Ancient World Review

The Voyage around the Erythraean Sea

"The Periplus Maris Erythraei (or ‘Voyage around the Erythraean Sea’ [note: the modern Red Sea]) is an anonymous work from around the middle of the first century CE written by a Greek speaking Egyptian merchant." (Source: Washington University) The document describes "the maritime trade-routes following the north-south axis from Egypt down the coast of East Africa as far as modern day Tanzania" and "the routes of the east-west axis running from Egypt, around the Arabian Peninsula and past the Persian Gulf on the west coast of India." The complete translation of this fascinating resource on the ancient sea trade can be found here. A detailed map of the Erythraean Sea in the 1st Century can be found here.

Amphorae Recovered From 2,350-Year-Old Cargo Ship Near Cyprus

"Marine archaeologists have salvaged ancient wine vases piled on the hull of a 2,350-year-old cargo ship lying on the seabed off Cyprus' southern shore, the Mediterranean island's Antiquities Department said Saturday." (AP story here) The Greek merchant vessel is apparently from the 4th Century BC, the same period as the famous Kyrenia ship now on display at the Ancient Shipwreck Museum in Kyrenia Castle. In other words, these ships were transporting cargo around the Aegean and Mediterranean in the days of Alexander the Great. "Divers last month brought to the surface only a few of the more than 500 amphorae — terra-cotta vases used in antiquity to ferry liquid and other foodstuffs - for more study. They are of the type that carried red wine from the Aegean island of Chios — reputed to be the most expensive of classical antiquity, the Department said in a statement." Too bad the wine itself didn't survive. What do you want to bet that it would be better than anything made today?