Myos Hormos is described as the first port of
Egypt on the Red Sea; as it lies in twenty-seven degrees north latitude,
and Rhapta, the boundary of the Periplus to the south, in nearly ten
degrees south latitude, the distance between them will be about 2,500
miles.
It is to be supposed, that every thing relating to the geography,
navigation, and commerce of the Red Sea, from Myos Hormos to Aduli, on the
western side, and Moosa, on the eastern side of it, was well known to the
merchants of Egypt, as the author of the Periplus gives no circumstantial
account of any port, till he arrives at these places. It appears, also,
that till the ships arrived at these places, they kept the mid-channel of
the Red Sea, and, consequently, there was no occasion, or indeed,
opportunity of describing the intermediate ports. We have already
mentioned, that Myos Hormos was fixed on by Ptolemy Philadelphus, in
preference to Arsinoe, because the navigation of the western part of the
Red Sea, on which the latter was placed, was intricate and tedious.
Berenice was afterwards selected, as being still lower down: but it is
worthy of remark, that neither Berenice, nor Ptolemais Theron, another port
of the Ptolemies, were harbours, but merely roadsteads, though from our
author's description, there were an almost infinite number of safe
harbours, creeks, bays, &c. in every part of the Red Sea.
Aduli, the first port on the west side of the Red Sea, and the port of
communication with Axuma, was, in the age of the Periplus, subject to the
same prince, who possessed the whole coast, from Berenice.
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