Aualitēs

Information from the Periplus

Ancient Toponym: Aualitēs
Place Type: Port of trade
Route: Western route
Next on Route: Malaō
Ancient Area: Africa
Periplus Chapter: PME, Ch. 7

Topographic info

Longitude 42.733333
Latitude 13.016667
Location Source: Pleiades

Modern Identification: Zeyla
Modern Country: Somaliland

Passage from the Periplus

By now the Arabian Gulf [Red Sea] trends eastward and at Avalites is at its narrowest. After about 4000 stades on an eastward heading along the same coast, come the rest of the ports of trade of the Barbaroi, those called “far-side,” lying in a row and offering, by way of anchorages and roadsteads, suitable mooring when the occasion calls. The first is called Avalites; at it the crossing from Arabia to the other side is shortest. At this place there is a small port of trade, namely Avalites, where rafts and small craft put in. It offers a market for: assorted glass stones; some of the unripe olives that come from Diospolis; assorted articles of clothing for the Barbaroi, cleaned by fulling; grain; wine; a little tin. Exports from here, with the transport across to Okelis and Muza on the opposite shore at times carried out by the Barbaroi on rafts, are: aromatics; a little ivory; tortoise shell; a minimal amount of myrrh but finer than any other. The Barbaroi who inhabit the place are rather unruly. (from the Casson translation)

Bibliography

Ancient source: nan

Bibliography: Sprenger, Aloys. Die alte Geographie Arabiens als Grundlage der Etwicklungsgeschichte des Semitismus, 1875, 329