Barbara (region)
Encyclopedia
Barbara, also referred to as Bilad al-Barbar, was an ancient region on the northern coast of the Horn of Africa
. The area was inhabited by the Eastern Baribah or Barbaroi (Berbers
), as the ancestors of the Somalis
were referred to by medieval Arab
and ancient Greek
geographers, respectively.
Along with the neighboring Habash (Abyssinians) of al-Habash
, the Barbaroi are recorded in the 1st century Greek document the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea
as engaging in extensive commercial exchanges with Egypt
and pre-Islamic Arabia. The travelogue mentions the Barbaroi trading frankincense
, among various other commodities, through their port cities such as Avalites (modern Zeila
). Competent seamen, the Periplus' author also indicates that they sailed throughout the Red Sea
and Gulf of Aden
for trade. The document describes the Barbaroi's system of governance as decentralized, and essentially consisting of a collection of autonomous city-states. It also suggests that "the Berbers who live in the place are very unruly", an apparent reference to their independent streak.
Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa is a peninsula in East Africa that juts hundreds of kilometers into the Arabian Sea and lies along the southern side of the Gulf of Aden. It is the easternmost projection of the African continent...
. The area was inhabited by the Eastern Baribah or Barbaroi (Berbers
Berber people
Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke the Berber language or varieties of it, which together form a branch...
), as the ancestors of the Somalis
Somali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
were referred to by medieval Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
and ancient Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
geographers, respectively.
Along with the neighboring Habash (Abyssinians) of al-Habash
Al-Habash
Al-Habash was an ancient region in the Horn of Africa. Situated in modern-day Ethiopia, it was inhabited by the Habash or Abyssinians, who were the forbears of the Habesha people....
, the Barbaroi are recorded in the 1st century Greek document the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea
Periplus of the Erythraean Sea
The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea or Periplus of the Red Sea is a Greco-Roman periplus, written in Greek, describing navigation and trading opportunities from Roman Egyptian ports like Berenice along the coast of the Red Sea, and others along Northeast Africa and India...
as engaging in extensive commercial exchanges with Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and pre-Islamic Arabia. The travelogue mentions the Barbaroi trading frankincense
Frankincense
Frankincense, also called olibanum , is an aromatic resin obtained from trees of the genus Boswellia, particularly Boswellia sacra, B. carteri, B. thurifera, B. frereana, and B. bhaw-dajiana...
, among various other commodities, through their port cities such as Avalites (modern Zeila
Zeila
Zeila, also known as Zaila , is a port city on the Gulf of Aden coast, situated in the northwestern Awdal region of Somalia.Located near the Djibouti border, the town sits on a sandy spit surrounded by the sea. It is known for its offshore islands, coral reef and mangroves. Landward, the terrain is...
). Competent seamen, the Periplus' author also indicates that they sailed throughout the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
and Gulf of Aden
Gulf of Aden
The Gulf of Aden is located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen, on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and Somalia in the Horn of Africa. In the northwest, it connects with the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, which is about 20 miles wide....
for trade. The document describes the Barbaroi's system of governance as decentralized, and essentially consisting of a collection of autonomous city-states. It also suggests that "the Berbers who live in the place are very unruly", an apparent reference to their independent streak.