Page:Early Christianity in Arabia.djvu/20

of Mecca, or Macoraba.^[1] Between this region and the district of Hamyar were the Cassanitæ, who possessed a country rich in gold, which appears to coincide with the Tehama, on the western coast.^[2] Part of this territory, where it adjoined to Sabæa or Hamyar, was occupied by the Chaulanitæ, Carbi, or Cembani, and the Arii, both brave and warlike tribes.^[3] This district is now called Khaulan. The extremity of the continent, where it approaches the coast of Africa, was held by the Catabeni, or Gebanitæ; their capital was Tamna, and they had a port called Ocelis, close on the straits. This district was very productive in frankincense.^[4] From the Cassanitæ and the Catabeni, the district which more particularly bore the name of Hamyar or Saba stretched along the south-eastern coast, as far as the district of the Chatramotitæ or Adramitæ, which coincides both in name and situation with the modern Hadramaut, and whose chief town was Cabatanon.^[5] Between the Chatramotitæ and the Omanitæ was the deep bay of Sachalites, on the southern promontory of which, called Syagrus, was a celebrated port for exporting frankincense and other spices.^[6] The district of the Omanitæ is the modern

1. Bochart, p. 134, &c. Strabo, ibid.
2. Id. p. 156.
3. Pliny. Agatharchidas. Bochart, p. 162, et Geograph. Arabs, ibi cit.
4. Strabo, ibid. Plin. Dionys. Perieg. Bochart, p. 151.
5. Strabo, ibid. Bochart, p. 113.
6. Arrhian, Peripl.