Book 12
8.14
Now Phrygia Paroreia has a kind of mountainous ridge extending from the east towards the west; and below it on either side lies a large plain. And there are cities near it: towards the north, Philomelium, and, on the other side, the Antiocheia near Pisidia, as it is called, the former lying wholly in a plain, whereas the latter is on a hill and has a colony of Romans. The latter was settled by Magnetans who lived near the Maeander River. The Romans set them free from their kings at the time when they gave over to Eumenes190 B.C. Strabo refers to Eumenes II, king of Pergamum, who reigned 197-159 B.C. the rest of Asia this side the Taurus. Here there was also a priesthood of Men Arcaeus,“Arcaeus” appears to be an error for “Ascaeus” (see 12. 3. 31 and footnote on “Men Ascaeus”). which had a number of temple-slaves and sacred places, but the priesthood was destroyed after the death of Amyntas by those who were sent thither as his inheritors. Synnada is not a large city; but there lies in front of it a plain planted with olives, about sixty stadia in circuit.Or does Strabo mean sixty stadia in extent? And beyond it is Docimaea, a village, and also the quarry of “Synnadic” marble (so the Romans call it, though the natives call it “Docimite” or “Docimaean ). At first this quarry yielded only stones of small size, but on account of the present extravagance of the Romans great monolithic pillars are taken from it, which in their variety of colors are nearly like the alabastrite marble; so that, although the transportation of such heavy burdens to the sea is difficult, still, both pillars and slabs, remarkable for their size and beauty, are conveyed to Rome.
