Tyndis
Encyclopedia
Tyndis is an ancient sea-port and harbor-town north to Muziris
in the Chera Kingdom, modern day India
on the Malabar Coast
. The exact location of the port is still unknown, modern day Koyilandi is often identified as Tyndis located in the Sangam
Tamil
kingdom of the Cheras
. Tyndis was a major center of trade in South India between the Cheras and the Roman Empire
, next only to Muziris. A branch of the Chera royal family is also said to have established itself at Tyndis.
Periplus of the Erythraean Sea
(53-54) mentions Tyndis as a village (it was a village in that times) in plain sight by the sea, one of the first markets of Damirica (Limyrike) (present-day south India) located 500 stadia north of Muziris.
In Sangam Age Tamil literature, Tyndis appears as Tondi, "It was bounded", says, a poet (Puram 17), "by groves of coconut trees bearing heavy bunches of fruits, a wide expanse of rice fields, verdant hills, bright sandy tracts and a salt river whose glassy waters are covered with flowers of brilliant colours".
Muziris
Muziris is an ancient sea-port in Southwestern India on the Periyar River 3.2 km from its mouth. The derivation of the name Muziris is said to be from "Mucciripattanam," "mucciri" means "cleft palate" and "pattanam" means "city". Near Muziris, Periyar River was branched into two like a...
in the Chera Kingdom, modern day India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
on the Malabar Coast
Malabar Coast
The Malabar Coast is a long and narrow coastline on the south-western shore line of the mainland Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing mountain...
. The exact location of the port is still unknown, modern day Koyilandi is often identified as Tyndis located in the Sangam
Sangam
The Tamil Sangams were assemblies of Tamil scholars and poets that, according to traditional Tamil accounts, occurred in the remote past. Three assemblies are described...
Tamil
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
kingdom of the Cheras
Chera dynasty
Chera Dynasty in South India is one of the most ancient ruling dynasties in India. Together with the Cholas and the Pandyas, they formed the three principle warring Iron Age Tamil kingdoms in southern India...
. Tyndis was a major center of trade in South India between the Cheras and the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, next only to Muziris. A branch of the Chera royal family is also said to have established itself at Tyndis.
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...
(53-54) mentions Tyndis as a village (it was a village in that times) in plain sight by the sea, one of the first markets of Damirica (Limyrike) (present-day south India) located 500 stadia north of Muziris.
In Sangam Age Tamil literature, Tyndis appears as Tondi, "It was bounded", says, a poet (Puram 17), "by groves of coconut trees bearing heavy bunches of fruits, a wide expanse of rice fields, verdant hills, bright sandy tracts and a salt river whose glassy waters are covered with flowers of brilliant colours".
External links
- http://www.kerala.gov.in/history&culture/earlyhistory.htm
- http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/rawdataupload/upload/insa/INSA_1/20005af4_33.pdf