Heracleion

31.30416666666730.100555555556Koordinaten: 31 ° 18 ' 15 " N, 30 ° 6' 2 " O

Herakleion was Egypt's most important seaport in the two centuries after Greece 550-331 BC After several disasters the city was finally in the 8th century AD under.

Herakleion was called by the Egyptians themselves Thonis or Tahone situated " at the entrance of the sea of the Greeks ", as since 1899 by a stele in Naukratis white.

Geographical location

Herakleion - and also Menouthis and parts of Canopus - lay in the Bay of Aboukir in one place, which is now located about two kilometers from the coast and just under ten meters below the sea level. 2001, the site of Franck Goddio and his team was rediscovered.

The well-known through the texts of Herodotus and Strabo the city was built on several islands and crisscrossed by canals. During the geological survey, which was conducted in parallel with the surgical exploration in 2001, facilities were discovered between the cities of Herakleion and Eastern Canopus, which correspond to the records of ancient texts and show that actually existed in this part of the now sunken area of Egypt several settlements.

Heracles Temple

The Greek name Herakleion owed ​​Thonis a legendary Herakles Temple, which was known throughout the ancient world: here are the Trojans Paris and the king 's wife Helena on the run from Menelaus, the jealous ruler of Sparta, be stranded, just before her love the Trojan war triggered.

This temple was the son of Amun- Konshu originally dedicated as a healer and oracle god, whom the Greeks equated with Heracles. Later the shrine was dedicated to Amun.

Importance

However, the city of Herakleion was not only considered one of the foremost religious centers. She was also an active commercial port since the 6th century BC Its unique infrastructure is documented, among others, in more than 60 found in the harbor ancient shipwrecks dating from the 6th to the 2nd century BC.

One year 380 BC written inscription proclaims: Ten percent tariff rises Pharaoh Nectanebo I. by his Treasury officials in Herakleion on gold, silver, wood and all other goods of " the sea of ​​Greeks come ", as to goods Naucratis.