Erythras
| Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R) |
Erythras was an Arabian place mentioned by Pliny[1].
Variants
Jat Gotras Namesake
Mention by Pliny
Pliny[2] mentions Arabia....Opposite to this place, in the main sea, lies the island of Ogyris32, famous for being the burial-place of king Erythras33; it is distant from the mainland one hundred and twenty miles, being one hundred and twelve in circumference. No less famous is another island, called Dioscoridu34, and lying in the Azanian Sea35; it is distant two hundred and eighty miles from the extreme point of the Promontory of Syagrus36.
32 Hardouin and Ansart think that under this name is meant the island called in modern times Mazira or Maceira.
33 There seem to have been three mythical personages of this name; but it appears impossible to distinguish the one from the other.
34 Or "Dioscoridis Insula," an island of the Indian Ocean, of considerable importance as an emporium or mart, in ancient times. It lay between the Syagrus Promontorium, in Arabia, and Aromata Promontorium, now Cape Guardafui, on the opposite coast of Africa, somewhat nearer to the former, according to Arrian, which cannot be the case if it is rightly identified with Socotorra, 200 miles distant from the Arabian coast, and 110 from the north-east promontory of Africa.
35 So called from Azania, or Barbaria, now Ajan, south of Somauli, on the mainland of Africa.
36 Now Cape Fartash, in Arabia.