Berenice Troglodytica

Berenice Troglodytica (often called Berenike) was an ancient Red Sea port on Egypt’s eastern coast founded in the Hellenistic period and developed under Ptolemaic and Roman administration as a hub for maritime trade to Arabia, East Africa and India. The settlement functioned as a major embarkation point where cargoes were transferred between ships and overland caravan routes to the Nile.

Archaeological work at the site has uncovered harbour structures, warehouses, fortifications and a town plan that document a long history of occupation from the 3rd century BCE through Roman and Byzantine times. Finds include imported goods and evidence of long-distance trade networks, as well as local industry and religious installations.

Geographically the port lies on the Egyptian Red Sea coast in the general region of the modern Red Sea Governorate, situated on a broad coastal plain used historically as an anchorage and staging area for maritime commerce.

• Historical role: Founded in the Hellenistic era and expanded under Ptolemaic and Roman rule, the port linked Red Sea maritime trade with overland routes into Egypt and the Mediterranean.

What to See #

• Harbour and commercial quarter: Archaeological remains include a harbour complex and warehouse foundations, attesting to its role as a maritime trading port between the Red Sea and inland caravan routes.
• Town and necropolis: Excavated residential and administrative areas, plus cemeteries, which show occupation from the Hellenistic period through Roman and Byzantine control.