The North African Atlantic Periplus of Polybius and Juba II transmitted by Pliny (NH, V, 9-10)

Abstract

The Periplus of Polybius, conducted at the end of the Third Punic War, during the summer of 146 BC, must be aimed to inform to the ancient Phoenician allied cities that Carthage has been destroyed and the Mediterranean and North African Atlantic façade just fall within the Rome’s political orbit. The Periplus has been attributed to two sources, as both end up around the river Darat. The oldest one of Polybius’ himself (Plin., N.H., V, 10), which also uses previous texts with most ancient toponymy, which goes back to the Periplus of Hanno, as Kérne, Banbotum or Theôn Óchema. The second source (Plin., N.H., V, 9) can not be Polybius. Althought it has been attributed to Agripa, must be the expedition of Juba II, who uses more recent place names and mentions the Gaetulians, unknown until the books of Sallust. Juba II sent a naval expedition, early in his reign, from 25 BC, south of Mauretania, whose insular final part, the exploration of the Canary Islands, was well identified (Plin., N.H., VI, 202-205). It was a voyage of about 21 days sailing, 1.176.000 passuum, between Gadir or Septem Fratres, reaching the river Darat [Drâa] or river Banbotum [Aoueri, Santa Cruz de Mar Pequeña].