'Narrative of a Residence in Koordistan, and on the Site of Ancient Nineveh; with Journal of a Voyage down the Tigris to Bagdad and an Account of a Visit to Shirauz and Persepolis.' [‎153] (188/450)

CH. XVIII.] GREAT EXTENT OF RUINS.
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covered with pieces of brick, of Sassanian, not As
syrian or BabyJonian texture and dimensions. In
addition to the other fragments usually found, were
pieces of glass or vitrified substance, of green and
amethyst colours, in crystals or incrustations. At
the distance of half a mile were some walls and
ramparts, which I immediately set off to examine,
though I was much exhausted by the south-easterly
wind, and had hurt my foot considerably. I dis
covered an inclosure of unburnt brick walls and
little towers, which I saw at once to be Sassanian.
The area was not very full of rubbish; not so much
so as towards the river. I remarked the inner-work
just as at Ctesiphon and Dastagherda; in short, there
can be no doubt of its Sassanian character. The
mounds of ruins outside :ire continued to a consider
able extent south-east along what appears clearly to
have been the former bed of the river. 1 did not
see any reeds among the building. Aga Seyd, my
Persian secretary, told me he had on a former occa
sion gone round the inclosure in one hour on horse
back. I asked the name of the place, and the 'Arabs
who were standing about immediately answered,
Gadesia, which I found to be Kadesia * ; and here
* The battle of Kadesia, which put an end to the Persian
empire, was fought in the fifteenth year of the Hojira, under the
Cfiliplmt of Omar, by the Arab General Saad, against Rustum, the
Commander-in-Chief of the Perian army, in the reign of Yezdigerd,
die last of the Sassanian race. The battle lasted three days, at the
end of which the Arabs were victorious and the Persian monarchy