Ἀδιαβηνή

Adiabene

Translated by Jennifer Benedict · 17 Mar 2001 · Vetting: high · 8 revisions

Translation

This territory lies this side of Mesopotamia, effectively at the source of the Tigris. In it there is bitumen which is called naphtha. It is called Adiabene because there are rather large rivers in it¹ and it is hard to make the crossing [diabasis]. Nineveh² is also there. The bitumen provides such a degree of security for the buildings that, once mixed with the baked bricks and brittle stones, it becomes harder than any iron. There too is the Birdless³ cave, from which rises a terrible vapour, so that it kills every terrestrial animal and every bird that might happen to sniff it. And if [the vapour] were spread abroad, the place would not be inhabited, but straightway they go up and go off again a little way and catch their breath. And this is how both the [creatures] which fly on high and those that dwell all around are saved.
Also [sc. attested is the associated adjective] Adiabenos ["Adiabenian"].

Greek original

Ἀδιαβηνή· αὕτη ἡ χώρα κεῖται πρὸ τῆς Μεσοποταμίας ὡς ἐπὶ ἀνατολὴν πέραν τοῦ Τίγρητος. ἐν αὐτῇ δέ ἐστι καὶ ἄσφαλτος ἡ λεγομένη νάφθα. λέγεται δὲ Ἀδιαβηνὴ διὰ τὸ εἶναι πλείους ποταμοὺς ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ δυσχερεστέραν ποιεῖν τὴν διάβασιν. ἐκεῖ ἐστι καὶ ἡ Νινευί. τοσαύτην δὲ ἀσφάλειαν ποιεῖ τοῖς κτίσμασιν ἡ ἄσφαλτος, ὥστε ταῖς ὀπταῖς πλίνθοις καὶ τοῖς λεπτοῖς λίθοις συμμιγεῖσα ἰσχυροτέρα γίνεται παντὸς σιδήρου. ἐκεῖσε δέ ἐστι καὶ τὸ Ἄορνον στόμιον, ἐξ οὗ δεινὸν πνεῦμα ἀναδίδοται, ὥστε πᾶν μὲν ἐπίγειον ζῷον, πᾶν δὲ πτηνὸν ἀποφθείρειν καὶ εἰ πρὸς τὸ τυχὸν ὀσφρήσαιτο. καὶ εἰ ἐσκεδάννυτο, οὐκ ἂν ᾠκίσθη ὁ χῶρος, ἀλλὰ κατ' εὐθεῖαν ἄνεισι καὶ ὀλίγον ἀνερχόμενον πάλιν ἀντανακλᾶται. καὶ ἐκ τούτου τά τε ἐν ὑψηλοτέρῳ πετόμενα σῴζεται, καὶ τὰ πέριξ νεμόμενα. καὶ Ἀδιαβηνός.

Betacode

*)adiabhnh/: au(/th h( xw/ra kei=tai pro\ th=s *mesopotami/as w(s e)pi\ a)natolh\n pe/ran tou= *ti/grhtos. e)n au)th=| de/ e)sti kai\ a)/sfaltos h( legome/nh na/fqa. le/getai de\ *)adiabhnh\ dia\ to\ ei)=nai plei/ous potamou\s e)n au)th=| kai\ dusxereste/ran poiei=n th\n dia/basin. e)kei= e)sti kai\ h( *nineui/. tosau/thn de\ a)sfa/leian poiei= toi=s kti/smasin h( a)/sfaltos, w(/ste  tai=s o)ptai=s pli/nqois kai\ toi=s leptoi=s li/qois summigei=sa i)sxurote/ra gi/netai panto\s sidh/rou. e)kei=se de/ e)sti kai\ to\ *)/aornon sto/mion, e)c ou(= deino\n pneu=ma a)nadi/dotai, w(/ste pa=n me\n e)pi/geion zw=|on, pa=n de\ pthno\n a)pofqei/rein kai\ ei) pro\s to\ tuxo\n o)sfrh/saito. kai\ ei) e)skeda/nnuto, ou)k a)\n w)|ki/sqh o( xw=ros, a)lla\ kat' eu)qei=an a)/neisi kai\ o)li/gon a)nerxo/menon pa/lin a)ntanakla=tai. kai\ e)k tou/tou ta/ te e)n u(yhlote/rw| peto/mena sw/|zetai, kai\ ta\ pe/ric nemo/mena. kai\ *)adiabhno/s.

Notes (3)

The main paragraph of this entry is Preger (ed.), Scriptores originum Constantinopolitanarum 151; cf. alpha 4296.
On Adiabene, in present-day Iraq, see generally OCD(4) s.v. (p.12); Barrington Atlas map 91 grids E1 & 2/F1 & 2; and cf. alpha 40.
1The two Zab rivers as well as the Tigris itself. ↩
2nu 415. ↩
3For the same name applied to a different place see alpha 2849.

↩

Linked from (3)

α40ἈβιαδηνόςAbiadenian α4296Ἀσφαλτῖτις λίμνηBituminous Lake δ505ΔιαβηνόςDiabenos

Neighbours in Adler order

α467ᾍδηςHades α468Ἀδήσειςyou will delight α469Ἀδηφαγίαgreed α470ἈδιαβηνήAdiabene α471Ἀδιάδραστονinevitable α472Ἀδιάκριτοςundistinguishable, undiscriminating α473Ἀδιάλειπτονincessant, unremitting

Revisions (8)

30 Jul 2014David Whiteheadupdated a ref
8 Aug 2013Catharine Rothtypo
10 Jan 2012David Whiteheadtweaks and cosmetics
14 Aug 2009David Whiteheadaugmented notes; another keyword; cosmetics
30 Apr 2002David Whiteheadrestorative cosmetics
17 Mar 2001David Whiteheadmodified translation; added notes, bibliography, keywords
17 Mar 2001Jennifer Benedicttranslated

Translation

Greek original

Betacode

*)adiabhnh/: au(/th h( xw/ra kei=tai pro\ th=s *mesopotami/as w(s e)pi\ a)natolh\n pe/ran tou= *ti/grhtos. e)n au)th=| de/ e)sti kai\ a)/sfaltos h( legome/nh na/fqa. le/getai de\ *)adiabhnh\ dia\ to\ ei)=nai plei/ous potamou\s e)n au)th=| kai\ dusxereste/ran poiei=n th\n dia/basin. e)kei= e)sti kai\ h( *nineui/. tosau/thn de\ a)sfa/leian poiei= toi=s kti/smasin h( a)/sfaltos, w(/ste  tai=s o)ptai=s pli/nqois kai\ toi=s leptoi=s li/qois summigei=sa i)sxurote/ra gi/netai panto\s sidh/rou. e)kei=se de/ e)sti kai\ to\ *)/aornon sto/mion, e)c ou(= deino\n pneu=ma a)nadi/dotai, w(/ste pa=n me\n e)pi/geion zw=|on, pa=n de\ pthno\n a)pofqei/rein kai\ ei) pro\s to\ tuxo\n o)sfrh/saito. kai\ ei) e)skeda/nnuto, ou)k a)\n w)|ki/sqh o( xw=ros, a)lla\ kat' eu)qei=an a)/neisi kai\ o)li/gon a)nerxo/menon pa/lin a)ntanakla=tai. kai\ e)k tou/tou ta/ te e)n u(yhlote/rw| peto/mena sw/|zetai, kai\ ta\ pe/ric nemo/mena. kai\ *)adiabhno/s.

Notes (3)

The main paragraph of this entry is Preger (ed.), Scriptores originum Constantinopolitanarum 151; cf. alpha 4296.
On Adiabene, in present-day Iraq, see generally OCD(4) s.v. (p.12); Barrington Atlas map 91 grids E1 & 2/F1 & 2; and cf. alpha 40.

1The two Zab rivers as well as the Tigris itself. ↩

2nu 415. ↩

3For the same name applied to a different place see alpha 2849.