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.
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