[6] While elaborating on the possible character of a range of Syro-Palestinian water movement rites, which could be associated with the Carthaginian mayumas festival, he warns that these cannot be more than speculations due to the limited findings.
Authors like Nicole Benayshe are warning against the mistake of conflating the Greco-Syrian festival with later water-centered celebrations, as well as using the widely used toponym Maiuma, which often occurs as a common noun for harbour or seaside quarter, as proof for that city hosting the nocturnal mysteries.
[4] John of Lydia describes how in May the merchants of Rome made vows to Maia and her son Hermes asking for good fortune in their trade, which they called "making the Mayouma", went to Ostia and pushed each other into the sea, enjoying themselves.
[2][4] Maiumas or related festivals were also allegedly held at 'Ain Baki, Gaza (but see word of caution by Benayche, who refutes it), Ashkelon, Jerusalem, Hierapolis and perhaps at Homs, Baalbek, Botnah near Hebron and Dura Europus.
[9] The Anonymous pilgrim of Piacenza mentions in the 570s a place called Maiumas on the coast near Ashkelon, perhaps today's Khirbat al-Ashraf at the entrance to the Shikma Valley/Wadi Sikrayr [he].
[9] The archaeological site known in Arabic as Khirbat Miyāmās has preserved in its name the memory of the ancient festival and has been identified with the 3rd-century Kfar Shumi or Shami mentioned in the Jerusalem Talmud.
[9][6][5] The aquatic shows and pagan religious activities raised the ire of both Jewish rabbis and Christian holy men, who considered the popular feast to be licentious.
[2][9] From an outraged John Chrysostom we learn about mimes swimming naked in the theatre and Joshua the Stylite, a Syriac chronicler, writes about nocturnal festivities held at the end of the 5th century in Edessa in mid-May, both probably relating to Maiumas celebrations.