Splendidissimae vero et pervulgatae hae solae sunt tres: Babylon cuius moenia bitumine Samiramis struxit'arcem enim antiquissimus rex condidit Belus'et Ctesiphon, quam Vardanes temporibus priscis instituit, posteaque rex Pacorus, incolarum viribus amplificatam et moenibus, Graeco indito nomine, Persidis effecit specimen summum.
But these three are especially magnificent and widely known: Babylon, whose walls Semiramis built with bitumen (for the ancient king Belus built the citadel), and Ctesiphon, which Vardanes founded long ago; and later king Pacorus strengthened it with additional inhabitants and with walls, gave it a Greek name, and made it the crowning ornament of Persia.
final_alignments\Ammianus_Marcellinus_Book23.json