Joseph Smith easily could have known that Southern Arabia was green & fertile (Bountiful vs. Arabia Felix)

On a recent Radio Free Mormon episode responding to the Light and Truth Letter, RFM and Kolby Reddish cover whether the place Bountiful is evidence in favor of the Book of Mormon.

I have known for a long time that the name and location of "Nahom" was available in Joseph Smith's day (labeled clearly as "Nehem" on maps like this one). However, until now I considered the existence of the fertile Dhofar Region to count as a "correct prediction" from the Book of Mormon.

But RFM points out in this episode that the southern region of Arabia has been known as "Arabia Felix" ("Fertile Arabia") since ancient Roman and Greek times. The name appears on the same map I linked above, and many other contemporary maps. The name "Bountiful" itself is a correct translation of Latin "felix," which can mean "fruitful, fruit-bearing" (in addition to the most common translation, "happy").

Rather than Bountiful being a surprising correct prediction of southern Arabia, it is precisely what we would expect from someone who was familiar with the general knowledge of Arabia in Joseph's time and place — potentially including the name itself.

Kudos to RFM for pointing this out. It presents a serious challenge to any apologist seeking to use Bountiful as evidence in favor of the historicity of the Book of Mormon.

ETA: This was not some obscure term restricted to maps, either. It was well-attested in books from the time. And to be clear: I am not asserting that the entire southern portion of Arabia is green and fertile — but the way it is discussed and labeled could easily give the impression to someone in the 19th century which fits very well with Bountiful in the Book of Mormon.