Alexandria's founded by Alexander

Alexandria's founded by Alexander the Great (by year BC): 334 Alexandria in Troia (Turkey) - 333 Alexandria at Issus/Alexandrette (Iskenderun, Turkey) - 332 Alexandria of Caria/by the Latmos (Alinda, Turkey) - 331 Alexandria Mygdoniae - 331 Alexandria (Egypt) - 330 Alexandria Ariana (Herat, Afghanistan) - 330 Alexandria of the Prophthasia/in Dragiana/Phrada (Farah, Afghanistan) - 330 Alexandria in Arachosia (Kandahar, Afghanistan) - 330 Alexandria in the Caucasus (Begram, Afghanistan) - 329 Alexandria of the Paropanisades (Ghazni, Afghanistan) - 329 Alexandria Eschate or Ultima (Khodjend, Tajikistan) - 329 Alexandria on the Oxus (Termez, Afghanistan) - 328 Alexandria in Margiana (Merv, Turkmenistan) - 326 Alexandria Nicaea (on the Hydaspes, India) - 326 Alexandria Bucephala (on the Hydaspes, India) - 325 Alexandria Sogdia - 325 Alexandria Oreitide - 325 Alexandria in Opiene / Alexandria on the Indus (confluence of Indus & Acesines, India) - 325 Alexandria Rambacia (Bela, Pakistan) - 325 Alexandria Xylinepolis (Patala, India) - 325 Alexandria in Carminia (Gulashkird, Iran) - 324 Alexandria-on-the-Tigris/Antiochia-in-Susiana/Charax (Spasinou Charax on the Tigris, Iraq) - ?Alexandria of Carmahle? (Kahnu)

Friday, December 18, 2020

Link between Egypt and Gandhara under Ptolemy Philadelphus

As we know, after Alexander’s death, Egypt was ruled by Ptolemy and his descendents. Among them, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, his son, still carried on in the footsteps of this father. He was pharaoh of Egypt from 283 to 246 BC.

It was during that time that the port of Berenice or Baranis – in honor of his mother Berenice I - was founded on the west coast of the Red Sea. Over time, this city grew to become an important trading center that was active along the east coast of Africa as well as Arabia and faraway India.

I thought this was quite remarkable since we usually look at Egypt from the Mediterranean point of view rather than from its eastern boarders. As a result of the long Wars of the Diadochi, elephants had become a major weapon, the tank of antiquity and this is exactly why the harbor of Berenice was so important.

The trading activities of Berenice have been described in detail by a Greek merchant from Alexandria in the 1st century AD. His voyages carry the resonating title Periplus of the Erythraean Sea in which he covers the coastline south of Berenice but also all the way to the Horn of Africa, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea and the India Ocean. It is hard to imagine how in those early days of the Roman Empire, a trading route existed with the Sindh region of Pakistan (roughly around today’s Karachi conquered by Alexander) and southwestern India! 

Archaeologist recently carried out excavations around a temple dedicated to Isis and Serapis in Berenice. They unearthed several marble and stone artifacts including images of Serapis. Most surprisingly are the heads that imitate work from Asian Gandhara, i.e., roughly parts of modern Pakistan and Afghanistan. They also uncovered the statue of Sebiymeker, the supreme god of procreation and fertility from Meroe in modern Sudan. This Nubian god was generally found near doorways and for that reason has been interpreted as being a guardian god.

2 comments:

  1. Indo-Roman trade via Egypt was extensive. Rome imported spices, rice, precious stones, ivory, silk and cotton, live animals like monkeys and birds, whereas India mostly imported gold coins ( still found buried in Western coastal areas of South India)but also peridots, figured linens, copper, tin, lead, coral, raw glass, wine, olive oil and pretty girls. The balance of payment was so much in favour of India that Roman politicians and historians are on record complaining of the loss of silver and gold to cater to the Roman wives' love for Indian luxuries. Pliny the Elder, in 77 CE, even called India “the sink of the world's gold!”.

    Here is the link to a blog that gives an extensive overview on this trade:

    https://sreenivasaraos.com/tag/ancient-trade-between-india-and-rome/

    (Please delete my comment on your 16th December post, it was a mistake)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Great to read you again, Kalpana!
      As always you are bringing a precious contribution to the Asian side of the world and how it is linked to our Western historians.
      Very much appreciated!

      Delete