Another river very similar to this, of the name of Iris,[1145] flowing from a place called Phanarœa,[1146] traverses the same plain. It has its sources in Pontus. Flowing westward through the city of Pontic Comana,[1147] and through Dazimonitis,[1148] a fertile plain, it then turns to the north beside Gaziura,[1149] an ancient seat of the kings, but now deserted; it then again returns to the east, where, uniting with the Scylax[1150] and other rivers, and taking its course beside the walls of my native place, Amaseia,[1151] a very strongly fortified city, proceeds to Phanarœa. There when joined by the Lycus,[1152] which rises in Armenia, it becomes the Iris. It then enters Themiscyra, and discharges itself into the Euxine. This plain, therefore, is well watered with dews, is constantly covered with herbage, and is capable of affording food to herds of cattle as well as to horses. The largest crops there consist of panic and millet, or rather they never fail, for the supply of water more than counteracts the effect of all drought; these people, therefore, never on any occasion experience a famine. The country at the foot of the mountains produces so large an autumnal crop of spontaneous-grown wild fruits, of the vine, the pear, the apple, and hazel, that, in all seasons of the year, persons who go into the woods to cut timber gather them in large quantities; the fruit is found either yet hanging upon the trees or lying beneath a deep covering of fallen leaves thickly strewed upon the ground. Wild animals of all kinds, which resort here on account of the abundance of food, are frequently hunted. 16. Next to Themiscyra is Sidene, a fertile plain, but not watered in the same manner by rivers as Themiscyra. It has strongholds on the sea-coast, as Side,[1153] from which Sidene has [CAS. 548] its name, Chabaca and Phabda (Phauda).[1154] Amisene extends as far as this place. Among the natives of Amisus[1155] distinguished for their learning were the mathematicians Demetrius, the son of Rathenus, and Dionysodorus, of the same name as the Ionian (Milesian?) geometrician, and Tyrannion the grammarian, whose lessons I attended. 17. Next to Sidene is Pharnacia[1156] a small fortified city, and then follows Trapezus,[1157] a Greek city, to which from Amisus is a voyage of about 2200 stadia; thence to the Phasis about 1400 stadia, so that the sum total of stadia from the Hieron[1158] to the Phasis is about 8000 stadia, either more or less. In sailing along this coast from Amisus we first come to the Heracleian promontory;[1159] then succeeds another promontory, Jasonium,[1160] and the Genetes;[1161] then Cytorus (Cotyorus) a small city,[1162] from which Pharnacia received a colony; then Ischopolis, which is in ruins. Next is a bay on which are situated Cerasus, and Hermonassa,[1163] small settlements. Near Hermonassa is Trapezus, then Colchis. Somewhere about this place is a settlement called Zygopolis.