Malao

Malao was an ancient port city in present-day Somalia. The town was situated on the site of what later would become the city of Berbera. It was a key trading center involved in the Red Sea-Indian Ocean trade during Late Antiquity. The town maintained an important monetary market, exchanging goods in the currencies of the Roman Empire.

History and trade

The ancient port city of Malao was positioned in the historic Somali city of Berbera. It is mentioned in the 1st century CE Periplus of the Erythraean Sea:
Other than Arabia, goods were also purchased and transported to the Greek, Roman and Egyptian empires. Malao gained its high level of trade from its nexus position, by being the closest African port to Arabia and the more peaceful nature of the city, as compared to other potential trade areas.