An ancient port city located on the southern Egyptian coast of the Red Sea.
The trade center of Berenice (Berenike) was founded by Ptolemy II Philadelphus in 275 B.C.E. and named in honor of his mother. Located on the Red Sea along Egypt’s southern coast, the city and its natural harbor became the entrepôt for spices, myrrh, frankincense, pearls, and textiles from the Arabian Peninsula and India. Elephants used in warfare, from the Sudan, Eritrea, and Ethiopia were shipped to Egypt on the Red Sea and unloaded at Berenice. Gems and ebony were also imported into Egypt through Berenice. Egyptian traders would trade copper, cooking pots, and clothing for these items and then return to Berenice, where the imported goods would be transported overland to the Nile River and from there to Alexandria and Rome.
Before becoming a major trading port, the area was important for its nearby emerald mines that were worked from the time of the pharaohs through Roman times. Fishing was another important occupation for the local inhabitants. However, sometime during the sixth century C.E., the harbor silted up and the city was abandoned.
In 1994, excavations began in Berenice, and much has been learned about the ancient life of the city. Archaeologists knew of the existence of the city through the ancient writings of Strabo, Ptolemy the geographer, and Pliny, as well as through the Periplus Maris Erythraei (an ancient text that was a merchant’s guide to the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and Indian Ocean). Pottery shards reveal trade transactions and that eleven different languages were used in the port city—two of which have yet to be identified. In addition, eight various religious cults were active in the city, where Egyptian and Roman gods were worshipped, but where Christianity and Judaism were also practiced. Items found in the excavations include south Indian peppercorns and dinnerware, beads from Java, Thailand, or Vietnam and Sri Lanka, and ivory. Coins from Axum have also been found. The dry climate of the region preserved pieces of Indian batik cloth and sail-cloth as well as pieces of teak that were grown in India. The Periplus Maris Erythraei also mentions that trade between the Romans and the Indians resulted in a trade deficit for the Romans and that this deficit was offset by trading coral and emeralds, both highly prized and worth a small fortune, to the Indians. Goods from Africa would have included ivory, tortoiseshell, and cassia. Indian goods, besides the spices, would have included gems (tortoise, lapis lazuli, onyx, ivory, pearls) and tortoiseshell as well as textiles such as silk from China. Some drugs and aromatics would also have been exchanged.
Although the natural harbor and closeness to the Nile River encouraged traders to operate out of the port of Berenice from the founding of the city, after the realization by Hippalus that sailors could take advantage of the monsoon winds of the Indian Ocean to travel much faster during certain times of the year, merchants were capable of traveling to and from India within one year. In the winter, the winds blew northeast and in the summer southwest. The increased trade coincided with an increase in piracy, especially after Roman sailors began bypassing the Arab middlemen and making the voyage to India on their own.
The unique scenery of the area and fishing are the primary attraction in modern times. Tourism has led to the redevelopment of the area and provides much of the income for the local population. Health spas and resorts along the Red Sea coast have become popular over the last several decades.
See also: Piracy; Roman Empire; Tourism.
Baldridge, Jason. “Berenike: Roman Trade on the Red Sea Coast of Egypt” (www.ling.upenn.edu/~jason2/papers/bnikeppr.htm, accessed August 2003).
“Evidence of Ancient Roman Trade Route Found in Berenike’s Trash” (www.eduplace.com/ss/history/archive/02sept/article2.html, accessed August 2003).
“History Professor Uncovers Ancient Trade Route” (www.udel.edu/PR/Udaily/01-02/sidebotham061802.html, accessed August 2003).