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In Surrye, not fer fro the Ryvere Eufrate, is a Cytee that Holy highte and holy is in sothe, for it is of Iuno Assurien.Hierapolis, or better, in accordance with the coins, Hieropolis. It is N.W. of Aleppo, on the main road into Mesopotamia, 15 Roman miles from the crossing of the Euphrates, and by road about 116 Roman miles from Lucian’s birthplace, Samosata. Its Syrian name was Makog, (properly Manbog, i.e. “spring,” according to Baudissin, Studien, ii, 159), in Greek, Bambyce. 1t was dubbed Hieropolis in the time of Seleucus Nicator (Ael. V.H. 12, 2), but the old name persisted (Manbij; le Strange, Palestine under the Moslems, p 500) and still attaches to the ruins, on which see Hogarth, Annual of the British School at Athens, 1907-8, p. 186 sqq; Cumont, Beudes Syriennes, p. 22 sqq., p. 35 sgq. Lucian does not identify the city with “ancient Ninus,” as do Philostratus and Ammianus. Yit I wene that the cyteene hadde not this name atte firste, whan that it was founded, but of olden tyme it was other, and after,” whan here servys of the Goddesse wex gret, it was their chaunged to this. Touching this cytee I purpos me to seyn alle that is in it, and I schalle speke of the customes that thei folwen in here rytes, and the feste dayes that thei kepen, and the sacrifises that thei perfourmen. And I schalle reherce alle the tales that men tellen of hem that establisschede the holy place, and how that the temple was bylded. And I that write am Assurien,Confusion between Assyrian and Syrian is not peculiar to this piece nor to Lucian. It goes back to Herodotus, who says that “Syrian” is the Greek equivalent of the barbarian “Assyrian” (7,63; see Macan’s note, and cf. 140). and of that that I devyse you, some partie saughe I with mine owne eyen, and some partie I lerned be informacioun fro _ the prestes, that is to seyn, tho thynges that I descryve that weren beforn min owne tyme.
