The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville - Pot-pourri

288 XIV.iii.31–iii.41 Isidore of Seville
31. Like the country of the Goths, Scythia is said to
have been named after Magog, son of Japheth. Formerly
its territory was immense; it stretched from India in
the east and from the Maeotian swamps (i.e. the Sea of
Azov) in the north betweenthe Danube and the Ocean
up to the borders of Germania. To be sure, later it was
reduced in size and then reached from the right-hand
region of its east, where the Chinese Ocean extends, up
to the Caspian Sea, which is on its west. From there it
spreads in the south to the summits of the Caucasus,
under which Hyrcania lies, having in like manner many
tribes in the west who are nomads due to the infertility
of the soil. 32. Among these tribes some cultivate the
land, whereas others who are monstrous and savage live
on human flesh and blood. Many parts of Scythia have
good land, but many are nevertheless uninhabitable, for
while many places abound in gold and precious stones,
they are rarely visited by human beings because of the
savagery of the griffins. The best green gems come from
there; lapis lazuli and the purest crystal are Scythian. It
also has the great rivers of the Moschi, the Phasis, and
the Araxes.
33. Hyrcania is so called after the Hyrcanian forest,
which lies below Scythia, having in the east the Caspian
Sea, in the south Armenia, in the north Albania and in
the west Hiberia (i.e. present-day Georgia). It is a rough
forest, full of savage wild beasts such as tigers, panthers,
and pards. Vergil says of it (Aen. 4.367):
AndHyrcanian tigresses suckled you.
34. Albania 3 gets its name from the color of its inhabitants,
because they are born with white (albus) hair. In
the east it rises from below the Caspian Sea and extends
to the Maeotian swamps (i.e. the Sea of Azov) along the
shores of the Ocean in the north, by deserts and uncultivated
regions. This land has enormous dogs; their ferocity
is such that they attack bulls and kill lions.
35. Armeniaisso called from Armenus, the companion
of Jason of Thessaly. After the death of King
Jason he gathered a group from among the crowd of
Jason’s followers who were wandering aimlessly about,
seized Armenia and named it after himself. It is located
between the Taurus and the Caucasus ranges, reaching
from Cappadocia to the Caspian Sea, having in the north
the Ceraunian mountains, in whose hills the river Tigris
originates, and in whose mountains the Ark is said to
have settled after the Flood. There are two Armenias,
Upper and Lower Armenia, just as there are two Pannonias.
36. Hiberia is a region in Asia, near the Pontus
(i.e. the Black Sea), connected to Armenia. There herbs
grow which can be used for dyeing. 37. Cappadocia was
named after its chief city. It is located where Syria begins
and touches Armenia in the east, Asia Minor in the west,
and the Cimmerian Sea and the Themiscyrian plains,
which belong to the Amazons, in the north; in the south
it reaches the Taurus mountains, under which Cilicia and
Isauria stretch out to the Gulf of Cilicia, which faces the
isle of Cyprus. Its territory excels as a breeding-ground
for horses. Through it flows the river Halys, which formerly
separated the kingdom of Lydia from the Persians.
38. AsiaMinorisgirtbyCappadocia in the east and
surrounded by the sea in all other directions, for it has
the Black Sea in the north, the Propontis (i.e. the Sea of
Marmora) in the west, and the sea of Egypt in the south.
Itsprovinces are Bithynia, Phrygia, Galatia, Lydia, Caria,
Pamphylia, Isauria, Lycia, and Cilicia. 39. Thefirst of
these provinces of Asia Minor, Bithynia, stretches eastward
from where the Black Sea begins, opposite Thracia,
and it was previously called many different names,
first Bebrycia, then Mygdonia, then Bithynia, after king
Bithynus. It is also known as Phrygia Major. The city
Nicomedia lies in it, where Hannibal took refuge and
died from a drink of poison. 40. Galatia takes its name
from ancient tribes of the Galli, by whom it was occupied,
for the Galli, called upon by the king of Bithynia
to assist him, divided the kingdom when victory was
achieved. Thus, after they had intermarried with the
Greeks, they werefirstcalled Gallograeci and are now
called Galatians, after the name of the ancient Galli, and
their territory is called Galatia.
41. Phrygia is named after Phrygia, the daughter of
Europa. It is also called Dardania, after Dardanus, the
son of Jupiter, concerning whom Homer says (cf. Iliad
20.215):
Whom Jupiter first begot in the celestial citadel.
Having left from the city of Corythus, he was the first
to arrive in Phrygia. This territory is situated above the
Troad, with the region of Galatia to the north; in the
south it is a neighbor of Lyconia, it borders Lydia in
3 The province of Albania is not coextensive with present-day
Albania, but lies on the west coast of the Caspian Sea – now parts of
Azerbaijan and Russia.