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Trade in the Greco-Roman Period
Although Egypt was first conquered and ruled by
the Assyrians and Persians, it was only when the Ptolemies and
Romans came to power that significant changes were introduced in all
areas of life. The Ptolemies brought political stability to Egypt,
and the foundation of Alexandria as a new capital city moved the
political, economic, and cultural focus to the Delta. In addition,
immigrants from many areas of the Mediterranean now settled in Egypt
in relatively large numbers, particularly in the Delta and the
Fayoum; this helped existing towns to grow in size and new ones to
be established.
Under the Greeks and Romans the country prospered (although the native population probably saw few direct benefits). This was achieved in several ways. First, the irrigation system was greatly improved under the Ptolemies. Areas which were not naturally inundated required human intervention, and various water raising mechanisms were now employed, including the shaduf and two new inventions—the ox driven waterwheel (sakkiyeh) and the Archimedean screw. In the Fayoum in particular new, large areas of land were now brought under cultivation. Next, communications were much improved with the construction of new roads and canals so that people and goods could be moved around the country more easily. Furthermore, trade and prosperity were increased by the building of a canal—constructed by Ptolemy II Philadelphus and later renovated by the Roman Emperor Trajan—that joined the Nile to the Gulf of Suez. .
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Prosperous Alexandria
During the Greco-Roman Period Alexandria became the most important commercial city in the Mediterranean. It had several great physical advantages including one man-made and two natural harbors. There was an extensive maritime trade with the Mediterranean and also a significant shipbuilding industry. Canals provided Alexandria with access to the Canopic branch of the Nile and thus to the Nile Valley, creating a route that enabled Egypt’s domestic products to be exported through Alexandria. The Nile now became one of the world’s great trading conduits, and silverware, bronze goods, lamps, pottery, glass, wine, and olive oil traveled southward beyond Khartoum. In the reverse direction the exotic products of that area— ivory, spices, gold, and myrrh—were taken north to the Mediterranean. Another route through Coptos and the Red Sea ports gave Alexandria new trading connections with India and Arabia. This link flourished in the Roman Period when a road system was developed to join the Nile Valley to the Red Sea ports. In general Alexandria became a very wealthy city. Merchants amassed great individual fortunes, and the products of Egypt, particularly textiles, glass, papyrus, and luxury items, were welcomed in many other countries. It was Egypt’s grain, however, exported through Alexandria to the Aegean, Rome, and Constantinople, that was the most significant product. Grain was brought from the Nile Valley to supply the needs of Alexandria’s population, but there was a considerable surplus; this became Egypt’s main export, and one of the country’s main functions in the Roman Period was to supply grain to feed the population of Rome and other parts of the empire. Grain was sent to Rome in ships of the Alexandrian grain fleet on the order and under the supervision of the government. The Nile was most effectively exploited as a trading route during the Roman Period when much of this trade was developed by Alexandrian merchants. They not only handled the government contract for shipping grain out through Alexandria to Rome and Constantinople but also undertook private ventures, importing and exporting a wide variety of goods. Greek residents in Egypt could therefore expect to enjoy many foreign delicacies including wines, honey, meat, and fish imported from the Aegean Islands and southern Asia Minor. .
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Impact of the Greeks
It was the Greeks under Ptolemaic rule, however, who had the greatest initial impact on the trade, industry, and commerce of Egypt. The Greeks who came to live in Egypt brought with them a tradition of trade and commerce, and soon markets were established and developed in many towns providing a wide range of goods for the local population. These commercial centers were often associated with Greek temples which also served as the focus for the town’s financial offices. Few archaeological remains of commercial buildings have survived in Egyptian towns, but evidence indicates that there were shops arranged along colonnaded streets and, in addition to established traders, there were also probably itinerant vendors. One very important development that occurred early in the Ptolemaic Period had a profound impact on the local economy, on the movement of goods and services between different regions, and on the development of international trade. This was the rapid increase that occurred in the volume and availability of currency, because although coinage had been introduced into Egypt by the Persians after 525 BC, until now there had been relatively little coin production. The impact of coinage on Egypt’s economy had not been significant before the Ptolemaic Period since much of the trade had continued to be based on the barter system. .
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Trade in the Greco-Roman Period
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