Periplus of the Erythraean Sea/Date

​ DATE OF THE PERIPLUS, AS DETERMINED BY VARIOUS COMMENTATORS

The dates assigned fall into three groups. The first, which dates the Periplus before Pliny, assumes the trade to have been that which existed under Nero, and includes the possibility that Pliny quoted from or summarized the Periplus in his description of Arabia Felix. The latest date possible under these suppositions is the end of the reign of Malichas, whose inscriptions indicate that he ruled be- tween 40 and 70 A. D.

The second group depends on the identification of Zoscales with Za Hakale in the Abyssinian Chronicle, whose dates were given by Henry Salt as 76 to 89 A. D. The dependence placed on these two dates, on which Salt himself cast doubt, is surprising in view of the fact that he antedated two kings in the list (El Abreha and El Atzbeha) more than 100 years, to bring them within the reigns of the Roman emperors Constantine and Constantius, who are known to have had relations with them; and if so great a liberty can be taken with the monarchs of the fourth century, it seems reasonable to suppose that one of the first century may be a score of years out of his proper order. The supposed confirmation of these dates by mention of contemporary Indian rulers points to an earlier date during the period of their viceroyalties rather than of their reigns.

The third group of identifications depends on the reference in tne text to the “emperors,” assuming this to be a time when there were two Roman emperors reigning jointly. This assumption is entirely unnecessary.

First group:

“In the middle of the first century after Christ, nearly contem- porary with Pliny. ”

Salmasius, Exercitationes Plinianee, 835.

“A little earlier than Pliny.”

Mannert, Geographic der Griechen und Romer aus ihren Schrif- ten dargestellt, Niirnberg, 1799, I, 131.

“Soon after Claudius; about the tenth year of Nero” (which would be 63 A. D.).

Vincent, II, 59.

“Under Claudius or a little later.”

Ukert, Geographic der Griechen und Romer, Weimar, 1816, I, i, 209. ​291

60: A.D?” Benfey, article /ndien in Ersch and Griber’s Encyk/opadie, Sect. II, Vol. 7, p. 90: Leipzig, 1840. Lassen, Indische Alterthumskunde, 11, 538; ILI, 3.

“Unquestionably before Pliny’s Natural History.”’ Schwanbeck, in Rhetnischen Museum, VII, 338.

  • °A little earlier than Pliny, who seems to quote from it; that is,

prior to 77 A. D.’’ Dillmann, in Berichte der K. Preuss. Akad. der Wissenschaften, 1879, pp. 413-429.

“Nearly contemporary with Pliny, written before the dedication of the Natural History in 77 A. D.’’ Fabricius, p. 27.

“56-67 A. D.”’ Glaser, in Ausland, Munchen, 1891, pp. 45-6. Skizze der Geschichte und Geographie Arabiens, Il, 164.

“Next before Pliny.”’ Robertson, Disgutsition on Anctent India.

~60-63. A. D.2? Watt, Commerctal Products of India, p. 371, ete.

“*56-71 A. D., as shown by Glaser.’’

“Before 77 A. D.”’ Speck, Handelsgeschichte des Altertums, 1, 35; III, 2b., 919.

“During the reign of Malik III, King of the Nabatawans, 40-70 AL Vogue, Syrie Centrale: Inscriptions Sémitiques, p. 107. (Paris, 1869. )

“During the reign of Kariba-il Watar Juhan’im, the Homerite King, about 40-70 A. D.”’ Glaser, Die Abessinier in Arabien und Africa, pp. 37-8.

“During the reign of Ili-azzu Jalit, King of the Hadramaut, about 25-65 A. D.’’ Glaser, Die Ahessinier, etc., p. 34.

“‘The author made his voyages at various times between 65 and 75 or 80 A. D. The work was written in the last quarter of the first century A. D.”’

Haig, The Indus Delta Country, 28. ​292

SECOND GROUP: “*80-89 A. D.”’ C. Muller, Geographi Graect Minores, I, xcvi; depending on the doubtful dates given Za Hakale by Henry Salt, in his rearrangement of the Abyssinian Chronicle in 1812. seo Ae ts Be 2 Bunsen, de Azania commentatio philologica, Bonn, 1852. “*80-85 A. D.’’ Vivien de Saint Martin, Histoire de la Géographie et des déecou- vertes geographiques, 1873; also Le Nord de 1? Afrique dans P antiquite grecque et romaine. “*77-89 A. D., as shown by Miller.’’ Bunbury, History of Ancient Geography, Il, 445; London, 1883. ““About 10 years after Pliny’ s death’’ (which occurred in79 A. D.) Tozer, History of Ancient Geography, p. 274: Cambridge, 1897. “About 90 A. D.’’ (referring to Nahapana, the Nambanus of

§ 41), A.-M. Boyer, in Journal Asiatique, Paris, July-Aug., 1897, pp. 120-151. “83-84 A. D.’’ (referring to Sundara Satakarni, the Sandares of § 52). C. R. Wilson, in Journal of the Asiatic Soctety of Bengal, June, 1904.

“Between 77 and 105 A. D.’’ Vincent Smith, Ear/y History of India, p. 371, ete. “Between 80 and 89 A. D.”’ McCrindle, in /ndian Antiquary, VIII, 108-151. “About 85 A. D.” J. F. Fleet, article Epigraphy, in Imperial Gazetteer of India, new edition, II, 76.

THIRD GROUP.

The following belong to the curiosities of criticism, all being based on the ‘‘emperors’’ of § 23:

“In the 2d century A. D., later than 161, under Marcus Aure- lius and Lucius Verus. ” Dodwell, in Hudson’s Geegraphia Veteris Scriptores, pp. 85-105. Heeren, De /naia Romanis cognita, in Commentationes soctetatis regia scientiarum. Gottingen, 1793, XI, 101. ​Page:The Periplus of the Erythræan Sea.djvu/303

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