Ancient Sources

Places of Ascalon, Gaza, Negev, Sinai

130. Rhinocorura - (al-'Arish)

ORIGINAL TEXTS

ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Strabo, Geographia XVI,2,31-32 (1st cent. B.C.)
Then to Rhinocolura, so called from the people with mutilated noses that had settled there in early times; for some Aethiopian invaded Aegypt and, instead of killing the wrongdoers, cut off their noses and settled them at the place, assuming that on account of their disgraceful faces they would no longer dare do people wrong.
Now the whole of this country from Gaza is barren and sandy, but still more so is the country that lies next above it.

BIBLICAL BACKGROUND
Is. 27:12 The stream of Egypt (wadi al-'Arish)
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt.

MORE ANCIENT SOURCES
Plinius, Historia Naturalis, V,14 (1st cent. A.D.)
There are the two towns of Rhinocolura and inland Raphea, Gaza and inland Anthedon, and Mount Argaris. Further along the coast is the region of Samaria, the freee tawn named Iamnea, one of them inland; and the Phoenician city of Joppa.

PRyl 4, 454-461 (4st cent. A.D.)
On the 10th (of Mesore = August 3), in Rhinocorura:
Bread 4 (loafs), 400 drachms.
Peaches, 200 drachms
Gourds, 100 drachms
Small pumkins, 100 drachms
Eggs for dinner, 400 drachms
Wine of the best quality for you (Theophanes), 1400 drachms.

Anonymus Placentinus, Itinerarium 35 (ca. 570 A.D.)
Leaving the city of Elusa we entered the desert. Twenty miles on is a fort, the guest-house of saint George which provides something of refuge for passers-by and gives food for hermits. Leaving that we went into the heart of the desert, to the place of which the bible says 'A land transformed into a salty waste, because of the wickedness of its inhabitants.' We saw there a few men on camels (indeed we also saw some of them in Jerusalem) but they fled from us. The came from Ethiopia and had their nostrils split, their ears cut, boots on their feet, and rings on their toes. we asked them why, and they said 'This is our mark. It was granted us by the Emperor Trajan.'

BYZANTINE ADMINISTRATIVE LISTS

Hierocles, Synecdemos 726:3-727:6 (7th cent. A.D.)
Province of Augustamnica Prima, 13 cities under a corrector: Rhinocorura, Ostracina, Casium, Pentaschoinon, Aphnaion, Gerra, the Tents, Pelusium, Sethroitis, Hephaestus, Panephusis, Tanis, Thmuis.

Georgius Cyprius, 685-700 (7th cent. A.D.)
Province of Augustamnica Prima: Pelusium, Setroithes, Tanis, Thmuis, Rhinocorura, Ostracine, Pentaschoinon, Casium, Aphnaion, Ephaestos, Panephysis, the Tents outside Gerra, the Tents inside Gerra, Thennesos.

EPISCOPAL CITY

Bishops' list
Salomon (A.D. 338)
Melas (A.D. 364/78)
Solon
Polybius
Hermogenes (A.D. 431)
Zeno (A.D. 449)
Alphaeus
Ptolomaeus
Gregorius (VII cent. A.D.)
Moyses
Epimachus, coptic (A.D. 743/67)
John, coptic (A.D. 1032/46)
Michael, coptic (A.D. 1047/77)

ICONOGRAPHIC PARALLELS
Tabula Peutingeriana
(4th cent. A.D.)
Rinocorura

Map Section 9 Place Discussion

Created Saturday, December 16, 2000 at 13:47:37
by Eugenio Alliata ofm in collaboration with Stefano de Luca ofm
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© copyright - Studium Biblicum Franciscanum - Jerusalem 2000

130. Rhinocorura - (al-'Arish)

ORIGINAL TEXTS	ENGLISH TRANSLATION *Strabo, Geographia* XVI,2,31-32 (1st cent. B.C.)** Then to Rhinocolura, so called from the people with mutilated noses that had settled there in early times; for some Aethiopian invaded Aegypt and, instead of killing the wrongdoers, cut off their noses and settled them at the place, assuming that on account of their disgraceful faces they would no longer dare do people wrong. Now the whole of this country from Gaza is barren and sandy, but still more so is the country that lies next above it.
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND Is. 27:12 The stream of Egypt (wadi al-'Arish) And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt.
MORE ANCIENT SOURCES *Plinius, Historia Naturalis,* V,14 (1st cent. A.D.) There are the two towns of Rhinocolura and inland Raphea, Gaza and inland Anthedon, and Mount Argaris. Further along the coast is the region of Samaria, the freee tawn named Iamnea, one of them inland; and the Phoenician city of Joppa. PRyl 4, 454-461 (4st cent. A.D.)** On the 10th (of Mesore = August 3), in Rhinocorura: Bread 4 (loafs), 400 drachms. Peaches, 200 drachms Gourds, 100 drachms Small pumkins, 100 drachms Eggs for dinner, 400 drachms Wine of the best quality for you (Theophanes), 1400 drachms. Anonymus Placentinus, Itinerarium 35 (ca. 570 A.D.) Leaving the city of Elusa we entered the desert. Twenty miles on is a fort, the guest-house of saint George which provides something of refuge for passers-by and gives food for hermits. Leaving that we went into the heart of the desert, to the place of which the bible says 'A land transformed into a salty waste, because of the wickedness of its inhabitants.' We saw there a few men on camels (indeed we also saw some of them in Jerusalem) but they fled from us. The came from Ethiopia and had their nostrils split, their ears cut, boots on their feet, and rings on their toes. we asked them why, and they said 'This is our mark. It was granted us by the Emperor Trajan.' BYZANTINE ADMINISTRATIVE LISTS *Hierocles, Synecdemos* 726:3-727:6 (7th cent. A.D.)** Province of Augustamnica Prima, 13 cities under a corrector: Rhinocorura, Ostracina, Casium, Pentaschoinon, Aphnaion, Gerra, the Tents, Pelusium, Sethroitis, Hephaestus, Panephusis, Tanis, Thmuis. Georgius Cyprius, 685-700 (7th cent. A.D.) Province of Augustamnica Prima: Pelusium, Setroithes, Tanis, Thmuis, Rhinocorura, Ostracine, Pentaschoinon, Casium, Aphnaion, Ephaestos, Panephysis, the Tents outside Gerra, the Tents inside Gerra, Thennesos. EPISCOPAL CITY Bishops' list Salomon (A.D. 338) Melas (A.D. 364/78) Solon Polybius Hermogenes (A.D. 431) Zeno (A.D. 449) Alphaeus Ptolomaeus Gregorius (VII cent. A.D.) Moyses Epimachus, coptic (A.D. 743/67) John, coptic (A.D. 1032/46) Michael, coptic (A.D. 1047/77)