Machilipatnam

Machilipatnam ( pronunciation ) is a city in Krishna district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipal corporation and the administrative headquarters of the Krishna district. It is also the mandal headquarters of Machilipatnam mandal in Machilipatnam revenue division of the district. The settlement was founded in the 14th century and it was a major trading port for the British, Dutch and French in the seventeenth century.

Etymology

During seventeenth century, it was known with the name Masulipatnam or Masula. The gateway of the settlement was decorated with the eyes of a fish. Machili translates to Fish and Patnam means Settlement. Hence, the name Machilipatnam. The city is also known with the name Bandar.

History

The town has existed since the 3rd century BCE (Satavahana period) when, according to Ptolemy, it was known as Maisolos. The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea calls it Masalia in the 1st century BCE. The port is located on the southeastern, or Coromandel Coast, of India. Situated in the mouth of the River Krishna on the Bay of Bengal, the Masula port saw flourishing sea trade. Muslin clothes were traded by ancient Greeks from the town and the word muslin originated from the name Maisolos. Muslin was an important source of income for the town, being a favourite of Roman traders for domestic consumption. Several Roman coins were found during excavations of Buddhist towns located near Machilipatnam.