Bagdat

Sources from old books

1638. The merchants mappe of commerce wherein by Lewes Roberts.

Of BABYLON, now BAGDATE, and the Trade thereof.

Babylon, now Bagdate, was at first founded by Nimrod, but never finished till that warlike Semiramis tooke it in hand whose walls were 60 miles in circuit, 200 foot high, and 75 foot broad, seated upon the River Euphrates, in those daies a faire and beautifull Citie, now having almost lost all that splendor and glory it then justly boasted of: Many famous accidents have heere happened; heere died Alexander the great, after which his body lay eight dayes ere his ambitious Captaines could have leasure to give it a fitting buriall; heere it is also said that when this place was taken by Zopyrus the Macedonian with his Grecians, it was full three dayes ere one part thereof tooke notice of the conquest, since which it hath beene subject to severall soveraignes, and it is at this day a Towne of very great traffique, betweene which and Aleppo are many Caravans found to travell with many 1000 Camels laden with sundry commodities, the rich commodities of India brought from Ormus by Sea to Balsara, seated as the maritime Port of the Citie in the Persian Gulfe, and so up the River Euphrates hither, and hence to Aleppo, Damasco, and other Countries, which againe returnes-them in exchange the commodities of Turkey, Aegypt, and Europe.

In this Countrey, and generally through many parts of Turkey, they have a custome to give advice of their affaires by pigeons, which serve Merchants here for Posts; and hereby the English are found in Aleppo to have advice from Alexandretta, which is accompted 100 miles, in 24 houres, and hereby the Caravans heere travailing give from time to time advice of their journeys and successe, which is done in this manner: when the hen dove sitteth and hath young, they take the cocke pigeon and put him into a cage, whom (when hee is by the Caravan carried a dayes iourney off) they set at liberty, and he straight flieth home to his mate; when by degrees they are thus perfectly taught: the Carriers and Merchants on any accident fasten a letter about one of their necks, and they being freed without any stay hasten to the place from whence they were brought, and such as at home doe watch their returne, (clime their hole and take away their Letter) are certified of the mind of their friends, or any other tidings, after a very speedy manner.

The commodities of this place, are the common commodities before nominated in Aleppo, and their coines currant, are the same that are found throughout Turkey, as subject to one and the same Soveraigne; but the coines of Persia are found heere likewise to passe currant for their value, and so doth also their gold without exception; it being a received custome in Trade, that frontier Townes of Trade admit the coines of the bordering Inhabitants and Regions.

The weights of Babylon knowne amongst us is the dram, mitigall, Rotolo, and Cantar.

Their Rotolo hath been observed to make 1 li. 10 ounces English, and our 112 li. English hath made here 68 Rotolos.

Their measure in length common in this place is the pico found to bee by triall about 27 ynches English.

To conclude this Countries relation; from hence came the 3 Wise men called of the East, who worshipped Christ and presented him with guifts, and the inhabitants hereof are said to bee the first inventers of Astronomic and Astrologie; and therefore hence have all such the title of Chaldeans, and for other matter of trade, here is only found the famous Towne of Mosull, scituated on the River Euphrates, abounding with Forrests of Galls, so much required and requested by divers throughout the world: and now to Media.