Under The Successors Of Philometor, The Trade In The Red Sea Languished
Rather Than Increased, And The Full Benefits Of It Were Not Reaped Till
Some Time After The Roman Conquest.
Even in the time of Strabo, the bulk of
the trade still passed by Coptus to Myos Hormos.
We are aware of a passage
in this author, which, at first, sight seems to contradict the position we
have laid down, and to prove, that at least in his time, there was a direct
and not unfrequent navigation between the Red Sea and India. He expressly
states, that in the course of six or seven years, 120 ships had sailed from
Myos Hormos to India: but on this it may be observed, in the first place,
that he begins his description of India, with requesting his readers to
peruse what he relates concerning it with indulgence, as it was a country
very remote, and few persons had visited it; and even with regard to Arabia
Felix, he says, that the knowledge of the Romans commenced with the
expedition of his friend AElius Gallus into that country; - facts not very
consistent with his statement that 120 ships had sailed in six or seven
years to India: secondly, he expressly mentions, that formerly scarcely
twenty ships dared to navigate the Red Sea, so far as to shew themselves
beyond the straits; but we can hardly suppose that skill, enterprize, and
knowledge, had increased so rapidly as to extend within a very few years
navigation, not merely beyond the straits, but even to India; we say a few
years, for certainly, at the time when the Romans conquered Egypt, the
straits were not usually passed:
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