Which ancient Tamil port city, frequently cited in classical Sangam anthologies, is identified by modern archaeologists with the excavation site at Arikamedu near Puducherry?

💡 Solution & Explanation

The ancient maritime settlement of Poduke mentioned in the Greco-Roman Periplus of the Erythraean Sea has been conclusively identified through archaeological excavations at Arikamedu as a thriving Indo-Roman trading station. Excavations led by Mortimer Wheeler uncovered brick structures, Roman amphorae, Arretine ware, and bead-making workshops that substantiate extensive commercial exchanges between ancient Tamilakam and the Mediterranean world. Kaveripattinam served as the primary Chola port at the mouth of the Cauvery river rather than the specific Poduke site. The port of Muziris is located on the western coast in present-day Kerala.