OCELIS(Ὄκηλις ἐμπόριον), a port of Arabia Felix, placed by Ptolemy (Ptol. 1.7.4, 1.15.11, 6.7.7, 8.22.7) a little to the north of the straits of the Red Sea ( Bab-el-Mandeb). Its geographical position, according to his system, was as follows: Its longest day was 1211 hours. It was 1′ east of Alexandria, between the tropics, 52° 30′ removed from the summer tropic. It is placed by the author of the Periplus 300 stadia from Musa, and is identical with the modern Ghellaor Cella, which has a bay immediately within the straits, the entrance to which is two miles wide, and its depth little short of three. (Vincent, Periplus, p. 288; Forster, Arabia, vol. 2. p. 148.) Ocelis, according to the Periplus, was not so much a port as an anchorage and watering-place. It belonged to the Elisari, and was subject to Cholebus. (Hudson, Geog. Min. tom. 1. p. 14; Ptol. 6.7.7.) The same author places it 1200 stadia from Arabia Felix ( Aden); but the distance is two short. (Gosselin, Récherches, tom. 3. p. 9.)
[G.W]