Part #19 - "India beyond the Ganges" - the Indochina Penninsula
Time Period: 2nd century AD (or earlier?)
We do not know how up to date Ptolemy's sources were in the first place (though obviously between the 4th century BC and the 2nd century AD), and we do not know where Ptolemy got all his data from. The names must be assumed to be heavily corrupted (at least native language to Sanskrit to Greek, probably more). Nonetheless, Ptolemy gives, especially for this extreme distances (Singapore is located 8400 kilometers away from Alexandria, it is in fact the farthest recognizable point on the map!) incredibly accurate data in terms of coordinates.
The "Cirrhadeorum" Region
This region very roughly corresponds with the Chittagong region of Bangladesh.
"Pentapolis" - "Five Cities"
Catabae River Mouth (possibly the Karnaphuli River)
Bracura Trading Post
Tocofannae River
The Silver Region
This region corresponds with the coast of Burma.
Samba Town
Mouth of the Sadi River
Sada Town
Berabona Trading Post
Tamalae River
Tamala Town
The Polipsam Promontory - this corresponds with the promontory of Burma located west of the Irrawaddy Delta, approximately at 15°58' N 94°15' E.
Sarabaco Bay (the Gulf of Martaban)
Sabaca Town
Besyngae River (possibly the Irrawaddy River) and Besyngae Town
Berobae Town (presumably meant as "Town of the Berobae tribe")
Berobae Promontory (the promontory at 13°35'N 98° 8' E ) - located significantly farther south than the town.
The Golden Penninsula (Aure Cherosonesus)
This region corresponds with the Malaya penninsula, that is the panhandles of Burma and Thailand, as well as the continental part of Malaysia.
Tacola Trade Post - somewhere in the Tanintharyi Region
Tacola Promontory - given the distortion of the penninsula, it's difficult to tell, but Ptolemy may be refering to Phuket.
Cryolanae River - located somewhere at the western coast of Malaysia.
Sabana Trade Post - Ptolemy gives it as the southernmost spot, which would interestingly correspond with Singapore.
Palandae River - possibly the Rompin river (it's located at an indent at the east coast, making it the most logical choice).
Malecolon Promontory - possibly at Bukit Tanjung Gelang or Kijal.
Colipolis - somewhere in northeastern Malaysia.
Perimula - somewhere along the coast of the Thailand Panhandle (if Ptolemy's coordinates are accurate, which is doubtful, it would be at the same latitude as the Tacola Promontory.
"Perimulicus Bay" (Gulf of Thailand)
This region covers the coastal strip from Thailand towards Vietnam. The Ptolemy gives the following places (west to east):
Samarada - near the location of Bangkok
Pagala
Sobani River Mouth
Tipinobasli Trading Post
Acadra
Zabae Town
The Great Bay (Magnus Sinus - South China Sea and Gulf of Tonkin)
This region covers the eastern coast of Vietnam and possibly the coast of Guangxi. For this region, Ptolemy gives the following places, south to north:
Great Promontory - This corresponds with the southern tip of Vietnam at 8°39' N, 104° 53' E. This is also the last point that is readily identifiable by geographic features.
Tagora
Balonga Metropolis
Troana
Droana River Mouth
Cortata metropolis
Sinda Town
Pagrasa
Doriae River Mouth (The Red River?)
Aganegara
Seri River Mouth - if Ptolemy's coordinates can be given any credibility this far away, this river should be located at the Guangxi province of China.
An Interpretation of Ptolemy's Data
In general, we know relatively little about this time period in Southeast Asia. Generally, the region was culturally and religiously heavily influenced by India.
- In the area of Burma, there were the city states of the Pyu people.
- In the area of Cambodia, as well as adjacent areas towards the west (including the northern parts of the Malayan Penninsula), the Khmer-speaking Funan Kingdom was situated.
- in the area of southern Vietnam, there may have been ancestors of the later Cham-speaking peoples. However, the later kingdom of Champa was not founded yet.
- the northern areas of Vietnam were part of the Chinese Han Dynasty.
Based on that, we get the following picture:
- The Silver Region and the western part of the Sarabaco Bay would have been within the realm of influence of the Pyu city states.
- The northern parts of the Golden Penninsula as well as the Perimulicus Bay were probably part of the Funan Kingdom.
- The southern parts of the "Great Bay" labeled by Ptolemy would be in Cham areas, whereas the northern areas would be part of the Han Dynasty.
Time Period: 2nd century AD (or earlier?)
We do not know how up to date Ptolemy's sources were in the first place (though obviously between the 4th century BC and the 2nd century AD), and we do not know where Ptolemy got all his data from. The names must be assumed to be heavily corrupted (at least native language to Sanskrit to Greek, probably more). Nonetheless, Ptolemy gives, especially for this extreme distances (Singapore is located 8400 kilometers away from Alexandria, it is in fact the farthest recognizable point on the map!) incredibly accurate data in terms of coordinates.
The "Cirrhadeorum" Region
This region very roughly corresponds with the Chittagong region of Bangladesh.
"Pentapolis" - "Five Cities"
Catabae River Mouth (possibly the Karnaphuli River)
Bracura Trading Post
Tocofannae River
The Silver Region
This region corresponds with the coast of Burma.
Samba Town
Mouth of the Sadi River
Sada Town
Berabona Trading Post
Tamalae River
Tamala Town
The Polipsam Promontory - this corresponds with the promontory of Burma located west of the Irrawaddy Delta, approximately at 15°58' N 94°15' E.
Sarabaco Bay (the Gulf of Martaban)
Sabaca Town
Besyngae River (possibly the Irrawaddy River) and Besyngae Town
Berobae Town (presumably meant as "Town of the Berobae tribe")
Berobae Promontory (the promontory at 13°35'N 98° 8' E ) - located significantly farther south than the town.
The Golden Penninsula (Aure Cherosonesus)
This region corresponds with the Malaya penninsula, that is the panhandles of Burma and Thailand, as well as the continental part of Malaysia.
Tacola Trade Post - somewhere in the Tanintharyi Region
Tacola Promontory - given the distortion of the penninsula, it's difficult to tell, but Ptolemy may be refering to Phuket.
Cryolanae River - located somewhere at the western coast of Malaysia.
Sabana Trade Post - Ptolemy gives it as the southernmost spot, which would interestingly correspond with Singapore.
Palandae River - possibly the Rompin river (it's located at an indent at the east coast, making it the most logical choice).
Malecolon Promontory - possibly at Bukit Tanjung Gelang or Kijal.
Colipolis - somewhere in northeastern Malaysia.
Perimula - somewhere along the coast of the Thailand Panhandle (if Ptolemy's coordinates are accurate, which is doubtful, it would be at the same latitude as the Tacola Promontory.
"Perimulicus Bay" (Gulf of Thailand)
This region covers the coastal strip from Thailand towards Vietnam. The Ptolemy gives the following places (west to east):
Samarada - near the location of Bangkok
Pagala
Sobani River Mouth
Tipinobasli Trading Post
Acadra
Zabae Town
The Great Bay (Magnus Sinus - South China Sea and Gulf of Tonkin)
This region covers the eastern coast of Vietnam and possibly the coast of Guangxi. For this region, Ptolemy gives the following places, south to north:
Great Promontory - This corresponds with the southern tip of Vietnam at 8°39' N, 104° 53' E. This is also the last point that is readily identifiable by geographic features.
Tagora
Balonga Metropolis
Troana
Droana River Mouth
Cortata metropolis
Sinda Town
Pagrasa
Doriae River Mouth (The Red River?)
Aganegara
Seri River Mouth - if Ptolemy's coordinates can be given any credibility this far away, this river should be located at the Guangxi province of China.
An Interpretation of Ptolemy's Data
In general, we know relatively little about this time period in Southeast Asia. Generally, the region was culturally and religiously heavily influenced by India.
- In the area of Burma, there were the city states of the Pyu people.
- In the area of Cambodia, as well as adjacent areas towards the west (including the northern parts of the Malayan Penninsula), the Khmer-speaking Funan Kingdom was situated.
- in the area of southern Vietnam, there may have been ancestors of the later Cham-speaking peoples. However, the later kingdom of Champa was not founded yet.
- the northern areas of Vietnam were part of the Chinese Han Dynasty.
Based on that, we get the following picture:
- The Silver Region and the western part of the Sarabaco Bay would have been within the realm of influence of the Pyu city states.
- The northern parts of the Golden Penninsula as well as the Perimulicus Bay were probably part of the Funan Kingdom.
- The southern parts of the "Great Bay" labeled by Ptolemy would be in Cham areas, whereas the northern areas would be part of the Han Dynasty.
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