Scylax of Caryanda
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Scylax of Caryanda was an renowned ancient Greek explorer from Caria, in Anatolia. He lived during the 6th century BCE.
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[edit] Exploration
In about 515 BCE, Scylax was sent by King Darius I of Persia to follow the course of the Indus River and discover where it led.[1] Scylax and his companions set out from city of Caspatyrus in Gandara, in today's Afganistan. Scylax sailed down the river until he found it reached the sea. He then sailed west across Indian Ocean until he arrived at the Red Sea, which he also explored. He travelled as far as the Red Sea's western end at Suez, before returning to report to Darius I. His entire journey took thirty months.
Scylax also recorded information he knew about cities on the islands of the Mediterranean, including Crete. He was one of the first to mention the city of Kydonia on western Crete.[2]
Scylax was famous in the ancient world. He is mentioned by Strabo as an "ancient writer". Also the Periplus of Pseudo-Scylax, which dates from the 3rd century BCE, is a compilation apparently named in his honour.
[edit] See also
[edit] Line notes
[edit] References
- Herodotus. Histories, 4.44.
- C. Michael Hogan, Cydonia, Modern Antiquarian, January 23, 2008 [1]
- Lendering, Jona (n.d.). "Scylax of Caryanda". Livius. http://www.livius.org/sao-sd/scylax/scylax.htm. Retrieved on 2008-05-01.
[edit] External links
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