1 66 A. D. 73. 



Greeks of Egypt, fupported and encouraged by the power and wealth 

 of the Roman empire, began to repair to India for the goods they had 

 hitherto received from the Arabian merchants. But the Romans, per- 

 haps not content with what their fubjeds could abflradl from the com- 

 merce of Arabia Felix by a fair competition, fuppofed, that, if they 

 could deftroy the commerce of an independent people, whom they had 

 in vain attempted to fubdue, (fee above, p. 120) it would devolve upon 

 their own fvibjects. Whether in confequence of fuch a fyllem of op- 

 preffive confidence in their own fuperior power, which they might pre- 

 tend to call a patriotic attention to the, commercial rights of their fub- 

 jeds, (for fovereigns in all ages have too often made power the llandard 

 of right) or in confequence of any quarrel, for which they were never 

 at a lofs to find a pretence, this mofl flourifhing commercial city was 

 deftroyed by the Romans a fiiort time before our author was born. We 

 may, however, be aflured, that the confequence would not be what the 

 Romans may be fuppofed to have expedled. The merchants would 

 transfer their commerce, with whatever they could fave of their pro- 

 perty, to other ports of Arabia more remote from the Roman domi- 

 nions, and to the Arabian colonies on the diftant coafts of Africa, which 

 would thereby be ftrengthened and enriched. And to fuch a forced 

 emigration was probably owing a great part of the trade between Africa 

 and India, noted by our author. 



Arabia Felix was now fo far recovered from its afhes as to have the 

 appearance of a village, but we do not find that it had any commerce ; 

 and it was only reforted to on account of having a more convenient 

 harbour and better water than Okelis. 



The next emporium was Cane, about 200 miles eaft from Arabia Fe- 

 lix, in the territory of Eleazus, the country producing frankincenfe, 

 which was brought to this emporium, fome by land carriage upon ca- 

 mels, and fome by water in veflels and upon rafts made of hides filled 

 with air. The'merchants of this port traded to Barygaza, Scythia (the 

 country of the Indo-Scythians at the mouth of the Indus), Omana, and 

 other places in the neighbourhood of Perfia. 



The merchants of Egypt imported thither 



Corn and wine, in fmall quantities, 



as in Muza ; 

 Arabian clothing, common and 



plain, and moftly counterfeit ; 



Brafs ; 

 Tin; * 

 Coral ; f 

 Styrax,orilorax,anodoriferousgum; 



• It is very probable, that .ill the tin mention^ f As the Arabs had corals in great abundance 



rd here and in other ports, was the produce of the on the fliores of their own country, that which 



Brililh mines, and dclllned for India. The mcr- was carried from Europe muR have been the fu- 



chants of Gac'T (or Cadiz), I prefumc, fupplicd pcrior fort found on the Gallic coafl. near Mafliha, 



ihofc of Alexandria with it. and in the fca adjacent to Sicily. It was »ppar- 



