is rich and varied in
quality; the vegetable productions are abundant; and the mountains, at
any rate anciently, possessed mineral treasures of great value.

The lowland upon the south is narrower and more mountainous than either
of the others. It comprised three countries only--Lycia, Pamphylia, and
Cilicia. The tract is chiefly occupied by spurs from Taurus, between
which lie warm and richly wooded valleys. In Lycia, however, the
mountain-ridges embrace some extensive uplands, on a level not much
inferior to that of the central plateau itself, while in Pamphylia and
Cilicia are two or three low alluvial plains of tolerable extent and
of great fertility. Of these the most remarkable is that near Tarsus,
formed by the three streams of the Cydnus, the Sarus, and the Pyramus,
which extends along the coast a distance of forty miles and reaches
inland about thirty, the region which gave to the tract where it occurs
the name of Cilicia Campestris or Pedias.

The Persian dominion in this quarter was not bounded by sea. Opposite to
Cilicia lay the large and important island of Cyprus, which was included
in the territories of the Great King from the time of Cambyses to the
close of the Empire. Further to the west, Rhodes, Cos, Samos, Chios,
Lesbos, Tenedos, Lemnus, Imbrus, Samothrace, Thasos, and most of the
islands of the Egean were for a time Persian, but were never grasped
with such firmness as to be a source of real strength to their
conquerors. The same may be said of Thrace and Pseonia, subjugated under
Darius, and held for some twenty or thirty years, but not assimilated,
not brought into the condition of provinces, and therefore rather
a drain upon the Empire than an addition to its resources. It seems
unnecessary to lengthen out this description of the Persian territories
by giving an account of countries and islands, whose connection with the
Empire was at once so slight and so temporary.

A few words must, however, be said respecting Cyprus. This island, which
is 140 miles long from Bafa (Paphos) to Cape Andrea, with an average
width for two thirds of its length of thirty-five, and for the remaining
third of about six or seven miles, is a mountainous tract, picturesque
and varied, containing numerous slopes, and a few plains, well fitted
for cultivation. According to Eratosthenes it was in the more ancient
times richly wooded, but was gradually cleared by human labor. Its soil
was productive, and particularly well