Menounthias

Information from the Periplus

Ancient Toponym: Menounthias
Place Type: Unspecified
Route: Western route
Next on Route: Rhapta
Ancient Area: Africa
Periplus Chapter: PME, Ch. 15

Topographic info

Longitude 39.316667
Latitude -6.133333
Location Source: Pleiades

Modern Identification: Zanzibar
Modern Country: Tanzania

Passage from the Periplus

Beyond Opone, with the coast trending more to the south, first come what are called the Small and Great Bluffs of Azania . . . , six runs by now due southwest, then the Small and Great Beaches for another six, and beyond that, in a row, the runs of Azania: first the so-called Sarapion run; then the Nikon; after that numerous rivers and also harbors, one after the other, numbers of them separated by daily stops and runs, seven in all, up to the Pyralaoi Islands and what is called the Canal; from here a little more towards the west, after two night and day runs, lying due west…comes Menuthias Island, about 300 stades from the mainland. It is low and wooded and has rivers, a wide variety of birds, and mountain tortoise. There are no wild animals at all except crocodiles; these, however, are not harmful to humans. The island has sewn boats and dugout canoes that are used for fishing and for catching turtles. The inhabitants of this island also have their own way of going after these with baskets, which they lower instead of nets around the mouths of [? rocky inlets]. (from the Casson translation)

Bibliography

Ancient source: nan

Bibliography: nan