He Succeeded In Obtaining Possession Of This Valuable
Island, And Thus Improved And Enlarged The Commercial Advantages Of Egypt.
His Next Step, With This View, Was To Invite The Sailors Of Phoenicia To
His New Capital.
His increasing power, especially at sea, roused the envy
of Antigonus, who, by extraordinary exertions, in the course of twelve
months built and equipped a fleet, which was able to cope with the naval
power of Ptolemy.
It is foreign to our purpose to notice the wars between
them, except in so far as they are connected with the commercial history of
Alexandria. This city was benefited by these wars, for Antigonus, in his
progress, had driven many of the inhabitants of Syria, Palestine, and
Phoenicia from their native lands: to these Ptolemy gave great
encouragement, and extraordinary privileges and immunities, which induced
them to settle in Alexandria, where they followed their mercantile or
commercial pursuits. The report of these advantages granted to foreigners,
led Jews, Greeks and Macedonians to flock to Egypt, by which means the
population and wealth of that country, and particularly of its capital,
were greatly augmented.
The foundation of the museum and library of Alexandria, both of which
contributed so essentially to science and to the establishment of the
Alexandrian school of philosophy, which, as we shall afterwards perceive,
produced men that greatly advanced geographical knowledge, is another proof
of the wise and comprehensive character of Ptolemy's mind.
But Ptolemy rather prepared the way for the advancement of commerce and
maritime discovery, than contributed directly to them himself: fortunately,
his son, Ptolemy Philadelphus, was a worthy successor, and emulous of
treading in his father's steps. About the beginning of his reign, Tyre, the
ancient station of the trade with India, again reared its head as a
commercial city, and engaged extensively and successfully in this lucrative
traffic. It became necessary, therefore, in order to draw it from Tyre and
to secure its centering in Alexandria, to extend the facilities and
advantages of this city for this traffic. With this view, Ptolemy sent
travellers to penetrate into the interior of his dominions, bordering on
the Red Sea, by land, while his fleet was exploring the coast: he began to
make a canal, 100 cubits broad and 30 deep, between Arsinoe on the Red Sea,
and the eastern branch of the Nile, in order to complete a
water-communication between India and Alexandria. This canal, however, was
never completed; probably on account of the tedious and difficult
navigation towards the northern extremity of the Red Sea. He therefore
altered his plan, and instead of Arsinoe fixed on Myos Hormos, as the port
from which the navigation to India should commence. The same reason which
induced him to form this port; led him afterwards to the establishment of
Berenice; he was farther led to this, as Berenice was lower down in the Red
Sea, and consequently ships sailing from it reached the ocean sooner and
with less difficulty. It appears, however, that till the Romans conquered
Egypt, the greatest portion of the trade between Alexandria and
[Egypt->India] was carried on through Myos Hormos. The route in the time of
Ptolemy and his successors was as follows: vessels passed up the Canopic
branch of the Nile to Memphis, and thence to Coptus; from Coptus the goods
were transported in caravans to Myos Hormos: from this port the vessels
sailed for Africa, or Arabia in the month of September, and for India in
July. As the country over which the caravans travelled was the desart of
Thebais, which is almost destitute of water, Ptolemy ordered springs to be
searched for, wells to be dug, and caravanseras to be erected.
In order to protect his merchant ships in the Mediterranean and the Red
Sea, he fitted out two great fleets, one of which he constantly kept in
each sea. That in the Mediterranean was very numerous, and had several
ships of an extraordinary size: two of them in particular had 30 oars on a
side, one 20, four 14, two 12, fourteen 11, thirty 9, &c., besides a great
number of vessels of four oars and three oars on a side. With these fleets
he protected the commerce of his subjects, and kept in subjection most of
the maritime provinces of Asia Minor; viz. Cilicia, Pamphylia, Lycia and
Caria. The names of some of the most celebrated geographers who were
patronized by this monarch, have been handed down to us: Pliny mentions
Dalion, Bion, Boselis, and Aristocreon, as having visited Ethiopia, and
contributed to the geographical knowledge of that country; and Simonides as
having resided five years at Meroe. Timosthenes lived in this reign: he
published a description of the known sea-ports, and a work on the measure
of the earth. He sailed down the coast of Africa, probably as far as
Madagascar, certainly lower down than the Egyptians traded under the
Ptolemies, or even under the Romans.
The reign of Ptolemy Euergetes was equally distinguished, with, those of
his predecessors, by attention to commerce, and a desire to extend it. As
the navigation of the Red Sea had now become a source of great wealth to
his subjects, he deemed it necessary to free it as much as possible from
the pirates that infested it's coasts; for this purpose, as well as to
preserve a communication between Egypt and the countries which extended to
its mouth, he established governors from the isthmus of Suez, along the
Arabian and African coasts, as far as the straits of Babelmandeb; and
planted colonies of Greeks and Egyptians to carry on the commerce, and
protect the interests of his subjects. But the most extraordinary instance
of his enterprising spirit is to be found in his conquest (evidently for
the purpose of facilitating and securing the commerce of the Red Sea) of
part of Abyssinia. The proof of this, indeed, rests entirely on an
inscription found at Aduli, which there can be no doubt is the harbour and
bay of Masuah; the only proper entrance, according to Bruce, into
Abyssinia.
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