the "periplus" calls charibael the "lawful king" of the "homerites" and "those living next to them called the sabaites". he is said to dwell in saphar and to maintain friendship with the roman emperors by means of "continual embassies and gifts". he is said to exercise control over the towns of "muza" (mocha) and "saua" (taiz) in "mapharitis" through a "vassal-chief" named "cholaebus" (kula'ib). from the roman merchants calling at mocha, he required tribute of "horses and sumpter-mules, vessels of gold and polished silver, finely woven clothing and copper vessels". his realm included "ocelis" at the bab-el-mandeb and the ruins at "eudaemon arabia" but to exert little control beyond it, with the rest of the coast of the arabian sea peopled by nomads and fishermen, the "frankincense country" of "eleazus", and the parthian empire's recent conquests in what is now oman. the periplus credits charibael with indirect dominion over the major ports of azania, the present-day somali and swahili coasts, through his vassals at mocha.