CITY OF TAGARA. 3J3 



of Larikek, or Lar, according to Arrian and Ebn Said 

 al Magrebi. 



It is neceffary to obferve here, that, though the 

 author of the Periplus is fuppofed to have lived about 

 the year 160 of the prefent era, yet the materials he made 

 ufe of in compiling his directory are far more ancient; 

 for, in fpeaking of Tagara, he fays that the Greeks were 

 prohibited from landing at Cattish, and other harbours 

 on that coaft. Now it is well known that, after the 

 conqueft of Egypt, the Romans had monopolized the 

 whole trade to India, and would allow no foreigners to 

 enter the Red Sea; and consequently this paflage has 

 reference to an earlier period, previous to the conqueft 

 of Egypt by the Romans. 



About the middle of the firft century, Tagara was no 

 longer the capital of Ariaca, Rajah Salbahan having 

 removed the feat of the empire to Pattan. 



Ptolemy informs us, that Paithana, or Pattan, had 

 been the refidence of a prince of that country, whofe 

 name the Greeks have ftrangelv disfigured : we find it 

 varioufly fpelt, in different MSS. of Ptolemy, Siripole- 

 mamS) Siropolemceus, Siroptole?nccus, &c. 



Yet. when we confider that, whenever Paitan is men- 

 tioned by the Hindoos, they generally add, it was the 

 refidence of Rajah Salbahan,* who, in the dialect of 

 the Deccan, is called Salivanam, or Salibanam, I can- 

 not help thinking that the Greeks have disfigured this 

 laft word Salibanam into Saripalam, from which they 

 have made Siripolemceus, Siropolemceus, &c. 



Bickermajii ruled for fome time over the northern 

 parts of the Deccan ; but the Rajahs, headed by Salbahan, 



having 



Making use of the verv words of Ptolemv. 



