Perfis. PERSIS, bounded on the north by Media; on the weft by Sufiana on the east by the Carmanias; on the fouth h PTOL. lib. vi. c. 4. interpretation of the true name of this city, than the real name thereof; but then what name this was in the Parthian language, we pretend not to fay, it not having been recorded by any author we have met with. In refpect to what has been obferved, in the text, of Spauhawn's being founded on the ruins of the antient Hecatompylos, there are many authorities to bear us out, though we do not find any certain grounds whereon to found this opiniou (51). It is unanimously acknowleged, that the prefent city is of no great antiquity; and the two parts into which it is divided preferve the names of two contiguous towns, from the junction of which it is formed: these are Heider, and Neamet-Olabi. The inhabit ants of these places, notwithftanding their neighbourhood, bore a mortal hatred to each other, which they have tranfmitted to their fucceffors, who, tho' they live in the fame city, fhew notwithstanding, on all public occafions, a warm and inveterate antipathy one to wards the other. Some, indeed, afcribe this enmity to another cause they fay, that Heider, and Neamet-Olabi, are the names of two princes who reigned antiently over Perfia, by and who divided their subjects into two parties; which are faid to have fubfifted ever fince, not only in Spauhawn, but in all the towns of Perfia. Such as fay this, however, own that the city we are speaking of was compofed of two diftinct towns, called by them Deredechte and Joubare. It may be wondered, that their magiftrates, in the course of ages, have not fubdued these unnatural feuds, for which no good reafon can be affigned, except that which our author intimates (52); viz. the gain which thofe magiftrates made of their frequent quarrels and broils. It is not very clear at what time the towns before-mentioned were united, or when this city received the name by which it is now known. Some fay this happened before the reign of the famous Timour Beg, corruptly called Tamerlane, who deftroyed it twice. Certain it is, that Spaubawn owes the glory it now poffeffes to the great bah Abbas, who, after the conqueft of the kingdoms of Lar and Ormus, charmed with the fituation of this place, made it the capital of his empire, between the year 1620 and 1628. There is, perhaps, no city in the world, (51) Herbert's travels in Harris's collect. vol. i. p. 431. Holftein embaffadors travels in the Jame collection, vol. ii. p. 79. Carreri voyag. tom. ii. p. 85. (52) Tavernier voyag, tom. i. 1. iv. c. 5. p. 43 4. Chardin, tom. ii. p. 6. Carreri, ubi fupra. Le Brun voy. tom. i. p. 197, the by the Perfian gulf, called now Pars or Phars; antiently inhabited by the Mefabata, Rapfii, Hippophagi, Suzai, Megores, the name of which is fo differently written as this of the capital of Perfia (53). Among Europeans it is ufually written Hifpahan, or Ifpaban; it is alfo called Spaha, Spachea, Afpahan, Izpaan, and Spabon. The Nubian geographer calls it Afbahawn; and the Perfians themselves pronounce it as it is written in the text, Spauhawn; which orthography we have taken the freedom to introduce, fince the beft writers are divided on this head: Tavernier, and Sir John Chardin, write it Ifpahan, Dr. Gemelli Carreri, Spahon; M. le Brun, Spahan: but all thefe authors agree, that the inhabitants pronounce it in the manner we have fpelled it. The etymology of the word is no lefs difficult to be difcovered, than the manner in which it fhould be written. Before the time of Tamerlane, it is faid to have been called Sipahan, from the prodigious number of its inhabitants; Sipe, in the old Perfic, and Ubeque language, fignifying an army; and the plural thereof, Sipahan, confequently fignifying armies. Another derivation there is from an Arabic word, fignify ing a battalion (54). But it is time to quit thefe dry inquiries for fomething more useful, as well as more entertaining, fince, in the defcription of Perfia, it would be an unpardonable fault to omit an exact account of its capital, especially as we are so well furnished with noble materials in the travels of Sir Thomas Herbert, the Holftein embassadors, M. Tavernier, Sir John Chardin, Dr. Gemelli Carreri, M. le Brun, and others. Chardin, and le Brun, have each of them given us a copious defcription thereof, adorned with copper-plates; from whence it is as easy to form a juft idea of it, as of London orParis. All who fpeak of Spauhawn, are agreed that nothing can be more beautiful in nature than the fituation thereof: it ftands in a plain fpacious and fertile, furrounded with mountains, which defend it alike from the fultry heats of fummer, and the piercing winds of the winter-feafon. Through this plain run feveral rivers, which water Spauhawn, and contribute alike to its ornament and use. The firft of thefe is the river Zenderoud, over which there are three fine bridges. This river takes its rife in the mountains of Jayabat, three days journey from the city, and is but a fmall ftream of itfelf; but Abbas the Great cut a chanel, whereby he brought a brifker and more confiderable ftream to fall into this river, for the greater convenience of his favourite metropolis; by which contrivance the Zenderoud is as broad at Spauhawn in the fpring, as the Scine is at (53) Holftein embajadors travels. Tavernier voy. ubi fupra. Carreri, fupra, p. 86. (54) Holfte in ambassadors travels, abi jupra. ubi Paris Megores, Stabæi, &c. Antient cities of note were Perfe palis, the noble metropolis of the antient Perfian empire; Axima; Paris in the winter. The united waters of thefe rivers are fweet, pleasant, and wholfome, almost beyond comparifon, as indeed are all the fprings which are found in the gardens belonging to the houfes of Spauhawn. The river brought by Abbas into the Zenderoud is called Mahmoud. We fhall have occafion to fpeak both of it, and the Zenderoud, in another place. Befides thefe, there are two more ftreams, which run very near each other, and are both comprehended under the name of Abcorrenge: one of thefe is pretty confiderable, its waters being at all times deep, and, generally fpeaking, equal; for which reafon several attempts have been made to bring it to enter the Zenderoud. King Tahmas, in the fixteenth century, expended an exceffive fum of money on a project of this fort, without fuccefs: Abbas the Great did the fame thing, on another project, but with out effect; which did not, however, difcourage Abbas the fecond from twice endeavouring at the fame thing, in which likewife failing, it is now looked on as a thing impracticable (55). The extent of Spauhawn is very great, not Jefs perhaps than twenty miles within the walls: thefe are of earth, poorly built, and fo covered with houfes, and fhaded (55) Chardin voy. tom. ii. p, 2, 3. with gardens, that, in many places, it is a difficult thing to difcover them; which is a defect not peculiar to this city, but is common to most of the great towns in Perfia; whence many travellers have been led to reprefent them as not walled at all. The Perfians themfelves are wont to fay, Spauhawn nifpe gebon; i. e. Spauhawn is half the world. It is certainly a very large and populous city: but never were there feen wider accounts than thofe which different authors give us of the number of fouls in this city. Sir Thomas Herbert fays, in his time there were 200,000 (56): fir John Chardin fays, that some have reckoned eleven hundred thoufand (57); but he is himself of opinion, that it is not more populous than London. At a diftance the city is not eafily diftinguifhed; for the streets being many of them adorned with plantanes, and every houfe having its garden, the whole looks like a wood. The ftreets, in general, are neither broad nor convenient, there being three great evils which attend them; the first is, that, being built on common fewers, thefe are frequently broke up, which is very dangerous, confidering that most people ride; the fecond is, that there are frequent wells, or pits, in the streets, which are no lefs dan (56) Ubi fupra. (57) Ubi fupra. gerous; Axima; Marafium, called now Marazu; Toace, the capital of a district of the fame name; Pafargada, a gerous; the third arifes from the people's emptying all their ordure from the tops of their houfes: this laft is indeed, in fome measure, qualified by the drynefs of the air, and by its being quickly removed by the peasants, who carry it away to dung their grounds. Sir John Chardin reckons eight gates; four looking to the east and fouth, and four to the west and north; viz. the gate of Haffen-Abad, the gate of Joubare, called alfo the gate of Abbas,the gate of Seidahmedion, the Dervazedeulet, that is, the imperial gate, the gate of Lom bon, the gate of Tokchi, and the gate Deredechte: he reckons alfo fix pofterns. Other authors fay there are ten gates; but it is agreed, that there is no difficulty of entering Spauhawn at any hour of the day or night. Whoever has a mind to make himfelf perfectly mafter of the names of the streets, and even of the houfes of this vaft city, may fatisfy his curiofity, and be very agreeably entertained, by perufing Chardin's elegant defcription of it, which is at once pleafant and exact, and equally fitted to amufe and to inftruct the reader. The compafs of this note will not allow us fo mach as to abridge his curious account: we fhall therefore content ourselves with mentioning only the principal things in Spauhawn, as they are defcribed by that gentleman, and M. le Brun. To be noble gin then with the royal palace, which is three quarters of a league in circumference; it has fix gates; the first called Ali Kapefie; that is, the gate of Ali; the fecond, Haram Kapefie, or the gate of the feraglio; the third, Moerbag Kapefte, the gate of the kitchen; the fourth, Gandag Kapefie, or the garden-gate,through which none paffes but the king himfelf, and his kapaters, or eu-. nuchs, who attend his women; the fifth, Ghajatganna Kapefie, or the gate of the taylors, because thofe belonging to the king have apartments near it; the fixth, Ghanna Kapefie, or the gate of the fecretary. The grandees of the kingdom, when they go to pay their court, generally enter the palace by the two gates first-mentioned. 2. The Maydoen, which is one of the principal ornaments of this great city: it is a grand market, 710 paces long from east to west, and 210 broad from north to fouth: on the fouth fide stands the royal palace, and on the north the Nachroe-chone, a building wherein are placed the king's band of mufic: on one fide of the Mey-doen ftands the mofque Sjig-lorf-olla, fo called from one of thei doctors, who is reputed a faint; it has a fine dome, adorned with green and blue ftones incrufted with gold, having on the top a pyramid, on which are placed three balls of the fame metal; on the west fide noble city built by Cyrus, and honoured with his tomb i. As to modern cities, there are many of great note; and, 1 TAVERN. Voy. tom. i. 1. iv. cap. 1. p. 412. of the Mey-doen ftands the royal mofque,extremely magnificent: at fome distance from thence appears the gate called Ali Kapefie; and between these stand a range of fine buildings, adorned with porticoes, full of fhops. The middle space is taken up, in a great meafure, with tents, under which all forts of goods are fold; but these are taken away in the evening, to make room for the guards, who, with their great dogs, attend there all night long in this fpace the mountebanks erect ftages, diftribute their packets, and with their antick tricks divert the populace. In the middle ftands a pillar, on the fummit of which the prize is placed, when tournaments are celebrated this prize generally is either a cup of gold, or fomething of the fame value; and none are fuffered to contend for it but perfons of very high quality. On the feaft of Nouroes, or the beginning of the year, all the tents are taken away, and every thing is made clear, for the more commodious celebration of the carou fals which are then performed in the presence of the king, who is feated in a kind of gallery, or theatre, called Talael, very curiously adorned, on the gate of Ali. 3. Next to this noble market-place we ought to mention the principal ftreet of Sparhawn, called Chiaer amongst barg, i. e. four gardens, one of the grandeft ornaments of this city, the fhops therein being wonderfully magnificent, and the disposition thereof, in every respect, convenient and pleasant. 4. From thence runs the bridge of Allawerdie-Chan, over the river Zenderoud, 540 paces long, and 17 broad, built with large ftones: it has three-and-thirty arches, some of which are founded on the fand, which is firm and ftable; and through thefe, when it is high enough, the water flows. There are ninety-three niches upon this bridge, fome fhut, fome open; and the corners thereof are flanked with four towers : it has a wall, or parapet, of brick, with openings at certain distances, which afford the fineft profpect in the world. In the neighbourhood of this bridge are divers pleafurehoufes belonging to the king, and gardens ftored with fruittrees, and adorned with every thing else that can contribute to the making them worthy of their poffeffor. There are fome other bridges, mofques, and public ftructures, which deferve to be particularized, if this note were not already too long let us conclude it then with obferving, that the citadel, or fortrefs, called by the Perfians Tabaroek, is a very mean structure, and in as mean a condition, its walls being in fuch a ruinous ftate, that though |