Anatolia

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

ASIA the lesse so called to distinguish it from the greater, is now to be described: for so the Romanes when they made a Province did call it after the name of the Continent. The Turkes doe call it now Natolia, or Anatolia, as if you should say the East Country, from the Greeke word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifies the East, which Peter Bellonius sheweth in his learned observations of his travels. And it is called of late the greater Turky. Marius Niger delivers that the Low-Country-men call it new Turky, and the Barbarians Rom, namely, the Northerne part, which containeth Bithynia, Galatia, and Cappadocia. But they call the Southerne Country, in which are Licia, Cicilie, and Pamphilia, Cottomanid•a. The bounds of this Country on the East is the River Euphrates, on the South the Mediterranean Sea; on the West the Aegean Sea, or the Archipelagus of Greece: on the North it is washed with the Euxine Sea, and the greater Sea. It containeth therefore all that Chersonesus, which lyeth betweene the Euxine, the Cilician, and Pamphilian Sea. The breadth of it according to Pliny is about 200. miles, namely, from the Isacan Bay, now called Golfo de Lajazzo, and the Amanian Haven, even to Trapezuntes which is on the Sea Coast, in which he consenteth with Herodotus, who saith that the Isthmus of the lesser Asia is 5. dayes journey. This Country is not inferiour to any other both for the gentle temperatenesse of the ayre, and the fertility and goodnesse of the soyle. Which Cicero witnesseth in these words. The Custome and Revenues of other Provinces, O Citizens, are so small, that we are not content to undertake the defence of the Provinces for them: But Asia is so fat and fruitfull, that it excelleth all other Countries, both for the fertility of the Fields, the variety of Fruits, faire Pastures, and divers commodities, which are exported from thence. So that it was heretofore enriched with fruitfull Fields, fatt Pastures, and Gold-bearing Rivers. Besides it hath all things that can be desired, wanting nothing, but is content with her owne commodities. It hath great store of Wine and Oyle. But it hath one shrewd inconvenience, which is, that it is often troubled with Earth-quakes, so that Citties are over-throwne by them: as in the raigne of Tiberius Caesar 12. Citties in Asia fell downe in one night, as Pliny reporteth, Lib. 2. In this Asia there were heretofore the great Kingdomes of the Trajans, of Craesus, Mithridates. Antiochus, of the Paphlagonians, Galatians, Cappadocians, and others. It was first governed by Cyrus King of Persia, afterward the Macedons, and Alexanders Captaines, together with Syria, Aegypt, and Babylon did devide it amongst themselves, afterwards it was wasted by the Romanes, and then by the Turkes, so that it hath now nothing memorable in it: and it is all subject to the Turkish Emperour. Here are no Nobility by blood or descent, but all are equall, and the great Turke uses them as slaves, who hath here his Beglerbeys and Sangiacks in divers Countries, and Provinces. Natolia containeth these Countries, Pontus, Bithynia, Asia, properly so called, Lycia, Galatia, Pamphilia, Cappadocia, Cil•cia, and the lesser Armenia. Pontus and Bithynia, were heretofore devided and parted by the little River Sagaris flowing between them, afterward they were reduced into one Province, which is now called Birsia, or Be•sangial. It was heretofore Mithridates his Kingdome. The chiefe Citties are Chalcedon, Ni••media, Cerasus, Prusa, by the Mountaine Olympus, where the great Turke kept his residence before he tooke Constantinople. There is also Nicaea and He•a•lea in Pontus. Asi• properly so called, is now called Sabrum, or Sacrum, it is bounderd on the East with Galatia, on the North with Pontus and Bithynia: the other parts are washed with the Sea. It containeth also within it selfe Phrygia, Lydia, both the Mysia•s, Caria, Aeolides, Ionia, and Dorides. Phrygia is twofold, the greater and the lesser, the greater lyeth Eastward, in which there are few Citties, but more Villages. There is also the Citty M•da•um neere Sangarius, which was so called from Midas his Palace. There is also Apamaea the greatest Citty in Phrygia, not farre from the River Maeander. Also the Towne Docymeum, and the Citty Synnada. There is also Pessinus. In the lesser Phrygia or Troad•s there were Iliam▪ or Troy, which is so often mentioned in Homer and Virgil. Also Pergamus which King Attalus from a Castle did enlarge and change into a Citty: here Apollodorus the Rhetorician, and Galen were borne. Bellonius reporteth, that among the ruines of Troy there are fragments and pieces of Marble Sepulchers, foundations of Walls, old Towers, and Colossusses yet remaining. There are also in this same Country the Promontory and Towne Sigaum, in which there is Achilles Tombe. Lydia or Meonia hath the Citty Sardeis, where Craesus his Palace was. Mysia neere the Hellespont bordereth on Troas. In this Country there is Lampsacus, a Colony of the Patians, and Abydus of the Melesians. Caria is situate betweene Ionia and Lydia, the Metropolis hereof was heretofore Miletus, which now they falsely thinke is called Malaxo: for the ancients did call it Mylassa, which Pliny calleth the free Citty, Lib. 5. Cap. 21. There is also Magnesa neere the River Maeander. On the shore was Ionia neere the Iland Chius, in which heretofore was that famous Citty Ephesus. Aeolis is betweene this and L•sbu•, whose Citties by the Coast side are Myrina, Cuma, now Castri; and Phocaea, now called Foglia Vecchia. Dorus is by the Carpathian Sea in the Chersonesus, the chiefe Citty whereof is Halicarnassus, here the Historians Herodotus, and Dionysius were borne, and Mausolus had his Palace here. Galatia, which is also called Gollogreece, is so called from the Frenchmen, who mingling themselves with the Graecians, did heretofore possesse those parts, which lye by the Euxine Sea, betweene Pontus and Cappadocia. The Citties in it are Ancyra, now called Anguri, famous for waterd Chamlot which is made there of Goates-haire. Sinope was Mithridates his Country: Amisus now called Simiso. In this Country is Paphlagonia, which is now called Roni. Cappadocia which is now call'd Amasia, and it reacheth from Galatia to Antitaurus: on the South is Ciliciae: on the North the Euxine Sea. The length of it is more than 300000. miles Here was sometimes the flourishing Kingdom of the Amazons, whom Titianus, as Isid•••s witnesseth doth elegantly call One-breasted Amazons. The Citties and Townes herein are Trapezus, Themis•yra, Amas•a, where Strabo was borne, Iconium and Maza. Lycia is next to Caria. It hath these chiefe Citties Pa•ara and Telmessum. Pamphilia followes which is parted by the River Cataractes from Lycia. In it there were these Citties Sida, Attalia, and Aspendum. It is now together with Cilicia called Caramania. The Metropolis of Cilicia is now called Hama, the ancients called it Tarsus, here S. Paul was borne, being an ancient University by the River Cydnus. Strabo doth much commend it. There is also the Towne Adena and Heraclea by the Mountaine Taurus. Armenia the lesser reacheth even to Eu•hrates, but on the West it is bounderd with Cappadocia. The Rivers are Iris, which is now called Casalma•h, also Halis, Ottom•ngiu•h, Parthenius, Dolap, Sangaris, Sangri, which doe all runne into the Euxine Sea. Into the Propontick Sea these Rivers doe runne, namely, Ascanius, Rhindacus, Aesopus, and Granicus; and into the Hellespont these Rivers, Simois, and Scamander, which is also called Xanthus. Into the Agaean Sea these Rivers doe runne, Ca••us, Hermus, Caistrus, Maeander, which as Pruseus reporteth, maketh a hundred windings and turnings. Lastly, there doe runne into the Mediterranean Sea these Rivers, Calbis, Xanthus, Limyrus, Cataractes, and others. The Seas are the Euxine Sea, the Aegaean Sea, and Pamphylian, the Propontis, the Hellespont, the Icarian, the Myrtoan, and Rhodiensian Seas. And these Seas are very convenient, both for importing and bringing in all kinde of Merchandise, and also for fishing, by which they reape much profit. The chiefe Mountaines are Horminium in Pontus and Mysium, which is also called Olympus. The Synnadican Mountaines are famous for Stone-Quarries, there is also Ida in Phrygia which is memorable for the ancient contention of the Goddesses for the Golden Ball, and Paris his judgement which hee gave there, also Gold-bearing Tmolus in Lydia, Argaeum in Caeppadocia, Amanum, now called Monte Negro in Cilicia, on which there doe grow high Cedars and and Juniper, also the Mountaine Sabina, which hath great store of Plants. There are also Dindyma and the Mountaine Chimaera, which flameth like Aetna, and the flame thereof as Pliny witnesseth is encreased by casting on water, and extinguished or quenched with dunge. There is also the Mountaine Taurus which beginneth here, on the top whereof there are Lions, in the middle of it which hath pleasant pastures, there are Goates, and at the bottome Serpents. Whence the Poets doe faine that it is a Monster which vomiteth and spitteth fire, having a head and breast like a Lion, a belly like a Goate, and the tayle of a Dragon, and that Bellerophon was sent to kill this Chimera. There are also other Mountaines as Antitaurus, and Scordiscus, which for brevity sakes we omit. I come to the publike workes. There was heretofore in Ionia in the Citty of Ephesus the Temple of Diana, the most famous and most magnificent Temple in the World, and accounted one of the 7. wonders of the World. Here were also many Hospitals for Strangers, and for the sicke, which they called Carbachara. Moreover, there are no Innes or places of Receit for Travellers, in all those Provinces of which are subject to the Turke, except it be those publike Houses; which were built by divers meanes, but this was the most usuall. The Turkish Nobles when they were growne rich, being willing to doe some pious worke in their life time, did out of their Zeale build such Houses, for they had no kinne to bestow it on, and therefore thinking that should doe a good worke for the publike good, by raising such Structures and Buildings, they did therefore build either some bridge or an Hospitall called Carbachara, unto which there was a Temple adjoyning, and next to it a Bath.

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

Of Anatolia, or Natolia in generall.

Anatolia is limited on the East with the River Euphrates, on the West with Thracius Bosphorus, Propontis, Hellespont, and the Egean; on the North with Pontus Euxinus, on the South with the Rhodian and Lician Seas. In this Countrey was anciently accounted 4000 Cities and Townes, those seaven famous amongst the rest to whom Saint Iohn dedicated his Revelation; but now the ruines of them are hardly to be seene, and the Provinces that are found in this Region are these.

First, Cilicia: secondly, Pamphylia: thirdly, Lycia: fourthly, Caria: fifthly, Ionia: sixthly, Lydia: seventhly, Molis: eighthly, Phrygia minor: ninthly, Phrygia major: tenthly, Bithynia: eleventhly, Pontus: twelfthly, Paphlagonia: thirteenthly, Galatia: fourteenthly, Cappadocia: fifteenthly, Licaonia: sixteenthly, Pisidia, and Armenia minor. Of these in order.

Of Pamphilia, Licia, and Caria.

ALl these have not any thing now worthy note in them, conducing to Trade and Merchandizing, save the aboundance of those goates upon whom grows that wooll whereof is made the Chamlets and Grograms of which I shall have cause to speake more at large, when I come to treat of the Trade of Angora, and in the interim it is to bee noted that these Provinces having lost their former names, are now knowne to us by the name of Caramania, and are at this present under the command of the grand Seignior.

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

Anatolia, Asia Minor, call'd by the Turks, Natolie, is a considerable part of Asia, extending it self Westward to the Shoars of Greece. It is bounded on the North with the Euxine or Black Sea; on the East it is separated from Syria and Armenia Major by the Euphrates; on the South it has the Mediterranean; and on the North it is severed from Greece and Thrace by the Bosphorus and many other Seas. It is all of it in miserable Slavery under the Turks, who have strangly depopulated, impoverish'd, and ruin'd this once most rich and powerful Country.