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Alexandria

Type Object Region Egypt Time -331–1

Founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BCE on Egypt's Mediterranean coast, Alexandria was the Hellenistic era's foremost international port and center…

Timeline

  1. -331Alexandria · EgyptAfter conquering Egypt, Alexander the Great chose a site on the western bank of the Nile Delta to found the city, laying the foundation of a new eastern Mediterranean metropolis with grid streets, a royal quarter, and harbor facilities.
  2. c. -300–-30Alexandria · EgyptUnder the Ptolemies the port handled grain, spices, and luxury goods, with merchant ships plying the Mediterranean and Red Sea; the city also gathered Greek, Egyptian, and Eastern scholars, forming an international metropolis where knowledge and trade coexisted.
  3. -30–1Alexandria · EgyptAfter incorporation into Roman territory, Alexandria remained one of the empire's largest eastern ports, continuing grain exports, shipping transshipment, and multicultural exchange, linking the Mediterranean with the Nile's inland economy.

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