Tabai

Information from the Periplus

Ancient Toponym: Tabai
Place Type: Emergency Harbor
Route: Western route
Next on Route: Opōnē
Ancient Area: Africa
Periplus Chapter: PME, Ch. 12

Topographic info

Longitude 51.255
Latitude 11.750833
Location Source: nan

Modern Identification: Tohen
Modern Country: Somalia

Passage from the Periplus

Beyond this, with the coast by now trending to the south, is the Spice Port and a promontory, the last along the coast of the country of the Barbaroi towards the east, a precipitous one. The harbor, an open roadstead, is dangerous at times, because the site is exposed to the north. A local indication of a coming storm is when the depths become rather turbid and change color; when this happens, all take refuge at the big promontory, a site that offers shelter, called Tabai. The port of trade [sc. the Spice Port] likewise offers a market for the aforementioned. Its products are: cassia, gizeir, asyphe, aroma, magla, moid, frankincense. (from the Casson translation)

Bibliography

Ancient source: nan

Bibliography: nan