After these successful operations we reached a fortress called Thilutha, situated in the middle of the river, a place rising in a lofty peak and fortified by nature’s power as if by the hand of man. Since the difficulty and the height of the place made it impregnable, an attempt was made with friendly words (as was fitting) to induce the inhabitants to surrender; but they insisted that such defection then would be untimely. But they went so far as to reply, that as soon as the Romans by further advance had got possession of the interior, they also would go over to the victors, as appendages of the kingdom.

After this, as our ships went by under their very walls, they looked on in respectful silence without making any move. After passing this place we came to another fortress, Achaiachala by name, also protected by the encircling river, and difficult of ascent; there too we received a similar refusal and went on. The next day another castle, which because of the weakness of its walls had been abandoned, was burned in passing.

Then during the following two days we covered 200 stadia and arrived at a place called Baraxmalcha. From there we crossed the river and entered the city of Diacira,In Ptolemy, Idikara; to-day, Hit; known to Hdt. (i. 179). seven miles distant. This place was without inhabitants, but rich in grain and fine white salt; there we saw a temple, standing on a lofty citadel. After burning the city, and killing a few women whom we found, we passed over a spring bubbling with bitumen and took possession of the town of Ozogardana, which the inhabitants had likewise deserted through fear of the approaching army. Here a tribunal of the emperor Trajan was to be seen.Perhaps a memorial to the dead emperor (cf. Tac., ii. 83, where the meaning is uncertain); here perhaps the reference is to a structure built by Trajan while alive.

After burning this city also, and taking two days’ rest, towards the end of the night which followed the second day, the Surena,An official title, something like grand vizier. who among the Persians has won the highest rank after the king, and the Malechus,Also an official title; the Saracens were divided into twelve phylae, or tribes, each presided over by a phylarch, or malechus; an emir. Podosaces by name, phylarch of the Assanitic Saracens, a notorious brigand, who with every kind of cruelty had long raided our territories,For limites, in this sense, see xxiii. 6, 55, above. laid an ambuscade for Ormizda, who, as they had learned (one knew not from what source), was on the point of setting out to reconnoitre. But their attempt failed, because the river at that point is narrow and very deep, and hence could not be forded.

At daybreak the enemy were already in sight, and we then saw them for the first time in their gleaming helmets and bristling with stiff coats of mail; but our soldiers rushed to battle at quick step, and fell upon them most valiantly. And although the bows were bent with strong hand and the flashing gleam of steel added to the fear of the Romans, yet anger whetted their valour, and covered with a close array of shields they pressed the enemy so hard that they could not use their bows.

Inspired by these first-fruits of victory, our soldiers came to the village of Macepracta, where the half-destroyed traces of wallsXenophon saw these walls, which enclose a canal ( i. 7, 16 f.). were seen; these in early times had a wide extent, it was said, and protected Assyria from hostile inroads.

Here a part of the river is drawn off by large canals which take the water into the interior parts of Babylonia, for the use of the fields and the neighbouring cities; another part, NaarmalchaCf. xxiii. 6, 25. by name, which being interpreted means the kings’ river, flows past Ctesiphon. Where it begins, a tower of considerable height rises, like the Pharos.That is, it is a lighthouse; the Pharos at Alexandria (see xxii. 16, 9) became a general term for such structures. Over this arm of the river all the infantry crossed on carefully constructed bridges.

But the cavalry with the pack-animals swam across in full armour where a bend in the river made it less deep and rapid; some of them were carried off by the current and drowned, others were assailed by the enemy with a sudden shower of arrows; but a troop of auxiliaries, very lightly equipped for running, sallied forth, followed hard on the backs of the flying foe, and like so many birds of prey, struck them down.