Ionia begins at the Gulf of Iasos, and has a long winding coast with numerous bays. First comes the Gulf of Basilicum4018, then the Promontory4019 and town of Posideum, and the oracle once called the oracle of the Branchidæ4020, but now of Didymæan Apollo, a distance of twenty stadia from the sea-shore. One hundred and eighty stadia thence is Miletus4021, the capital of Ionia, which formerly had the names of Lelegëis, Pityusa, and Anactoria, the mother of more than ninety cities, founded upon all seas; nor must she be deprived of the honour of having Cadmus4022 for her citizen, who was the first to write in prose. The river Mæander, rising from a lake in Mount Aulocrene, waters many cities and receives numerous tributary streams. It is so serpentine in its course, that it is often thought to turn back to the very spot from which it came. It first runs through the district of Apamea, then that of Eumenia, and then the plains of Bargyla; after which, with a placid stream it passes through Caria, watering all that territory with a slime of a most fertilizing quality, and then at a distance of ten stadia from Miletus with a gentle current enters the sea. We then come to Mount Latmus4023, the towns of Heraclea4024, also called by the same name as the mountain, Carice, Myus4025, said to have been first built by Ionians who came from Athens, Naulochum4026, and Priene4027. Upon that part of the coast which bears the name of Trogilia4028 is the river Gessus. This district is held sacred by all the Ionians, and thence receives the name of Panionia. Near to it was formerly the town of Phygela, built by fugitives, as its name implies4029, and that of Marathesium4030. Above these places is Magnesia4031, distinguished by the surname of the “Mæandrian,” and sprung from Magnesia in Thessaly: it is distant from Ephesus fifteen miles, and three more from Tralles. It formerly had the names of Thessaloche and Androlitia, and, lying on the sea-shore, it has withdrawn from the sea the islands known as the Derasidæ4032 and joined them to the mainland. In the interior also is Thyatira4033, washed by the Lycus; for some time it was also called Pelopia and Euhippia4034.

Upon the coast again is Mantium, and Ephesus4035, which was founded by the Amazons4036, and formerly called by so many names: Alopes at the time of the Trojan war, after that Ortygia and Morges, and then Smyrna, with the surname of Trachia, as also Samornion and Ptelea. This city is built on Mount Pion, and is washed by the Caÿster4037, a river which rises in the Cilbian range and brings down the waters of many streams4038, as also of Lake Pegasæus4039, which receives those discharged by the river Phyrites4040. From these streams there accumulates a large quantity of slime, which vastly increases the soil, and has added to the mainland the island of Syrie4041, which now lies in the midst of its plains. In this city is the fountain of Calippia4042 and the temple of Diana, which last is surrounded by two streams, each known by the name of Selenus, and flowing from opposite directions.

After leaving Ephesus there is another Mantium, belonging to the Colophonians, and in the interior Colophon4043 itself, past which the river Halesus4044 flows. After this we come to the temple4045 of the Clarian Apollo, and Lebedos4046: the city of Notium4047 once stood here. Next comes the Promontory of Coryceium4048, and then Mount Mimas, which projects 150 miles into the sea, and as it approaches the mainland sinks down into extensive plains. It was at this place that Alexander the Great gave orders for the plain to be cut through, a distance of seven miles and a half, for the purpose of joining the two gulfs and making an island of Erythræ4049 and Mimas. Near Erythræ formerly stood the towns of Pteleon, Helos, and Dorion; we now find the river Aleon, Corynæum, a Promontory of Mount Mimas, Clazomenæ4050, Parthenie4051, and Hippi4052, known by the name of Chytrophoria, when it formed a group of islands; these were united to the continent by the same Alexander, by means of a causeway4053 two stadia in length. In the interior, the cities of Daphnus, Hermesia, and Sipylum4054, formerly called Tantalis, and the capital of Mæonia, where Lake Sale now stands, are now no longer in existence: Archæopolis too, which succeeded Sipylum, has perished, and in their turns Colpe and Libade, which succeeded it.

On returning thence4055 towards the coast, at a distance of twelve miles we find Smyrna4056, originally founded by an Amazon [of that name], and rebuilt by Alexander; it is refreshed by the river Meles, which rises not far off. Through this district run what may almost be called the most famous mountains of Asia, Mastusia in the rear of Smyrna, and Termetis4057, joining the foot of Olympus. Termetis is joined by Draco, Draco running into Tmolus, Tmolus into Cadmus4058, and Cadmus into Taurus. Leaving Smyrna, the river Hermus forms a tract of plains, and gives them its own name. It rises near Dorylæum4059, a city of Phrygia, and in its course receives several rivers, among them the one called the Phryx, which divides Caria from the nation to which it gives name; also the Hyllus4060 and the Cryos, themselves swollen by the rivers of Phrygia, Mysia, and Lydia. At the mouth of the Hermus formerly stood the town of Temnos4061: we now see at the extremity of the gulf4062 the rocks called Myrmeces4063, the town of Leuce4064 on a promontory which was once an island, and Phocæa4065, the frontier town of Ionia.

A great part also of Æolia, of which we shall have presently to speak, has recourse to the jurisdiction of Smyrna; as well as the Macedones, surnamed Hyrcani4066, and the Magnetes4067 from Sipylus. But to Ephesus, that other great luminary of Asia, resort the more distant peoples known as the Cæsarienses4068, the Metropolitæ4069, the Cilbiani4070, both the Lower and Upper, the Mysomacedones4071, the Mastaurenses4072, the Briulitæ4073, the Hypæpeni4074, and the Dioshïeritæ4075.