Tyndis

Tyndis (Ancient Greek: Τύνδις) 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).

Previously, Tyndis was attributed to Thondi, a region ruled by the Pandya country in present day Tamil Nadu. Alternatively, the Cheras of the early historical period (c. second century BCE - c. third century CE) had their original centre at Karur in the interior Tamil Nadu and harbours at Muziris and Tyndis on the Malabar coast (Kerala). Tyndis was a satellite feeding port to Muziris, according to the Periplus. It was a major center of trade, next only to Muziris, between the Cheras and the Roman Empire. Pliny the Elder (1st century CE) states that the port of Tyndis was located at the northwestern border of Keprobotos (Chera dynasty). The North Malabar region, which lies north of the port at Tyndis, was ruled by the kingdom of Ezhimala during Sangam period. 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). No archaeological evidence has been found for Tyndis.