Sailing Around Erythraean Sea: Forty Eight

The unknown sailor is still in Bharuch, and has been giving an account of different peoples coming from different areas, like Shehdad of Kermam Province of Iran, Kandhar, Afghanistan, Gandhara, Jhelum, the banks of River Amu Darya, and also of kings like Apollodotus and Menander. Look at the next Section:

Inland from this place and to the east, is the city called Ozne, formerly a royal capital; from this place are brought down all things needed for the welfare of the country about Barygaza, and many things of our trade: agate and carnelian, Indian muslin and mallow cloth, and much ordinary cloth. Through this same region and upper country is brought the spikenard that comes through Poclais; that is Caspapyrene and Paropanisene and Cabolitic and that brought through the adjoining country of Scythia; also costus and bdellium.



My Search Results:-

1. Ozne: Most probably Ujjaini. Ozne is its Koine Greek adaptation and Ujjain is its British version. It had been there since sixth century BCE, and was one of sixteen Mahajanapads. Situated on the eastern bank of Shipra river. It is connected to the ancient trade route to the Deccan. Fiefdom in the Gangetic valley began around 600BCE; at first tiny chieftains and later Great Chieftains. Interestingly it came under the rule of Western Satraps, an Indo-Scythian Kingdom from 1st BCE to 35CE. Different sources give different stories about the end of Indo-Scythian rule. Some stories give that they ruled upto 395CE. Anyway, Ozne is an Indo-Greek or Koine Greek term

2. Agate: A kind of chalcedonic used for ornaments.
3. Carnelian: Another kind of chalcedonic stone used in ornaments.
4. Spikenard: An amber coloured perfume oil obtained from the roots of Nardostachys jatamansi plants.
5. Caspapyrene: Greek term for Kashmir.
6. Paropanisene: A mix of Greek and Iranic terms to indicate Pamir, Hindu Kush region.
7. Cabolitic: Kabul region.
8. Costus: A kind of perennial herb, wide through tropical and subtropical regions.
9.Bdellium: A semi transparent oleo gum resin obtained from Commiphora trees growing in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The places mentioned in the Section is in the ancient route, Uttarapada or Northern route. The important centres in the route were Bharuch, Jhelum, Sindh, Kashmir, Kandahar, and Balkh.

End of the Section 



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