Book 12
3.12
Thence, next, one comes to the outlet of the Halys River. It was named from the “halae,”“salt-works.” past which it flows. It has its sources in Greater Cappadocia in Camisene near the Pontic country;i.e., “Pontus” (see 12. 1. 4). and, flowing in great volume towards the west, and then turning towards the north through Galatia and Paphlagonia, it forms the boundary between these two countries and the country of the White Syrians.i.e., Cappadocians (see 12. 3. 9). Both Sinopitis and all the mountainous country extending as far as Bithynia and lying above the aforesaid seaboard have shipbuilding timber that is excellent and easy to transport. Sinopitis produces also the maple and the mountain-nut, the trees from which they cut the wood used for tables. And the whole of the tilled country situated a little above the sea is planted with olive trees.
3.13
After the outlet of the Halys comes Gazelonitis, which extends to Saramene; it is a fertile country and is everywhere level and productive of everything. It has also a sheep-industry, that of raising flocks clothed in skins and yielding soft wool,See Vol. II, p. 241, and footnote 13. of which there is a very great scarcity throughout the whole of Cappadocia and Pontus. The country also produces gazelles, of which there is a scarcity elsewhere. One part of this country is occupied by the Amiseni, but the other was given to Deïotarus by Pompey, as also the regions of Pharnacia and Trapezusia as far as Colchis and Lesser Armenia. Pompey appointed him king of all these, when he was already in possession of his ancestral Galatian tetrarchy,See 12. 5. 1. the country of the Tolistobogii. But since his death there have been many successors to his territories.
