Berenike and the Ancient Maritime Spice Route
Steven Sidebotham
Abstract
The legendary overland silk road was not the only way to reach Asia for ancient travelers from the Mediterranean. During the Roman Empire's heyday, equally important maritime routes reached from the Egyptian Red Sea across the Indian Ocean. The ancient city of Berenike, located approximately 500 miles south of today's Suez Canal, was a significant port among these conduits. This book, written by the archaeologist who excavated Berenike, uncovers the role the city played in the regional, local, and “global” economies during the eight centuries of its existence. The book analyzes many of the art ... More
Keywords: overland silk road, Asia, Mediterranean, Roman Empire, maritime routes, Egyptian Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Berenike, global economies
Bibliographic Information
| Print publication date: 2011 | Print ISBN-13: 9780520244306 |
| Published to California Scholarship Online: March 2012 | DOI:10.1525/california/9780520244306.001.0001 |
