Troglodytae

The Troglodytae or Troglodyti (literally "cave goers"), were a people mentioned in various locations by many ancient Greek and Roman geographers and historians including Agatharcides, Strabo, Diodorus Siculus, Pliny, Tacitus, Josephus, etc. The earlier references call them Trogodytes, which was evidently altered later by folk-etymology from Greek "troglē", cave. They were usually placed in the desert along the African side of the Red Sea coast, from Berenice Troglodytica southward as far as Somalia. They have been connected with the modern Afar and neighboring peoples, as well as with the Tuareg.

Troglodytis in Flavius Josephus

After the death of Sarah, Abraham married Keturah and fathered six sons who in turn fathered many more. "Now, for all these sons and grandsons, Abraham contrived to settle them in colonies; and they took possession of Troglodytis, and the country of Arabia the Happy, ..." [Josephus, Flavius, "Antiquities", 1.15.1]

The "Troglodytis" Josephus refers to here is probably in the Dead Sea Rift region of Israel and Jordan, and not Africa. The region was originally inhabited by the Horites, predecessors to the Edomites, and it is in this area that the famous Nabataean city of Petra lies.

References

ee also

*Ichthyophagi
*Blemmyes
*Zimran
*Midian