Location.

Boundaries.

SECTION I.

LAND OF TIRAS.

The original settlement of the family of Tiras, has been placed, with great probability, in the northwestern part of Lesser Asia. It is thus located, because the ancient Trojans inhabited that part. Tros, the acknowledged founder and king of the city of Troy, is the same name as Tiras, or contains all the radicals of that name. This Tros is considered, by some, to be Tiras himself, the youngest son of Japheth, or one of his early descendants.

This allotment of the family of Tiras, was bounded on the east, by the land of Gomer-on the south, by the land of Madai-on the west, by the Egæan Seaand on the north, by the Propontis.

EMIGRANTS FROM TIRAS.

First Emigration.

As it is highly probable that the family of Tiras settled in Lesser Asia, in the neighbourhood of their brethren, before they passed over into Europe; so it is reasonable to suppose, that some of them soon crossed the strait between the Propontis, and the

Egæan Sea; and settled in that country, which is

called Thrace.

of the family of

That this was the case-or that some

Tiras, did at an early period settle in Thrace, may be shown from the following considerations.

1. Tiras, is universally allowed to be the father of the Thracians.

2. There is a resemblance between Thrace, and Tiras which may be written Thiras.

3. Several ancient writers mention a district, in the peninsula of Thrace, called Thrasus.

From Thrace, or from the land of Tiras in Lesser Second. Asia, or from both-some of the descendants of the patriarch Tiras, emigrated to the north of the Euxine Sea. Greek and Latin writers mention a river, and a city in that region, under the name of Tiras-and they call the inhabitants of the same country, Tyritæ, or Tyragetæ.

SECTION II.

LAND OF MADAI.

Madai.

It is a very common opinion, that the family of Location. Madai, settled in the country south of the Caspian Sea, called Media, as the Scriptures denote the inhabitants of that country by the name of Madai. But many learned, and judicious writers, on Biblical

Boundaries.

geography, reject this view, and place them among their brethren in Lesser Asia-in the western part of it, on the Ægæan Sea. The following, are among the reasons which they give in support of their opinion.

1. The inhabitants of the country south of the Caspian Sea, and next to Persia, are not called Madai, or Medes, in the early ages of the history of the old Testament. See Media.

2. Madai belonged to the families, by whom the Isles of the Gentiles were divided, in their lands, &c.-Gen. x. 2-5. See Rules 1, 2.

3. A branch of Shem's family, will be found in Asiatic Media, or in its neighbourhood, as the original settlers of the country. See Arphaxad.

4. It is, generally, admitted that the Mosi, Mæsi, Mysi, or Mysians of Europe, and Lesser Asia, are descendants of Madai, the son of Japheth, on account of the affinity of names. The Mosi, Mæsi, Mysi, or Mysians, of Lesser Asia, are more likely to be the

original family, than the

Mysians of Europe, or the Madai of Greater Asia. See Rules 1, 2.

The land of Madai, in Lesser Asia, may be considered as bounded on the east, by the land of Gomer

-on the south, by the land of Javan-on the west, by the Ægæan Sea-and on the north, by the land of Tiras.

EMIGRANTS FROM MADAI.

Some of the family of Madai soon passed into First Emigration. Macedonia, or had their original settlement in it. The ancient name of Macedonia was Emathia, or Emadia-supposed to be from AIA, land, and MADAI, i. e. the land of Madai. An ancient people in that country were called Medi, or Mædi. And Isocrates mentions one Medus, a king in that quarter, before the inhabitants became a Greek nation.

From Macedonia, or Lesser Asia, or from both- Second. a part of the posterity of Madai, is supposed to have settled to the north of Macedonia, and to have given

name to the country called Mœsia, or Mæsia.

Some may have emigrated to Media, in Greater Third. Asia. See Media.

SECTION III.

LAND OF GOMER.

Gomer.

The posterity of Gomer, the eldest son of Japheth, Location. settled in that part of Lesser Asia, which compre. hends the central, northern, and northwestern parts of this district. The following reasons are assigned for this location of his family.

1. Josephus says, that the Galatians, who dwelt in Lesser Asia, were called Gomerites, Antiq.-B. X. c. 7. s. 1. Galatia lay towards the centre of this district.

Boundaries.

Division.

2. Phrygia, from the Gr. PHRUGEIN, to burn, or parch, is supposed by some able critics, to be a name, given, by the Greeks to this country, from its being called Gomer, which signifies, consuming, or consumer. Phrygia included the central part of Lesser Asia, and extended to the north, and northwest.

3. Ancient writers speak of a town in Phrygia called Comara, or Cimmeris-and its inhabitants These words may, obviously, be derived

Comari.

from Gomer.

4. There are indications of the settlements of Gomer's sons in this district.

The land of Gomer was bounded on the east, by Armenia-on the south, by the land of Javan-on the west, by the land of Madai, the land of Tiras, and the Bosphorus of Thrace-and on the north, by the Euxine Sea.

The plantation of Gomer may be divided according to his sons-Gen. x. 3-and their divisions may be designated thus

Location. The family of Ashkenaz, were located in the northern part of the land of Gomer; and, probably,