, most of them yielding fruit, from which food is made and wine and
honey.