Contextualising Berenike’s harbors within the dynamic landscape

Berenike was a port city operational during the Ptolemaic and Roman era with arguably the most important harbor situated at the northern end of the Red Sea. The site is located in a prime geographic position at the northern reaches of the Indian Ocean monsoon winds, approximately 260 km east of Aswan and 825 km south–southeast of Suez. Berenike lies immediately southwest of the large peninsula Ras Benas, which although offering little protection from the elements would have acted as a conspicuous landmark visible for those sailing to the port from the north or the south. The geographic location and landscape setting of Berenike was well-suited for a port, even when we consider the significant logistical demands of developing a large trans-shipment hub in a marginal environment located between the Red Sea and the Eastern Desert, where access to fresh water, food and other essential resources was severely restricted.