Pilgrimage, Book 3 · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
Of the Regions and Religions of ASIA MINOR, since called Natolia and Turkie.
NExt after the Turkish Religion thus related, it seemeth fittest to discourse of the auncient names and limits of Regions, and of the former Heathenish Religions of that part of the Turkish Dominion, which among Authors aHaiton. Maginus. Francisco Thamara, & alij.hath since, in a singular eminencie, obtained the name of Turkie. And if it seeme strange, that the Turkish Religion (a newer vpstart) be declared before those former of the Pagans, the matter we had in hand hath thus altered our method, that after wee had described the deformed dis-ioynted lineaments of the Mother, an Arabian Saracen, her more mis-shapen Daughter, this Turkish Mopsa, might attend her hard at her heeles. As for the Region, we hauehave followed the Turkish forces hither: and now that wee hauehave glutted our selues with the view of their later affaires of State and Religion, let vsus cast our eyes about vsus, and obserue the Countrie it selfe, which because of her long and entire subiection to this Nation, is styled by their bTurcia, & Turcia Maior.name. The Greekes cMel. & Peucer. lib.5. The Greekes called this, Asia simply, as being best knowne to them.called it Natolia, foreign, because it was the Easterne part of that Empire, as they called Thracia, the Countrie about Constantinople (which was named N foreign P foreign ) Romania. This Natolia, or Anatolia, is of others called Asia Minor: and yet Asia, in most proper and strict accompt, is peculiarly applyed to one Region in this great Chersonesus, or Peninsula, containing besides, Pontus, Bithynia, Lycia, Galatia, Pamphilia, Paphlagonia, Cappadocia, Cilicia, and Armenia Minor. It was bounded on the East with Euphrates (now Frat); on the South, with the Mediterranean Sea: on the West, with the Archipelago: on the North, with the Blacke Sea, stretching in length from 51. to 72. degrees of Longitude, and in breadth from 36 ½. to 45. This Countrey hath beene aunciently renowmed for Armes and Arts: now the dThis part of Asia hath been exceedingly subiect to Ear…hquakes: in the time of Tiberius twelue Cities were by them prostrate in one night, Nig. ….graue of the carkasses, or some ruinous bones rather and stonie Reliques of the carkasses of more then foure thousand Places and Cities, sometimes inhabited. Many changes hath it sustained by the Aegyptian, Persian, Macedonian, Roman, Tartarian, and Turkish generall Conquests, besides such exploits as Croesus and Mithridates of olde, and the Westerne Christians of later times, hauehave therein atchieued. Let the studious of these things search them in their proper Authors: our taske is Religion, whose ouer-worne, and almost out-worne steppes, with much curious hunting in many Histories, we hauehave thus weakely traced. Of the Turkes we hauehave alreadie spoken, and we leaue the Christians (for why should we mixe Light with Darknesse?) to their proper place. For euen yet, besides the Armenians, there remaine many Christians of the Greeke Church in Cappadocia, and other parts of this Region.
Next vntounto those parts of Syria before deliuered, are situate in this lesser Asia, Cilicia, Armenia Minor, and Cappadocia. Cappadocia, called also Leucosyria, and now Amasia, stretcheth foure hundred and fiftie myles along the Euxine Sea, bounded on the West with Paphlagonia, Galatia, and part of Pamphylia; on the South, with Cil icia; on the East, with the Hills Antitaurus and Moschius, and part of Euphrates. Here runneth Halys, the end of Croesus Empire both in the site and fate thereof; the doubtfull Oracle here giuing him a certaine ouerthrow. For when he consulted with the same touching his Expedition against Cyrus, he receiued answere, That passing Halys, he should ouer-turne a great State; which he interpreting actiuely of his Attempts against Cyrus, verified it passiuely in himselfe. And here, besides other streames, slideth Thermodon, sometime made famous by the bordering Amazones. Of which Manly foeminine people, auncient Authors disagree: Theophrastus deriuing them from the Sauromatoe; Salust fetching them from Tanais; P. Diaconus describing them in Germanie; Trogus and Iustine reporting them Scythians; Diodorus crossing the Seas to finde them in Lybia, and thence also, in a further search, passing into an Island in the Atlantike Ocean; Ptolomey and Curtius placing them neerer the Caspian Sea; Strabo eStrab l.11.doubting whether there euer had beene such a people, or no. Some hauehave found them out anew in the new world, fRiuer of Amazones.naming that huge Riuer of them. Goropius confidently auoucheth them to be the wiues and sonnes of the Sarmatians or Cimbrians: who, together with their husbands, inuaded Asia. And this he proueth by Dutch Etymologies and other coniectures. Which, if it be true, sheweth, that their Religion was the same with the Scythian. They gGram. ex Statio.are said to hauehave worshipped Mars, of whome they faine themselues to be descended. Religion it were to speake of their Religion, of whose being we hauehave no better certainetie. Strabo hStrab.l.12.writeth, That in the places ascribed to the Amazones, Apollo was exceedingly worshipped.
In Cappadocia was seated the Citie Comana, wherein was a Temple of Bellona, and a great multitude of such as were there inspired and rauished by deuillish illusion, and of sacred seruants. It was inhabited by the people called Cataones, who being subiect to a King, did neuerthelesse obey the Priest that was, in great part, Lord of the Temple, and of the sacred seruants, whose number (when Strabo was there) amounted to sixe thousand and vpwards of men and women. The Priest receiued the reuenue of the Region next adioyning to the Temple, and was in honour next to the King in Cappadocia, and commonly of the same kindred. These idolatrous Rites are supposed to hauehave beene brought hither out of Taurica Scythia by Orestes and his sister Iphigenia, where humane sacrifices were offered to Diana. Here, at the solemne Feasts of Bellona, those sacred seruants, before-mentioned, called Comani, wounded each other in an extaticall furie; bloudie Rites sitting Bellona's solemnities. iSolinus.Argaeus, whose hoarie head was couered continually with Snow, was reputed a religious Hill, and Habitation of some God.
Strabo kStrab.l.12.reporteth of the Temple of Apollo Catanius, in Dastacum; and of another of Iupiter in Morimena, which had three thousand of those sacred seruants or religious Votaries, which as an inferior Order were at the commaund of the Priest, who receiued of his Temples reuenue fifteene Talents, and was reputed in the next ranke of honour to the Priest of Comana.
Not farre hence is Castabala, where was the Temple of Diana Persica lStrab.l.12. Coel.26.6.33., where the sacred or deuoted women were reported to goe bare-footed on burning coales without harme. It is reported mVadiani epit., That if a Snake did bite a Cappadocian, the mans bloud was poyson to the Snake, and killed him.
Many excellent Worthies hath this Region yeelded to the world. Mazaca (afterwards of Claudius called Caesarea) was the Episcopall Seat of Great Basill: Cucusum, the Receptacle of exiled Chrysostome: Amasia (now a Prouinciall Citie of the Turkish Beglerbegs) sometime the Countrey of Strabo, to whome these our Relations are so much indebted: Nissa and Nazianzum, of which, the two Gregories receiued their surnames. But that humane and diuine learning is now trampled vnderunder the barbarous foot of the Ottoman-horse. Here is Trapezonde also, whilome bearing the prowd name of an Empire. Licaonia, the chiefe Citie whereof is Iconium, celebrated in holy Writ, (and a long time the Royall Seat of the first Turkes in Asia, and since of Caramania, now Conia, or Cogne, inhabited with Greekes, Turkes, Iewes, Arabians, and Armenians) is of Ptolomey adioyned to Cappadocia. And so is Diopolis, called before Cabira, since Augusta, which Ortelius placeth in the lesser Armenia: a Region which hath on the South Cilicia; on the East, Euphrates; on the West, Cappadocia.
In Diopolis was the Temple of the Moone had in great veneration, much like, in the Rites thereof, to that before mentioned of Comana: which although it bare nComana Cappadociae, & Pontica, Strab.l.12.the surname of Cappadocia, yet Ptolomey placeth it in this Armenia; and Comana Pontica, in Cappadocia, of the same name and superstitious deuotion to the same Goddesse. Thence hauehave they taken the patterne of their Temple, of their Rites, Ceremonies, Diuinations, respect to their Priests. And twice a yeare, in the Feastes, which were called, The Goddesse her going out, the Priest ware a Diademe. He was second to none, but the King: which Priesthood was holden of some of Strabo's progenitors. Pompey bestowed the Priesthood of this Temple vponupon Archelaus, and added to the Temples Reuenue two Schoeni. that is, threescore surlongs of ground, commaunding the inhabitants to yeeld him obedience. He had also power ouer the sacred seruants, which were no lesse then sixe thousand.
Lycomedes after enioyed that Prelacie, with foure Schoeni of land added thereto: Caesar remoued him, placing in his roome Ditcutus, the sonne of Adiatorix, whome (with his wife and children) he had led in triumph, purposing to slay his elder sonne, together with him. But when the younger persuaded the souldiers, that he was the elder, and both contended which should die, Ditcutus was of his parents counselled to yeeld to the younger, and to remaine aliue, to be a stay to their familie. Which pietie Caesar hearing of, grieuing for the death of the other, he thus rewarded. At the Feasts aforesaid is great recourse of men and women hither. Many Pilgrims resort to discharge their vowes. Great store of women is there, which for the most part are deuoted; this Citie being as a little Corinth. For many went to Corinth, in respect of the multitude of Harlots prostituted or consecrated to Venus.
Zela, another Citie, hath in it the Temple of Anais, much reuerenced of the Armenians; wherein the Rites are solemnized with greatest Sanctimonie, and Oathes taken of greatest consequence. The sacred Seruants and Priestly Honours are as the former. The Kings did sometime esteeme Zela, not as a Citie, but as a Temple of the Persian Gods; and the Priest had supreame power of all things, who with a great multitude of those sacred Seruants inhabited the same. The Romans encreased their Reuenues.
In Cappadocia the Persian Religion was much vsed: but of the Persian Rites see more olib.4.in our Tractat of Persia. The pThe infamous leudnes of the Cappadocians.leudnesse of the Cappadocians grew into a Prouerbe; if any were enormiously wicked, he was therefore called a Cappadocian.
Galatia, or Gallograecia, so called of the Galli, 300000 Galli.which vnderunder the conduct of Brennus (sayth Suidas) assembled an Armie of three hundred thousand, and seeking aduentures in foraine parts, diuided themselues: some inuading Greece, others Thrace and Asia, where they setled themselues betweene Bithynia and Cappadocia. On the South it is confined with Pamphiiia, and on the North is washed with the Euxine Sea the space of two hundred and fiftie myles. Sinope, the mother and nursing-Citie of Mithridates is here seated: one of the last Cities of Asia that subiected it selfe to Turkish bondage, in the dayes of Mahomet the second. Of the Galatae were three Tribes, Trogini, Tolistobogi. and Tectosages; all which Goropius deriueth from the Cimmerij. At Tavium, which was inhabited with the Trogini, was a brazen Statue of Iupiter: and his Temple was a priuiledged Sanctuarie. The Tolistobogi had for their chiefe Mart Pisinus, wherein was a great Temple of the Mother of the Gods, whome they called Andigista, had in great veneration; whose Priests had sometime beene mightie. This Temple was magnificently builded of the Attalian Kings, with the Porches also of white stone. And the Romanes, by depriuing the same of the Goddesses Statue (which they sent for to Rome, as they did that of Aesculapius out of Epidaurus) added much reputation of Religion thereunto. The Hill Dindyma ouerlooketh the Citie, of which she was named Dindymena, as of Cybelus (which Ortelius supposeth to be the same) Cybele. Of the Galatians, Deiotarus was King: but more fame hath befallen them by Paules Epistle to them.
Plutarch qPlut. Serino & d…sp…tatio …materia.tells a Historie of a Galatian woman, named Camma, worthie our recitall. She was faire and noble (the daughter of Diana's Priest) and richly married to Sinatus the Terrarch. But Sinorix, a man richer and mightier then he, became his vniust corriuall, and because he durst not attempt violence to her, her husband liuing, he slew him. Camma solaced her selfe as she could, cloystering her selfe in Diaena's Temple, and admitting none of her mightie suiters. But when Sinorix had also moued that suit, she seemed not vnwilling: and when he came to desire her marriage, she went forth to meete him, and with gentle entertainement brought him into the Temple vntounto the Altar, where she dranke to him in a cup of poysoned liquor, and hauing taken off almost halfe, she reached him the rest: which after shee saw he had drunke, she called vponupon her husbands name alowd, saying; Hitherto hauehave I liued sorrowfull without thee, waiting this day, now welcome me vntounto thee: For I hauehave reuenged they slaughter on the most wicked amongst men, and hauehave beene companion and partner with thee in life, with him in death. And thus died they both. The like manly womanhood (if a Christian might commend that, which none but a Christian can discommend) Valerius rVal. Max. l.6. c.1.Maximus sheweth of Ghiomara her Countreywoman, wife of Ortyagon, a great man amongst the Tectosages: who, in the warres of Manilius the Consull, being taken prisoner, was committed to the custodie of a Tribune, who forced her to his pleasure. After that agreement was made for her ransome, and the money brought to the place appointed, whiles the Tribune was busie about the receit thereof, she caused her Gallograecians to cut off his head, which shee carried to her husband, in satisfaction of her wrong.
At the Funerals of the Galatians sAlex. ab Alexandro; genial: dierum, l.3.c.7.they obserued this custome, to write letters and hurle them into that latest and fatall fire, supposing that their deceased friends should reade them in the other world. At their Sacrifices tGen. dier.l.4.c.17.they vsed not an Aruspex, or Divinour, which gazed in the Entrailes, but a Philosopher, without whome they thought no Sacrifice acceptable to their Gods. The Devill certaine was the God to whome their humane Sacrifices were acceptable, which in devillish inhumanitie they offered at their bloudie Altars uIbid.l.6.c.26., when they diuined of things to come, which they did by his falling, by the dismembring and flowing forth of his bloud. *Athen…us.Athenaus out of Philarchus telleth of one Ariannes, a rich Galatian, which feasted the whole Nation a whole yeare together, with Sacrifices of Bulls, Swine, Sheepe, and other prouision, made readie in great Cauldrons, prouided of purpose for this entertainement, that he made them in spacious Boothes, which he had therefore built. Pausanias sayth, That the Pesinuntian Galatians abstained from Swines flesh. The Legend of Agdistis and Atte, which hee there addeth, is too filthie to relate. At yStrabo, l.12.Tavium was a brazen Image of Iupiter, and his Temple was a priuiledged Sanctuarie.
Betweene zD.Niger.Asiae Com.1.Maginusthe mouth of Pontus, the Thracian Bosphorus, and part of Propontis on the West, and Galatia on the East, part of the Euxine Sea on the North, and Asia (properly so called) on the South, is situate the prouince called by the double name aPontic… gentes à Pontico cognominatae mari, L.Flor.l.3.c.5.of Pontus and Bythinia. They were sometimes two Prouinces, diuided by the Riuer Sangarius: now they are called Bursia by Giraua; by Castaldus, Becsangial. The most famous Cities therein are, or rather hauehave beene, Nice, famous sometime for Neptunes Temple, but more for the first generall Councel therein celebrated: Nicomedia, sometimes the seate of Emperours, now ruinous: Apamia, and Prusa or Bursa nigh to the mount Olympus, where the first Ottomans had their seat royall, and all of that race, except the great Turkes themselues, are still buried: Chalcedon, built seuenteene yeares before Byzantium; and therefore the builders accounted blinde, which neglected that better seate. Here was a famous Councell of six hundred and thirty Bishops. Of their an…ent Kings others hauehave related: but one cannot passe this our Historie without obseruation, and that is Mithridates bGramaye Pontica. Iustin.l.37. L.Florus. T.Liuij Epitom., the sixt King of that name: who loosing his father in the eleuenth yeare of his age, by his tutors was trecherously assailed, but escaped, and by vse of that antidote, which of him still beareth the name Mithridate, out-liued their poysoning conspiracie. He liued indeede to the death of thousands, which either his crueltie or his warres consumed. Foure yeares together (to auoide their Treasons) he liued in the Fields and Woods, vnderunder a shew of hunting; both preuenting their designes, and inuring himselfe to hardnesse. He spake two and twentie Languages, being Lord of so many Nations. He held warres with the Romans sixe and fortie yeares, whome those renowmed Captaines, Sylla, Lucullus, Pompey, did so conquer, as he alway rose againe with great lustre, and with greater terrour: and at last died not by his enemies commaund, but voluntarily in his old age, and his owne Kingdome, neuer made to attend the Romane Triumphs; Sylla's felicitie, Lucullus prowesse, and Pompeyes greatnesse notwithstanding. His aspiring thoughts had greedily swallowed the Soueraigntie both of Asia and Europe. He caused, in one night, all the Romanes in his Dominions to be slaine: in which massacre perished a hundred and fiftie thousand, as some hauehave numbred. But it cannot be conceiued (sayth cP.Oros.l.6.c.2.Orosius) how many there were, or how great was the griefe both of the doers and sufferers, when eueryevery one must betray his innocent guests and friends, or hazard his owne life; no Law of Hospitalite, no Religion of Sanctuarie, or reuerence of Images being sufficient protection. And no maruell, if he spared not his enemies, when dCap.5.he slew Exipodras and Homochares his sonnes; and after the poysonings and voluntarie death of Monyma his wife, Statira and Roxane, his daughters. His sonne Pharnaces (like to tast of the same cup) wonne to his part his fathers Armie, sent against him, with which he pursued his father so hotely, that he, hauing denounced a heauie curse vponupon him, entred amongst his Wiues, Concubines, and Daughters, and gaue them poyson, pledging them in the same liquor; which his bodie, accustomed to his Antidotes, easily ouercame, and therefore was faine to entreat another to open a bloudie passage for that his cruell soule. A man (sayth Orosius) of all men most superstitious, alway hauing with him Philosophers and men expert in all Arts, now threescore and foureteene yeares old. The Religion in Pontus was little differing from the Greekes. We reade of the Sacrifices of this King to Ceres, and to Iupiter Bellipotens, in which the King brought the first wood to the fire. He powred also thereon Honey, Milke, Wine, Oyle, and after made a Feast. In honour of Neptune they drowned Charriots, drawne with foure white Horses, with which (it seemed) they would hauehave him ease himselfe in his Sea-voyages. eOrtel. in Parerg.Dom. Nig.Asiae …an.1.At the mouth of Pontus was the Temple of Iupiter Iasus, called Panopeum: and nigh thereto, a Promontorie sacred to Diana, sometime an Island, ioyned to the Continent by an Earthquake. Hereabouts was the Caue Acherusium, whose bottomelesse bottome was thought to reach to Hell.
I may in the next place set downe Paphlagonia, which, as it fareth with such as hauehave mightie neighbours, can scarcely finde her proper limits. Some fMaginus. Gramay. Strab.l.12. Epitom in Strab.reckon it to Galatia, before described; and sometimes Pontus hath shared it: and either the force of Armes, or bountie of Emperours, hath assigned it at other times to Phrygia, Cilicia, or other parts. The bounds thereof are thus deliuered: Pontus confineth on the North; on the East, the Riuer Halys; on the South, Phrygia and Galatia; on the West, Bithynia. Of the people hereof, called Heneti, some gMaginus.deriue the Veneti of Italie. They now call it Roni. It had the name Paphlagonia of Paphlagon, the sonne of Phineus. The Mount Olgasys is very high, and in the same are many Paphlagonian Temples. Sandaracurgium is another Mountaine, made hollow by the Mettall-miners, which were wont to be slaues redeemed from capitall Sentence, who here exchanged that speedie death for a more lingering one. So deadly is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and ending, of this Idoll of the World: which the Spaniards hauehave verified in the West, by the destruction of another world.
The Heptacometae and Mossynoeci inhabited about these parts; hCoel. Rhod. l.18 c.30.a people of that beastly disposition, that they performed the most secret worke of Nature in publike view. These are not so much notorious for being worse then beasts, as their neighbours, the Tibareni, for surpassing in iustice other men. They would not warre on their enemie, but would faithfully before relate vntounto him the Time, Place, and Houre of their fight; whereas the Mosynoeci vsed to assault strangers that trauelled by them very trecherously. They hauehave also a venomous kinde of Honey growing out of their Trees, with which they beguiled and slew three troupes of Pompey. The Tibareni obserued one strange fashion, that when the woman was deliuered of a child, her husband lay in, and kept his chamber, the women officiously attending him.