OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.
331
to contain, in the last century, five hundred and chap.
fifty-four cities, sixty thousand villages, and about,_
forty millions of souls." If we compare the ad-ministration of the house of Sassan with that ofthe house of Sefi, the political influence of themagian with that of the mahometan religion,we shall probably infer, that the kingdom ofArtaxerxes contained at least as great a numberof cities, villages, and inhabitants. But it mustlikewise be confessed, that in every age the wantof harbours on the sea-coast, and the scarcity offresh water in the inland provinces, have beenvery unfavourable to the commerce and agri-culture of the Persians ; who, in the calculationof their numbers, seem to have indulged one ofthe meanest, though most common, articles ofnational vanity.
As soon as the ambitious mind of Artaxerxes Recapitu-had triumphed over the resistance of his vassals, jj* 1 ™" £ ehe began to threaten the neighbouring states,who, during the long slumber of his predecessors, »nd Ro-had insulted Persia with impunity. He obtain-pire. 6 ™’ed some easy victories over the wild Scythians and the effeminate Indians; but the Romanswere an enemy, who, by their past injuries andpresent power, deserved the utmost efforts of hisarms. A forty years tranquillity, the fruit of va-
enriched by the resort of the Arabian merchants. (See GeographicNubiens , p. 58, and d'Anville Geographic Ancienne, tom. ii, p. 283). Inthe last age, the whole country was divided between three princes, onemahometan and two idolaters, who maintained their independenceagainst the successors of Shah Abbas . (Voyages de Tavernier, parti, 1. v, p. 635).