3rd century BCE – 2nd century BCE
Red Sea, Egypt, Arabia, India, and the East African coast
Ptolemaic Red Sea trade expanded after the decline of military interest in African war-elephants. Ports and hunting stations such as Adulis became bases for ivory, rhinoceros horn, and tortoise-shell commerce, while Egyptian Greeks developed direct maritime contacts with Arabia and India. Eudoxos undertook voyages to India and attempted an alternative route around Africa, though the Indian Ocean trade remained limited in scale.
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The Story
The Ptolemies continued to seek African elephants along the Red Sea coast after the failure of their elephants at Raphia in 217 BC. By the later second century BC, however, their interest in war-elephants appears to have declined. Former elephant-hunting stations, especially Adulis, remained important because they connected Egypt with valuable African products and wider Red Sea exchange.
Adulis and comparable stations served as bases for trade in ivory, rhinoceros horns, and tortoise-shells. Commercial links with Arabia and India also expanded, carrying incense and spices toward Egypt. Greeks began trading directly with India, marking a new phase in the maritime connections of the Ptolemaic world.
The sea route to India was attributed to Eudoxos, who was sent out toward the end of the reign of Ptolemy Euergetes II, who died in 116 BC. Eudoxos made two voyages to India, then quarreled with his Ptolemaic employers and died during an unsuccessful attempt to create a route around Africa beyond Ptolemaic control.
On his return from India, Eudoxos was blown off course and discovered the East African coast south of Cape Guardafui. The extent and timing of regular Egyptian Greek trade with this coast remained uncertain, while the Indian Ocean trade itself was still small-scale: no more than twenty Egyptian ships reportedly ventured beyond the Red Sea each year.
3rd century BCE – 2nd century BCE
Red Sea, Egypt, Arabia, India, and the East African coast
Ptolemaic Red Sea trade expanded after the decline of military interest in African war-elephants. Ports and hunting stations such as Adulis became bases for ivory, rhinoceros horn, and tortoise-shell commerce, while Egyptian Greeks developed direct maritime contacts with Arabia and India. Eudoxos undertook voyages to India and attempted an alternative route around Africa, though the Indian Ocean trade remained limited in scale.
Continue exploring
The Story
The Ptolemies continued to seek African elephants along the Red Sea coast after the failure of their elephants at Raphia in 217 BC. By the later second century BC, however, their interest in war-elephants appears to have declined. Former elephant-hunting stations, especially Adulis, remained important because they connected Egypt with valuable African products and wider Red Sea exchange.
Adulis and comparable stations served as bases for trade in ivory, rhinoceros horns, and tortoise-shells. Commercial links with Arabia and India also expanded, carrying incense and spices toward Egypt. Greeks began trading directly with India, marking a new phase in the maritime connections of the Ptolemaic world.
The sea route to India was attributed to Eudoxos, who was sent out toward the end of the reign of Ptolemy Euergetes II, who died in 116 BC. Eudoxos made two voyages to India, then quarreled with his Ptolemaic employers and died during an unsuccessful attempt to create a route around Africa beyond Ptolemaic control.
On his return from India, Eudoxos was blown off course and discovered the East African coast south of Cape Guardafui. The extent and timing of regular Egyptian Greek trade with this coast remained uncertain, while the Indian Ocean trade itself was still small-scale: no more than twenty Egyptian ships reportedly ventured beyond the Red Sea each year.