Part #18 - Supplementary on Pre-Roman Hispania (Ora Maritimae / Massaliote Periplus)
Time Period: 6th century BC
This installment is a bit problematic, and technically this is an understatement. In the 4th century AD, Avienus wrote a poem called "Ora Maritimae", which is based on a journal from the 6th century BC which is called the "Massaliote Periplus", which was a Massilian travel journal of the coasts of the Iberian penninsula. Now, the original journal is unfortunately lost to us, and it is obviously it's almost a thousand years between the journal and the poem. It is therefore doubtful that place and ethnic names would be faithfully transmitted. So, although we should take this with a grain of salt, we nonetheless might get a vague glimpse on the Iberian penninsula in the 6th century BC, which is why I wanted to include this information here. Note that this isn't just including the Iberian coast, but also parts of the coast of Gaul. Names that are in quotation marks are uncertain in their identification.
The Tartessian Strait - the strait of Gibraltar. The more common name in Antiquity was the "Pillars of Hercules", which is also found in the Ora Maritimae.
Calpe - The Rock of Gibraltar
Abila - Monte Hacho, Ceuta. The rock on the African side of the Straight of Gibraltar which is the counterpart to the rock of Gibraltar.
"Oestrymnicus" (it's denizens called Ostrymnides) - the term used for the Atlantic Coast. Apparently, not explicitly the Iberian Atlantic Coast, but it may refer to the entire Atlantic Coast. According to Avienus, these "Ostrymnides" were the original inhabitants of the region, until they were driven out by "the serpent", which apparently is a metaphor for invader peoples that arrived on the Iberian penninsula.
"Ophiussa" - "Snake Land". Another term used for the Atlantic region.
"Ligurians and Dragani" - Interestingly, as they are otherwise recorded, the Ligurians lived in northern Italy (where the region of Liguria still bears their name) as well as southeastern Gaul, yet in the Ora Maritimae, they are clearly placed on the Iberian penninsula. The "Dragani" are again a pun on the "serpents". Avienus places them along a "snowy ridge in the north". It is possible that he refers to the Cantabrians.
"Poetanion" - possibly the Ilha do Pessegueiro off the coast of Portugal. Avienus mentions it adjacent to a coast of the Sefes.
Malacaea - modern Malaga, a Phoenician colony.
"Sefes or Saefes" - a tribe living along the western coast, possibly the central Portugal.
"Cempsi" - a tribe living along the Atlantic coast, between the Sefes and the Cynetes.
Cynetes - the ("Tartessian"-speaking) people living in the Algarve region. Avienus gives the Ana river (Guadiana) as the border to the Tartessian territory.
Sacred Promontory - this refers to the Algarve promontory, which was typically depicted much larger in ancient maps. It should be noted that Ptolemy uses the same term.
Tartessos River - Avienus talks about a "Tartessos river", which, with all likelihood is the Guadalquivir, which commonly in Antiquity was called the Baetis, however. Interestingly, Avienus mentions that the territory of the Iberians begins at this river and extends all the way to the Pyrenees.
Gadir - modern Cadiz, a Phoenician colony. According to Avienus, the same as the city of Tartessos, and calls it an "opulent city of old age, but now a former shadow of herself".
"Cilbiceni" - an ethnic group living at the Cilbus river, which is usually identified as the Guadalete river.
"Etmanei" - a tribe living upstream along the Tartessos river.
"Ileates" - a people living north of the Etmanei (further upstream the river?), also bordering on the Cempsi.
"Massieni" - An ethnic group (ostensibly Iberians) living somewhere along the southern coast, adjacent to Phoenician settlements. This would place them approximately into the same area as the Bastetani.
Libicophoenices - "Libyan" (that is, African) Phoenicians. In other words, the Carthaginians. Avienus mentions settlements along the southern coast.
"Herna" - a Tartessian city mentioned by Avienus that it used to be located somewhere in/near Massieni territory.
Gymnetes - the inhabitants of the Balearic Isles.
"Ceretes and Ausoceretes" - tribes which according to Avienus formerly inhabited the lands now inhabited by the Iberians.
Hiberi - the Iberians (not to be confused with the Hibernians, which would be the Irish). The "Hiber" river is also mentioned, which is almost certainly the Ebro river.
Tarraco - Tarragona. This is clearly an anachronism, and an exonym, since the city was probably called "Kesse" or "Cissa" in the Iberian language.
Sordiceni - probably the Sordones, an Iberian tribe, living in the Rousillion area.
"Pyrene" - a town which according to Avienus once lay in the territory of the Sordiceni. It may be the same as the "Pyrene" mentioned by Herodotus, who in turn placed "Pyrene" near the source of the Danube. However, said city can be identified with the archaeological remains of the "Heuneburg" (see the entry on
Vindelicia), which actually
is located near the source of the Danube. OTOH, the name "Pyrene" would suggest a connection with the Pyrenees. Again, it is highly probable that Herodotus was confusing these two places.
Indigetes - an Iberian tribe.
"Ilerda" - a city mentioned to be located in/near the Pyrenees. Avienus calls it the "First City" of the Iberians.
Rhosycnus - probably the same as the Ruscionis river mentioned by Ptolemy, which would be the Tet River.
"Berybraces" - a tribe also mentioned living in the upper Ebro river region. The name
might be a severe corruption of the name "Arevaci". If that is the case, the Berybraces were Celtiberians.
"Tyris or Tyrin" - a town mentioned by Avienus to be located at the river of the same name, which could be the Tiron, which is a tributary of the Ebro.
Hemeroscopium or Hemeroskopion - a Greek colony, modern Denia, Valencia.
Massilia - (modern Marseilles) the Greek colony.
Salyes - a Ligurian tribe, living near the Rhone area.
