Zabag (ancient territory)

Zabag (Indonesian: Sabak; Chinese: 阇婆 or 闍婆 "She-bó", "Shepo"; Sanskrit: Javaka; Arabic: الزابج "Zabaj"; Latin: Jabad) is thought to have been an ancient territory located south of China somewhere in Southeast Asia, between the Chenla Kingdom (now Cambodia) and Java. Several historians have associated this kingdom with Srivijaya and thought its location was somewhere in Sumatra, Java or Malay Peninsula.^[1] Indonesian historians have suggested that Zabag is connected to the present day Muara Sabak area, the estuary of Batang Hari River in East Tanjung Jabung Regency, Jambi province.^[2] Zabag could also have been located in Java, not Srivijaya because Zabag is noted to annex Srivijaya, and the size of Zabag is only half the size of an island called Ramni (Sumatra).^{[3]: 30–31}

Samuel Bochart suggested that Jabad is the island of Iabadiu as mentioned by Ptolemy: "it's reads ἰαβαδίου, thas is iaba-diu, or the island of Java".^[4] He argues that "iaba diu" means the island of barley, and the word "iaba" is based on the Arabic word jabad or aibad, by which is signified a grass or a grain of barley intended for fattening cattle.^[4] Bochart also argue that the correct interpretation of Iabadiu is νῆσος (nesos, many islands) not νήσου (nísou, an island). On critical edition of Stephanus of Byzantium, Abraham Berkelius argues that the island of Iabadiu, as presented by Ptolemy, is Iaba diu, or the island of Java; and for the Persians and Indians there is no one who does not know that "diu" denotes the island, and "iaba" signifies grass or grain of barley.^[5][6]

Its exact location, however, is still the subject of debate among scholars. Other possible locations such as northern Borneo and Philippines have also been suggested.^[7]