Tyndis

Tyndis (Ancient Greek: Τύνδις^[1]) was an ancient Indian seaport/harbor-town mentioned in the Graeco-Roman writings. According to the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, Tyndis was located north of port Muziris in the country of the Cerobothra (present-day Koyilandy Kerala).^[2][3]

Previously, Tyndis was attributed to Thondi, a region ruled by the Pandya country in present day Tamil Nadu.^[4] Alternatively, the Cheras of the early historical period (c. second century BCE - c. third century CE^[5]) had their original centre at Karur in the interior Tamil Nadu and harbours at Muziris and Tyndis on the Malabar coast (Kerala).^[5] Tyndis was a satellite feeding port to Muziris, according to the Periplus.^[6] It was a major center of trade, next only to Muziris, between the Cheras and the Roman Empire.^[7] Pliny the Elder (1st century CE) states that the port of Tyndis was located at the northwestern border of Keprobotos (Chera dynasty).^[8] The North Malabar region, which lies north of the port at Tyndis, was ruled by the kingdom of Ezhimala during Sangam period.^[9] According to the Periplus, a region known as Limyrike began at Naura and Tyndis. However the Ptolemy mentions only Tyndis as the Limyrike's starting point. The region probably ended at Kanyakumari; it thus roughly corresponds to the present-day Malabar Coast.

There are references to a port with the name Tondi, on the Kerala coast, in the early Tamil texts. It was under the control of the Chera rulers (probably via/under a collateral branch).^[10][11] No archaeological evidence has been found for Tyndis.^[10]