38.15
From
Cibyra the army was led through the district of Sinda, and after crossing the
Caularis formed camp. The following day they marched past the Caralite
marshes and made a halt at Madamprum. On their further advance towards
Lacos the inhabitants fled from the city, and finding it devoid of men but
filled with abundance of every kind, the Romans sacked it. Then they went
on to the sources of the Lysis and the following day reached the Cobulatus.
The Termessians had captured the city of Isionde and were now attacking
the citadel. Shut up within their walls the only hope left to them was help
from the Romans. They sent to the consul to implore his assistance; shut up
in their citadel with their wives and children, they were daily looking forward
to death either by sword or famine. The consul gladly seized the pretext for a
march into Pamphylia, and raised the siege, granting peace to Termessus on
the payment of 50 talents of silver. Aspendus and the other cities in
Pamphylia were treated in the same way. Leaving Pamphylia and resuming
his march he encamped at the river Taurus, and the next day at a place called
Xyline Come. From there he marched continuously till he reached the city of
Cormasa. The next city to this was Dursa, which they found deserted by the
panic-stricken inhabitants, but abundantly supplied with all manner of stores.
On his advance past the marshes a deputation came to him from Lysinoe to
surrender their city. From this point he entered the territory of Sagalassus, a
fertile district rich in all kinds of fruits. Its Pisidian inhabitants are by far the
best soldiers in that part of the world. Their military superiority, the
fruitfulness of their soil, their large population, and the situation of their
exceptionally strong city make them a brave people. As no envoys appeared
when the consul reached their frontiers, he sent out plundering parties into
their fields. At last, as they saw their crops carried off and their cattle driven
away, their stubbornness yielded. The envoys whom they sent agreed to pay
a fine of 50 talents, 20,000 medimni of wheat and an equal amount of barley,
and on these terms they obtained peace. Making a further advance to the
source of the Rhotris he encamped at a village called Acoridos Come. The
next day Seleucus arrived from Apamea. The consul sent the sick and all the
baggage which was not needed to Apamea, and after being supplied with
guides by Seleucus, he marched into the plain of Metropolis, and the next
day to Dyniae in Phrygia. A further advance brought him to Synnada. All the
cities round had been deserted by their inhabitants, and the army was so
heavily laden with the booty from these places that they took a whole day to
traverse the five miles to Old Beudi, as it is called. His next halt was at
Anabura; the day following he encamped at the source of the Alander, and
on the third day at Abassium. As he had now reached the frontiers of the
Tolostobogii he remained encamped for several days.
