Histories

These measurements have been made in this way: a ship will generally accomplish seventy thousand orguiae [*](The Greek o)rguia/ was the length of the outstretched arms, about six feet.) in a long day's voyage, and sixty thousand by night.

This being granted, seeing that from the +Black Sea [38,42] (sea) Pontus' mouth to the +Poti [41.683,42.183] (inhabited place), regions under republican jurisdiction, Georgia, Asia Phasis (which is the greatest length of the sea) it is a voyage of nine days and eight nights, the length of it will be one million one hundred and ten thousand orguiai, which make eleven thousand stades.

From the Sindic region to Themiscura on the Thermodon river (the greatest width of the +Black Sea [38,42] (sea) Pontus) it is a voyage of three days and two nights; that is, of three hundred and thirty thousand orguiai, or three thousand three hundred stades.

Thus have I measured the +Black Sea [38,42] (sea) Pontus and the Karadeniz Bogazi (strait), Istanbul, Marmara, Turkey, AsiaBosporus and Canakkale Bogazi (strait), Canakkale, Marmara, Turkey, Asia Hellespont, and they are as I have said. Furthermore, a lake is seen issuing into the +Black Sea [38,42] (sea) Pontus and not much smaller than the sea itself; it is called the Maeetian lake, and the mother of the +Black Sea [38,42] (sea) Pontus.

After having viewed the +Black Sea [38,42] (sea) Pontus, Darius sailed back to the bridge, whose architect was Mandrocles of +Nisos Samos [26.8,37.75] (island), Samos, Aegean Islands, Greece, Europe Samos; and when he had viewed the Karadeniz Bogazi (strait), Istanbul, Marmara, Turkey, AsiaBosporus also, he set up two pillars of white marble by it, engraving on the one in Assyrian and on the other in Greek characters the names of all the nations that were in his army: all the nations subject to him. The full census of these, over and above the fleet, was seven hundred thousand men, including horsemen, and the number of ships assembled was six hundred.