Is there a mountain in Mudug with 8 peaks?

[James Dahl]

I'm trying to find a mountain or range of mountains with 8 peaks, which Ptolemy referred to as "Phalangis".

"Immediately following Aromata (Ras Asir) is a first bay, and in it, after a day's travel (about 93 kilometers) is the town of Panon (Referred to as Pano in the Periplus) and the trading post of Opone which is six days journey from the town (or about 555 kilometers, much further than in the Periplus). Another bay, which is the beginning of Azania, follows after this trading post, and at it's beginning is situated the headland of Zingis and the mountain of Phalangis, which has eight peaks. This bay alone is called "Bluff"; it takes two days and nights to cross (185 kilometer wide bay, with a mountain with 8 peaks on the northern end of the bay). Following this is the Little Beach, who's crossing requires three intervals (days or nights of sailing, 138 kilometer long beach) and then the Great Beach, which requires five intervals to cross (230 kilometer long beach). To cross the two together requires four days and nights in all. Another bay is adjacent to these, in which, after a sail of two days and nights (185 kilometers) there is the trading post called Essina. Then comes the anchorage of Sarapion after one day's sail (93 kilometers), and then begins the bay leading to Rhapta, with a crossing time of three days and nights (278 kilometers). At it's beginning is a trading post called Toniki, and by Cape Rhapton is the river called Rhaptos, and a metropolis of the same name, which is a little distance from the sea. The bay from Rhapta to Cape Prason is very big and not deep, and barberous cannibals."

[James Dahl]

Ptolemy's description of the Indian Ocean coast is rather different, placing Rhapta further north near to Kismayo, and Opone much further south, but if you read the Periplus differently actually it could place Opone where Ptolemy places it as well.

[dawwa9]

James,

When most of us travel to Somalia we kind of stay in the main cities and if we do travel outside of it. We do it by following the main road of Puntland.

I don't think any of us here have been to the coastal Miyi of Mudug

[manarab]

I would check Google Earth for those peaks.

[abdalla11]

The city of Burtinle is surrounded by mountains

[dawwa9]

The city of Burtinle is surrounded by mountains

It's a town not a city, I have seen it - it only takes a 2 minute drive to get out of that town

Second of all there are no mountains there but just hills..

[Cumar-Labasuul]

I don't think the south has any mountains, not sure about mudug but bari definitely does.

[dawwa9]

Bari = Very mountainous even reaching peaks of over 2,000 meters

Nugaal = Hilly terrain, barely any mountains besides close to Eyl

Mudug= Flat reddish land

[James Dahl]

I believe the word Ptolemy used, "Mons" can mean hills as well.

[manarab]

I don't think the south has any mountains, not sure about mudug but bari definitely does.

Mountains are found in Bari and Waqooyi Galbeed. However, there are many hills in the South.

[James Dahl]

Bari = Very mountainous even reaching peaks of over 2,000 meters

Nugaal = Hilly terrain, barely any mountains besides close to Eyl

Mudug= Flat reddish land

Eyl could have been the place referred to. It's within the area referred to in the text.

[dawwa9]

Eyl is surrounded by Hills

[abdalla11]

The city of Burtinle is surrounded by mountains

It's a town not a city, I have seen it - it only takes a 2 minute drive to get out of that town

Second of all there are no mountains there but just hills..

Those are mountains sxb, little ones but still mountains

[James Dahl]

I think Ptolemy is referring to the headland south of Eyl as Zingis, it has a mountain on the headland that must be Mount Phalangis.

This would make Eyl an excellent candidate for being ancient Opone.

[James Dahl]

Panon looks like it's south of Bargaal

If Eyl is Opone then:

Essina is near Cadaale
Sarapion is near Mogadishu
Toniki is near Marka
Rhapta is around Jamaame (the coast moved due to 1900 years worth of silt)