Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 2.djvu/321

B. xii. c. in. 40, 41. PONTUS. 313 40. There remains to be described the country within the Halys, belonging to the province of Pontus, and situated about the Olgassys, 1 and contiguous to the Sinopic district. The Ol- gassys is a very lofty mountain, and difficult to be passed, The Paphlagonians have erected temples in every part of this mountain. The country around, the Blaene, and the Doma- nltis, through which the river Amnias 2 runs, is sufficiently fertile. Here it was that Mithridates Eupator entirely de- stroyed 3 the army of Nicomedes the Bithynian, not in person, for he himself happened to be absent, but by his generals. Nicomedes fled with a few followers, and escaped into his own country, and thence sailed to Italy. Mithridates pursued him, and made himself master of Bithynia as soon as he entered it, and obtained possession of Asia as far as Caria and Lycia. Here is situated Pompeiopolis, 4 in which city is the San- daracurgium, 5 (or Sandaraca works,) it is not far distant from Pimolisa, a royal fortress in ruins, from which the coun- try on each side of the river is called Pimolisene. The San- daracurgium is a mountain hollowed out by large trenches made by workmen in the process of mining. The work is al- ways carried on at the public charge, and slaves were em- ployed in the mine who had been sold on account of their crimes. Besides the great labour of the employment, the air is said to be destructive of life, and scarcely endurable in consequence of the strong odour issuing from the masses of mineral ; hence the slaves are short-lived. The mining is frequently suspended from its becoming unprofitable, for great expense is incurred by the employment of more than two hundred workmen, whose number is continually diminishing by disease and fatal ac- cidents. So much respecting Pontus. 41. Next to Pompeiopolis is the remainder of the inland parts of Paphlagonia as far as Bithynia towards the west. This tract, although small in extent, was governed, a little be- fore our time, by several princes, but their race is extinct ; at present it is in possession of the Romans. The parts border- ing upon Bithynia are called Timonitis ; the country of Geza- i Alkas-Dagh. 8 Gok-Irmak, or Kostambul Tschai, flowing between the mountain idges. Jeralagoz-Dagh and Sarikawak-Daprh. 3 B.C. 88. * Tasch-Kopri. " 5 Pliny, xxxiv. c. 18.