Note 63 — Chapter VIII

In the preface to the second volume of Burckhardt’s Travels in Syria, the discovery of the site of Apamea is attributed to that gentleman, who was not, however, active enough to go in search of the ruins, which are not difficult to find. I, unluckily, was not aware that these ruins had not been seen or described by any modern traveller, and therefore did not make so correct an account of them as I otherwise should have done. The situation does not accord entirely with Strabo’s description. He says (l. xvi.)—“Apamea stands in a level hollow, as it were on an island, made by the Orontes and two adjoining lakes.” Strabo argues that it was once a very great city, because it was called by the Macedonians Pella, and Pella was their capital. For Apamea, see also Sozomeni Hist. vii. 15. Pococke says (because he did not chance to hit on these ruins)—“Upon the whole, it is not certain where Apamea was situated.”