Paropamisus

1652. Cosmographie in four bookes by Peter Heylyn.

PAROPAMISVS is bounded on the South, with Arachosia; on the North, with Bactria, from which parted by the main body of Mount Taurus, which is here called Paropamisus, by the name of the Countrey: on the East, with some part of India; on the West, with Aria. So called quasi Paro•anesus, from the resemblance which it hath to an Island, begirt on all sides almost with Rivers: in which respect by Ptolomy called Paropanisus, and not Paropamisus; by which last name the Latines for the most part call it, some of them Paropamissus, with a double ss. But that name being lost long since, it is now by some called Dache, by others Candahor, but most commonly Sublestar.

The Countrey mountainous and hilly, here and there intermixt with Valleys: the Mountains of great height, and exceeding barren; the Valleys indifferent fruitful, but so over-shadowed with those hills, that the cleerest day in some places seems but like a twilight. The people as obscure as their Countrey, scarce known to any of their neighbours in the time of Alexander; the barbarous nations neerest to them esteeming them unworthy of their acquaintance. Agreste hominum genus, & inter Barbaros maxime inconditum, as it is in Curtius.

Rivers of most note herein, 1. Oxus, (of which before) which rising out of Mount Caucasus, passeth Northwards, and afterwards divideth Bactria from Sogdiana. 2. Dargamanis, 3. Coacus, both owing their original to some of the branches of Mount Taurus. Which chain of hills, beginning hereabouts to draw towards their end are towards the West called Paroetes, where they give being to the River Dargamanis, before named; more Eastward they have the name of Parapomisus; and Caucasus they are properly called where they are thwarted by Imaus, in the very point, as it were, where Scythia, India, and the Persian territories do encounter Each other. The hills in that place mounted to so great an height, that from the tops thereof the Stars appear much greater than in other places: the rising and setting of which are from hence easily discerned: made memorable by the fable of Promotheus, who is said to have been bound here by command of Jupiter; on which, vistum Promethea fuisse antiquit as tradit, saith the Historian. Prometheus is indeed by the Poets feigned to have stoln fire from heaven, and to have made a man of clay: for which presumptuous fact, Jupiter bound him on the hill Caucasus; where a vulture continually fed on his his Liver. But according either to the truth of Story, or their guess at least, who make some Story the ground of Every Fable; Prometheus being a very wise man, instructed the dead and clayie carcasses of others with wisedome; and that being very desirous to learn the nature of the starres, (which is the fire he stole from heaven) he made the highest part of Mount Caucasus his studie, where the inward care he had to accomplish his desire, might justly have been compared to a Vulture gnawing on his entrails; and of this opinion is Saint Augustine. But far more memorable is it made for being the resting place of the Ark of Noah, whereof we have already spoken in our Generall Preface.

Places of most consideration in it, 1. Naulibis, and 2. Ortospana, both named by Ptolomy, and reckoned by Amminus for the most famous of this Countrey. But in what their same confisted I cannot find. 3. Parsiana, 4. Gazaca, 5. Doroacana, 6. Bagarda; all named by Ptolomy; but not else observable. 7. Candihor, now the Metropolis of the Countrey, a Town of great trade, by reason of the situation of it on the borders of India; in that respect giving to the whole Countrey the nameof Candahor. By which name reckoned for a Kingdome, and used amongst the many titles in the Stile Imperiall. Nothing considerable of it in the course of Story, but that being once brought under by the Persian Monarchs, it followed the fortune of the rest till these latter times; when the Persians being overlaid by the Tertars, it became subject to some Kings of the race of TamerLane, reigning in this Province, till brought under by the Kings of Cabul, of the same extraction. Finding those Kings intent on the conquest of India, they freed themselves from all subjection to that Crown, and had Kings of their own, till the year 1600. or thereabouts, when the last King, unable to defend himself against Abduxa King of the Usbeques (a Tartarian people, but subject in some sort to the Crown of Persia) surrendred his Kingdome to Echebar the Great Mongul (descended from the old Kings of Cabul) whose dominions border close upon it. Recovered to the Persian Crown by Mirza, the sonne of Abas, and father of Soffie the now Sultan; a Prince of much gallantry, but of more misfortunes: the Persian Sophies, since that conquest, using the title of Kings of Candahor, in the Regal stile.

1693. A geographical dictionary representing the present and ancient names by Edmund Bohun.

Paropamisus, Paropanisus, and Paropanissadae, a Country and People of the ancient Persia, which lay betwixt Bactriana, Aria, India, and Arachosia. Ptolemy calls them by divers Names, and makes them an extremely savage People. Curtius adds, they had no Communication with other Nations; and that Alexander's Army suffered very much in their Country, which was cold and barren. It is placed by Moderns, in part in the Province of Candahar in Persia, and in part in that of Cabul in the East-Indies. § A Mountain in this Country did anciently bear the same Name; which the Writers of Alexander's Life miscall Caucasus.

1694. The great historical, geographical and poetical dictionary by Louis Moreri.

Paropamissus, Paropanisus, an Ancient Country of Persia; the Moderns think it lies partly in the Province of Candabar belonging to the King of Persia, and partly in the Cabul of the Mogul, between Aria, Bactriana, India and Arachosia. Ptolomy says, That the Ancient Inhabitants of this Country, whom he calls by divers Names, were very Savage; and Curtius adds, They had no manner of Commerce with other Nations, that the Country is cold and barren, and the People dwell in Huts made of Brick. Alexander's Army suffered much in this place. It was the name of a Mountain also, that stands to the North of this same Country, and which some who have writ Alexander's Life have called by mistake Caucasus, whereas Caucasus lies between the Caspian and Euxine Seas, to the North of Iberia, a Country Alexander never saw; but the Name of Caucasus being much more famous than that of Paropanisus the Greeks design'd to honour him, by saying, He had march'd as far as Caucasus, to which Prometheus was fasten'd.

Sablestan, Lat. Sablestania, an Inland Province in the Kingdom of Persia; towards the East, between Charazan to the North, and Chermon or Caramania to the South. The chief Cities of this Province are Zarans, Bust and Nehesact. In this Province is the best and strongest Castle in all Persia. Tavernier.