CHOAMANI, name of an eastern Iranian tribe (perhaps located in western Bactria), mentioned only by Pomponius Mela (1.13; ca. mid-1st century c.e.) in an enumeration of the inhabitants of the interior lands (interiora terrarum): Gandari et Pariani et Bactri, Sugdiani, Pharmacotrophi, Chomarae (i.e., the Bactrian Chomaroi; Ptolemy, 6.11.6), Choamani, Ropanes, Dahae super Scythas Scytharumque deserta. W. Tomaschek identified the Ropanes with the Paropanisadae (Pauly-Wissowa, III/2, col. 2353, s.v. “Choamani”), an identification that was, however, rejected by [M.] Kiessling (Pauly-Wissowa, IA/1, col. 1108, s.v. “Ropanes”).
(Rüdiger Schmitt)
Originally Published: December 15, 1991
Last Updated: October 18, 2011
This article is available in print.
Vol. V, Fasc. 5, p. 495
