Elephant trade in Ptolemaic Egypt

What a surprise to find the remains of an old fortress in Ptolemaic Egypt on the coast of the Red Sea. Recent research has revealed that a string of ports was built along that coastline, among which Berenice occupied a prominent place in the trade of war elephants.

It has been established that the Ptolemies imported their elephants mostly from Eritrea. Just try to imagine how it was possible to herd these massive animals together and ship them out to destinations around the then known world!

After Alexander’s death, elephants came to play an important role in the wars of the Diadochi. At that time, the only available source was India. But as the power of the generals shifted, that line of supply was only available to the Seleucids who ruled over most of Central Asia. Ptolemy II and his successors had to find another route and they soon turned to the interior and the coastal regions of Northeast Africa, south of Egypt.

After the Roman conquest in 30 BC, the trade area of Berenice expanded even more. Between the first and sixth centuries AD, business relations reached as far as Southern Arabia, Ethiopia, East Africa.

Berenice was a sizable fortification of about 160m x 80m and counted three large courtyards. The enclosed complex with its workshops and storage areas was surrounded by strongly built walls. The most vulnerable western inland section of the stronghold was protected by double walls. On the eastern and northern sides, a single wall offered apparently enough security. The corners and the most strategic spots were reinforced with square towers.

A major problem for the occupants of the fortress and for the elephants in particular must have been the water supply. Archaeologists have exposed, beside a rock-cut well, a series of drains and pools built to store both rainwater and groundwater. They have calculated that the two largest pools could contain as much as 17,000 liters. This is a huge quantity and scholars speculate that in antiquity the climate was more humid.