Page 33 - history_Classical

powerful kingdom based at Ezhimala in the Sangam period (1st-5th century CE). The ancient
port of Naura, which is mentioned in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea as a port somewhere

north of Muziris is identified with Kannur.Pliny the Elder (1st century CE) states that the port
of Tyndis was located at the northwestern border of Keprobotos (Chera dynasty).The region,
which lies north of the port at Tyndis, was ruled by the kingdom of Ezhimala during Sangam
period.

According to the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, 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. The value of
Rome's annual trade with the region
was estimated at around
50,000,000 sesterces Pliny the Elder
mentioned that Limyrike was prone
by pirates. The Cosmas
Indicopleustes mentioned that
the Limyrike was a source of

peppers.

The kingdom of Ezhimala had jurisdiction over two Nadus - The
coastal Poozhinadu and the hilly eastern Karkanadu. According to the works of Sangam
literature, Poozhinadu consisted much of the coastal belt
between Mangalore and Kozhikode Karkanadu consisted of Wayanad-Gudalur hilly
region with parts of Kodagu (Coorg).It is said that Nannan, the most renowned ruler
of Ezhimala dynasty, took refuge at Wayanad hills in 5th century CE when he was lost
to Cheras, just before his execution in a battle, according to the Sangam works

➢ Early Middle Ages

According to Kerala Muslim tradition, Kannur along with surrounding Madayi and Dharmadom were

home to three of the oldest mosques in Indian subcontinent. According to the Legend of Cheraman
Perumals, the first Indian mosque was built in 624 AD at Kodungallur with the mandate of the last the
ruler (the Cheraman Perumal) of Chera dynasty, who left from Dharmadom to Mecca and converted
to Islam during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad According to Qissat Shakarwati Farmad,
the Masjids at Kodungallur, Kollam, Madayi, Barkur, Mangalore, Kasaragod,