EE FES ae, ant Pee eae 
eee Sane ae 
Vol. II, No. 1.) Romaka, or the City of Rome. 7 
[N.8.] 
sunrise at Lanka there is midnight at Romaka, and 2 0 ‘clock 
after midnight at oe or ee or Alexandria; or, in other words, 
avanapura or Alexandria is 60 degrees west of the meridian 
on the same iatinds oa aie celoment of Varshamibics 
would be utterly incorrect if we suppose Romaka to be Constanti- 
nople, but it would be fairly tise if Romaka is identified with 
Rome 
urther, nae name Rima as signifying Byzantia or Constanti- 
Soe Gal me into existence before the occupation of the 
while we have seen that the name Romaka was used in Pali and 
Sanskrit works at least as early asin the Ist century A.D. In fact, 
the name Riima as signifying Byzantia or Constantinople was 
made known in India by the Arabic writers in and after the 7th 
century 
The Sanskrit Jyotirvidabharana! which mentions Rima is 
a very modern work which did not exist before the time of 
Timurlane, This Rima, as signifying Ginatantinnple, is to be 
om distinguished from Romaka as signifying Rome. Dr. 
Kern? who did not distinguish between Rima and Romaka 
observes that the name Rima mentioned in Jyotirvidaébharna 
stands for the more regular Sanskrit name Romaka. But this 
observation is, in my humble opinion, an oversight on the part of 
that eminent scholar. Indeed, there is oom vals slightest doubt that 
Romaka stands for Rome of Italy, for Varahamihira distinctly 
mentions Bhraukaccha and Samudra along with Romaka® as if to 
indicate that the Romaka or Roman used to come to India over 
the Samudra or sea, and landed at the port of Barukaccha‘ or 
haroach, near Guzrat. The route incidentally indicated here in 
the Vrhatsamhitaé of Varahamihira exactly coincides with that 
by which the Roman traders actually used to come to India, as is 
evident from the imi of Pliny and others 
1 oat So etacsGh WHat 
sii faaara: anag fama: lI (Jyotirvidabharana). 
. Kern’s edition cr Preface, p. 13, 
3 Vrhatsamhita, chapter XVI., ve 
