Foreigners who transacted business were known as Yavanars. Arabs who traded with Tamil were called ‘Jonagar’. Pattinappalai praised Kaveripumpattinam as a city where various foreigners of high civilization speaking different languages assembled to transact business with the support of the then Kingdom.
Many ports were developed during the Sangam period. Kaveripumpattinam was the chief port of the Kingdom of Cholas while Nagapattinam, Marakannam, Arikamedu, etc., were other small ports on east coast. Similarly, Pandiyas developed Korkai, Saliyur, Kayal, Marungaurpattinam and Kumari for foreign trade. The State Govertments installed check posts to collect customs along the highways and the ports.
