For all the royal herds of horses are in charge of the Medes, and they possess vast quantities of corn and cattle.
It is difficult indeed to speak in adequate terms of the strength and extent of the district.
<a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Media&groupId=742&placeId=1354">Media</a> lies in central Asia, and looked at as a whole, is superior in size and in the height of its mountain-ranges to any other district in Asia.
Again it overlooks the country of some of the bravest and largest tribes. For outside its eastern border it has the desert plain that separates <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Persia&groupId=871&placeId=1571">Persia</a> from Parthia;
it overlooks and commands the so‑called <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Caspian Gates&groupId=445&placeId=827">Caspian Gates</a>, and reaches as far as the mountains of the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Tapyri&groupId=1003&placeId=1766">Tapyri</a>, which are not far distant from the Hyrcanian Sea.
Its southern portion extends as far as <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mesopotamia&groupId=757&placeId=1377">Mesopotamia</a> and the territory of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Apollonia&groupId=1066&placeId=1873">Apollonia</a> and borders on <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Persia&groupId=871&placeId=1571">Persia</a>, from which it is protected by Mount Sagrus,
a range which has an ascent of a hundred stades, and consisting as it does of different branches meeting at various points, contains in the intervals depressions and deep valleys inhabited by the Cossaei, Corbrenae, Carchi and other barbarous tribes with a high reputation for their warlike qualities.
On the western side it is bounded by the so‑called Satrapies, which are not far distant from the tribes whose territories descend to the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Euxine Sea&groupId=589&placeId=1099">Euxine Sea</a>.
On the north it is surrounded by the Elymaeans, Aniarcae, Cadusii, and Matiani
and overlooks those parts of the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Pontus&groupId=910&placeId=1634">Pontus</a> which join the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Palus&groupId=830&placeId=1500">Palus</a> Maeotis.
<a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Media&groupId=742&placeId=1354">Media</a> itself has several mountain chains running across it from east to west between which lie plains full of towns and villages.
Walbank Commentary