Leukē Kōmē

Information from the Periplus

Ancient Toponym: Leukē Kōmē
Place Type: Harbor
Route: Eastern route
Next on Route: Katakekaumene Island
Ancient Area: Arabia
Periplus Chapter: PME, Ch. 19

Topographic info

Longitude 38.058194
Latitude 24.088264
Location Source: nan

Modern Identification: Yanbu’ al-bahr
Modern Country: Saudi Arabia

Passage from the Periplus

To the left of Berenice, after a voyage of two or three runs eastward from Myos Hormos past the gulf lying alongside, there is another harbor with a fort called Leuke Kome [“white village”], through which there is a way inland up to Petra, to Malichus, king of the Nabataeans. This harbor also serves in a way the function of a port of trade for the craft, none large, that come to it loaded with freight from Arabia. For that reason, as a safeguard there is dispatched for duty in it a customs officer to deal with the (duty of a) fourth on incoming merchandise as well as a centurion with a detachment of soldiers. (from the Casson translation)

Bibliography

Ancient source: nan

Bibliography: Ingraham (1981). Saudi Arabian comprehensive survey program: preliminary report on a reconnaissance survey of the northwestern province (with a note on a brief survey of the northern province), Vol. 5, p. 58-84: 76-77