Natural History by Pliny Book VI/Chapter 11
Pliny the Elder, The Natural History
John Bostock, M.D., F.R.S., H.T. Riley, Esq., B.A., Ed. London, 1855.
Chap.11. (10.) — Albania, Iberia, and The Adjoining Nations.
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The whole plain which extends away from the river Cyrus is inhabited by the nation of the Albani1, and, after them,2 by that of the Iberi3, who are separated from them by the river Alazon4, which flows into the Cyrus from the Caucasian chain.
The chief cities are Cabalaca5, in Albania, Harmastis6, near a river7 of Iberia, and Neoris; there is the region also of Thasie, and that of Triare, extending as far as the mountains known as the Paryadres.
Beyond these8 are the deserts of Colchios, on the side of which that looks towards the Ceraunian Mountains dwell the Armenochalybes9; and there is the country of the Moschi, extending to the river Iberus, which flows into the Cyrus; below them are the Sacassani, and after them the Macrones, upon the river Absarus.
Such is the manner in which the plains and low country are parcelled out. Again, after passing the confines of Albania, the wild tribes of the Silvi inhabit the face of the mountains, below them those of the Lubieni, and after them the Diduri and the Sodii.
Foot Notes
1 According to Strabo, Albania was bounded on the east by the Caspian, and on the north by the Caucasus. On the west it joined Iberia, while on the south it was divided from the Greater Armenia by the river Cyrus. By later writers, the northern and western boundaries are differently given. It was found to be the fact that the Albani occupied the country on both sides of the Caucasus, and accordingly Pliny, in c. 15, carries the country further north, as far as the river Casius, while in this Chapter he makes the river Alazon, the modern Alasan, the western boundary towards Iberia. To the west of Albania.
2 To the west of Albania
3 Iberia lay south of the great chain of the Caucasus, forming an extensive tract bounded on the west by Colchis, on the east by Albania, and on the south by Armenia, and watered by the river Cyrus. It corresponded very nearly with modern Georgia.
4 The modern Alasan.
5 Now called Kablas-Var, according to Parisot.
6 Parisot says that this can be no other than Harmoza on the river Cyrus, in the vicinity of the modern Akhalzik.
7 Probably meaning "of the same name."
8 To the west.
9 "The Armenian workers in iron," or "Chalybes of Armenia." See p. 9.