For starters, Landau said the text describes more wise men than three. An army of men is more like it, he said.
The Syriac text describes the Magi using a biblical word used to describe a small army. And he said the text gives the names of 12, not just three, specific wise men.
Landau said the text also says the Magi came from a place where there was a great wall and that produced silk. He said these hints indicate the wise men were more likely from China — and from not Persia (modern-day Iran) as many early Christians believed. He said many early Christians believed the wise men were Zoroastrian priests.
Where there was a great wall does not indicate that this was China — it could indicate any number of walled cities. Producing silk could have been mixed up with who brought the silk — the Irani traders would be loath to say where they got the silk from, so perhaps the author thought that the traders were the producers.