HINDU PERIOD
gestures, kept close watch throughout the night in the outer chamber, constantly moving round the inner apartment, which was lighted by a handsome lamp."[1] It is evident from this description that Yavana and other Mlechchhas or foreigners were employed as bodyguards by ancient Tamil kings. Mr. Vincent Smith further says: "It is even stated, and no doubt truly, that a temple dedicated to Augustus existed at Muziris. Another foreign (Yavana) colony was settled at Kaviripaddanam, or Pukar, a busy port situated on the eastern coast at the mouth of the northern branch of the Kaviri (Cauveri) river. Both town and harbour disappeared long since, and now lie buried under vast mounds of sand. The poems tell of the importation of Yavana wines, lamps, and vases, and their testimony is confirmed by the discovery in the Nilgiri megalithic tombs of numerous bronze vessels similar to those known to have been produced in Europe during the early centuries of the Christian era, and by statements of the Periplus."
We have now dealt with the numismatic evidences that point unmistakably to the trade of India with Rome. But the fact of this Roman intercourse is further very satisfactorily established by the various references[2] we find in the native
129
