XIII.] HIS STATISTICAL GEOGRAPHY. 265
The fact is that, in order to estimate this portion of Pliny's
Natural History in an appreciative spirit, we must regard it not
so much from the point of view of geography as
from that of statistics. For the illustration of the
latter of these subjects he had access to the official
records relating to the provinces of the empire, and especially to
the smaller districts into which they were subdivided for ad-
ministrative and judicial purposes. The material which was thus
provided furnished him not only with the names of towns, but
also with an account of their municipal status, as colonies or
otherwise, when there was anything in this that called for notice.
The most interesting additions to geographical knowledge
which were made by Pliny are to be found in his
description of Asia. He draws attention to the
parallel courses of the ranges of Libanus and
Antilibanus, and the origin of the Orontes near Heliopolis
(Baalbec) in the interval between them1. His account of the
Jordan also, with its source at Paneas, its passage through the
lake of Gennesaret, and its final disappearance in the Dead Sea,
is graphic and almost poetical, and in the same connexion he
introduces a striking notice of the Jewish sect of the Essenes.
" The river Jordan rises from the fountain of Paneas, which has
given its distinctive name to the city of Caesareia,
of which we shall speak hereafter (i.e. Caesareia
Paneas). It is a delightful stream, with many windings as far as
the nature of the country allows, and is a blessing to those who
dwell on its banks; so it seems to make its way unwillingly
towards the Lacus Asphaltites (Dead Sea), a region of repellent
aspect, by which at last it is absorbed, when its beneficent current
loses itself in those noxious waters. This is why, as soon as a
depression of the ground occurs, it discharges itself into the lake
commonly called Genesara, which is sixteen miles in length and
six in breadth, with charming towns on its banks on every side—
towards the east those of Julias and Hippus, towards the south
Tarichaea, a name which some persons apply also to the lake, and
towards the west Tiberias, which is a health resort on account of
its hot springs.
* #.^.,5.77,80.