'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎72] (119/905)

72
THE ANTI-TAURUS OF STRABO. [CHAP. IV.
Armenians, with some of the Cappadocians, Cilicians, and
Pisidians. 1 It also comprised the gently sloping hills, the
plains, and extensive valleys of Media and Armenia; two
kingdoms lying between the different branches of the
Taurus. 8
Ridges of the In this account the name is applied to the mountain ridges
IZ t ^ L which bound the whole region; but, from the following de
scription, it is evident that the southern branches constitute
what was, properly, called the Taurus, and those to the north
the Anti-Taurus. Beyond the Euphrates, says Strabo, the
great mountain Anti-Taurus extends, from the borders of
Commagene and Melitene, towards the north, inclosing
Sophene in a valley between it and Taurus Proper: it sepa
rates into several branches, and to the north of the Niphates
is the range called Paryadres, with the mountains of the
Moschi. Some of the branches extend into Armenia, 4 and
as far as Iberia and Albania; and, towards the east, others
proceed along the Caspian Sea as far as Media and Atropatia.
Towards the south, the Taurus divides Sophene and part of
Armenia from Mesopotamia: 5 this part of the chain is
by some called the Gordisei, and to it belongs Mount
Masius, which has, on the south, the cities of Nisibis and
Tigranocerta. Afterwards the mountains become more
elevated, and join the Zagros, which divides Media from
Babylonia.
Southward of the point where the Assyrian mountains
join the Zagros, the latter, under the name of the Shahu,
or Mountains of the Cosssei, continues to run in the previous
direction of S.S.E. into Persian Kurdistan, passing a little
Geological way westward of Kirman-shah. The range is chiefly com-
KurdSTri^ the P ose d of limestone and sandstone, with clay, slate, dialidge,
mountains. quartz, and conglomerate, and occasionally granite. This
elevated chain has a brown, bleak, and irregularly serrated
as it runs westward, presenting its right flank to the north, and the left to the
south.—Lib. V., cap. xxvii.
1 Strabo, XL, p. 491. 2 Ibid., p. 522.
8 Ibid., p. 527. 4 Ibid., p. 521,
6 Ibid., p. 522.