Book 11
14.9
There are mines of gold in the Hyspiratis,Groskurd proposes Syspiritis. near Caballa. Alexander sent Menon to the mines with a body of soldiers, but he was strangledἀ πήγχθη. Meineke. by the inhabitants of the country. There are other mines, and also a mine of Sandyx as it is called, to which is given the name of Armenian colour, it resembles the Calche.It is doub ful whether this colour was red, blue, or purple.
14.9
This country is so well adapted, being nothing inferior in this respect to Media, for breeding horses, that the race of Nesean horses, which the kings of Persia used, is found here also; the satrap of Armenia used to send annually to the king of Persia 20,000 foals at the time of the festival of the Mithracina. Artavasdes, when he accompanied Antony in his invasion of Media, exhibited, besides other bodies of cavalry, 6000 horse covered with complete armour drawn up in array.
14.9
Not only do the Medes and Armenians, but the Albanians also, admire this kind of cavalry, for the latter use horses covered with armour.
14.10
Of the riches and power of this country, this is no slight proof, that when Pompey imposed upon Tigranes, the father of Artavasdes, the payment of 6000 talents of silver, he immediately distributed the money among the Roman army, to each soldier 50 drachmae, 1000 to a centurion, and a talent to a Hipparch and a Chiliarch.
