Chapter I Ceylon as Known to the Greeks and Romans
First heard of by the companions of Alexander the Great 549
Various ancient names of Ceylon (note) 549
Early doubts whether it was an island or a continent 550
Mentioned by Aristotle 550
Alleged mention of Ceylon in the Samaritan Pentateuch (note) 551
Onesicritus’s account 552
Megasthenes’ description 552
Ælian’s account borrowed from Megasthenes (note) 552
Ceylon known to the Phoenicians and to the Egyptians (note) 552
Hippalus discovers the monsoons 553
Effect of this discovery on Indian trade 554
Pliny’s account of Ceylon 555
Story of Jambulus by Diodoros Siculus (note) 556
Embassy from Ceylon to Claudius 556
Narrative of Rachias, and its explanation (note) 557
Lake Megisba, a tank 557
Early intercourse with China 558
The Veddahs described by Pliny 558
Interval between Pliny and Ptolemy 558
Ptolemy’s account of Ceylon 559
Explanation of his errors 559
Ptolemy discriminates bays from estuaries (note) 559
Identification of Ptolemy’s names 560
His map 560
His sources of information 561
Agathemerus, Marcianus of Heraclea 562
Cosmas Indicopleustes 562
Palladius—St. Ambrosius (note) 562
State of Ceylon when Cosmas wrote 563
Its commerce at that period 563
In the hands of Arabs and Persians 564
Ceylon as described by Cosmas 565
Story of his informant Sopater 566
Translation of Cosmas 567
The gems and other productions of Ceylon—“a gaou” (note) 567
Meaning of the term “Hyacinth” (note) 568
The great ruby of Ceylon, its history traced (note) 568
Cosmas corroborated by the Peripius 570
Horses imported from Persia 570
Export of elephants 570
Note on Sanchoniathon 571