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Thus by reciprocal evidences from the most genuine history it appears, that the Cuthites, Ethiopians, and Erythreans were the same people. And it has been shewn, that they had a still more general name of Exular, Scuthai. This, though an incorrect appellation, yet almost universally obtained.

CUTHIA

INDICA,

OR,

SCYTHIA LIMYRICA.

As so much depends upon my clearing up this article, which I have taken in hand; I shall proceed to shew, that not only the Scythæ of Colchis, Moesia, and Thrace, with those upon the Palus Mæotis, were in great measure of the race of Chus but that all nations styled Scythian were in reality Cuthian or Ethiopian. This may be ascertained from the names of places being the same, or similar among them all, from the same customs prevailing; from the same rites and worship, among which was the worship of the sun; and from those national marks, and family characteristics, whence the identity of any people may be proved. I have mentioned, that the Cu

thites sent out many colonies; and, partly by their address and superiority in science, and partly by force, they got access among various nations. In some places they mixed with the people of the country, and were nearly absorbed in their numbers: in other parts they excluded the natives and maintained themselves solely and separate. They are to be met with in the histories of the first ages under different names and titles; being denominated sometimes from the cities which they built; sometimes from the worship which they professed: but the more general name, both of themselves, and of the countries which they occupied, was in the Babylonish dialect Cuth, Cutha, and Cuthia. They were by other nations styled Chus, Chusan, Cusëi; and these terms. again were altered to Casus, Casius, Cissii, and 50 Cissæi.

After they had seized upon the province of Susiana, and Chusistan, they were in possession of the navigation of the Tigris downwards; and, probably commenced a very early trade. They got footing in India, where they extended them

50 Of Kissia in Persis, Eschyl. Pers. v. 16. O te to Exowv, nd3 Εκβατάνων, Και το ΠΑΛΑΙΟΝ Κισσινον ἑρκος. Strabo. 1. 15. p. 1058. AyoTai de naι Kicoli di 280101. Saite in Susia. Plin. Nat. Hist. 1. 1. p. 334.

Έξης που

selves beyond Gedrosia and Carmania, upon the chief river of the country. The author of the Periplus takes notice of them under the name of Scythians; and mentions those places in the east, where they resided. 5 Μετα δε ταυτην χωραν (Ωραιαν) ηδη της ηπειρε, δια το βαθος των κολπων έκ της ανατολης υπερκέρωσης, εκδεχεται παραθαλασσια μέρη της Σκυθιας, παρ' αυτον κείμενα τον βορέαν, ταπεινα λιαν. ταμος Σινθος, μεγιςος των κατα την Ερυθράν θάλασσαν που ταμων, και πλείςον ύδωρ εις θαλασσαν εκβάλλων—ἑπτα δε έτος ὁ ποταμος εχων τοματα. After the country of Ora, the continent now, by reason of the great depth of its gulfs and inlets, forming vast promontories, runs outward to a great degree from the east, and incloses the sea-coast of Scythia, which lies towards the north, that is, in the recess of one of these bays. It is low land, and lies upon the river Sinthus; which is the largest river of any that run into the Erythrean Sea; and affords the greatest quantity of water. I need not mention, that what he calls the Sinthus is the same as the Sindus, or Indus. They occupied also that insular province, called in their language, from its situation, Giezerette, or the island and from their ancestor, as well as from their worship, Cambaiar, or the Bay of Cham,

;

5 Arriani Perip. 2. Geogr. Vet. vol. 1. p. 21.

which name it retains at this day. They settled also upon the promontory Comar, or Comarin; and were lords of the great island Pelæsimunda, called afterwards Seran dive. They were all styled the Southern Scuthæ, of whom the poet Dionysius gives the following description:

52 Ινδον παρ ποταμον νοτιοι Σκύθαι ενναίεσιν,
Ος ῥα τ' Ερυθραίης κατεναντιος εισι θαλασσης,

Τ

Λαβροτατον ῥοον κυν ωεπι νοτον ορθον ελαύνων.

This country is likewise taken notice of by Priscian under the name of Scythia :

53 Est Scythiæ tellus australis flumen ad Indum:

The inhabitants of which country were certainly Cuthians, the posterity of Chus and Ham. Cedrenus expressly mentions them in this light, when he is taking notice of some of the principal Amonian settlements in a passage before quoted:

52 Dionysii Perieg. v. 1088.

53 Priscian. v. 996. The Erythrean Sea is by most writers supposed to be the same as the Arabian Gulf, or Red Sea but Herodotus calls the Persic Gulf Erythrean; and Agathemerus, Dionysius, and the author of the Periplus call the whole Indic Ocean by this name. Many other authors extend it in the same

manner.

τανίας.

56

54 Το δε το Χαμ πλείςα μέχρι και νυν εθνη εσιν εν απο φασια κατα γε τας ΙΝΔΙΑΣ, και Αιθιοπίας και Μαυρι Tavas. That this Scythia was the land of Cutha, may be known from its being styled Ethiopia; under which character it is alluded to by Eusebius, when he speaks of 55 Aidioma й BETσα XαтX 55 Ινδές προς ευρονοτον. The Cuthites worshipped the Patriarch Noah under the name of Nusos, and Dio-nusos: and wherever they came, they built cities to his memory, called Nusa. They also worshipped Chus, under the character of Iachus, Pachus, Bacchus: and their history is always attended with an obscure account of some check which they once received; of a retreat, and dissipation; which is veiled under the notion of the flight of Bacchus. It related to the dispersion at Babel; and is mentioned in the histories of most places where they settled; and was particularly preserved among the traditions of the Indian Cutheans.

54 Cedren. Hist. Compend. vol. 1. p. 14.

55 Eusebii Chron. p. 12.

The arrangement of the oriental nations by Eusebius is very particular: Ελυμαίοι, Άραβες, Αρχαιοι, Κεδρύσιοι, ΣΚΥΘΑΙ, Γυμνο σοφισαι. Chron. p. 11.

56

These are the Ethiopians mentioned by Apuleius, Qui nasentibus Dei Solis inchoantibus radiis illustrantur Æthiopes, Ariique. 1. 11. p. 364.

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