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when affairs are administered with great care, and when the commerce with India and with Troglodytica has been so greatly increased ? For formerly not even twenty vessels ventured to navigate the Arabian Gulf, or advance to the smallest distance beyond the straits at its mouth; but now large fleets are despatched as far as India and the extremities of Ethiopia, from which places the most valuable freights are brought to Egypt, and are thence exported to other parts, so that a double amount of custom is collected, arising from imports on the one hand, and from exports on the other. The most expensive description of goods is charged with the heaviest impost; for in fact Alexandreia has a monopoly of trade, and is almost the only receptacle for this kind of merchandise and place of supply for foreigners. The natural convenience of the situation is still more apparent to persons travelling through the country, and particularly along the coast which commences at the Catabathmus; for to this place Egypt extends.
Next to it is Cyrenaea, and the neighboring barbarians, the Marmaridae. 14
From the Catabathmus note to Paraetonium is a run of 900
stadia for a vessel in a direct course. There is a city and a
large harbour of about 40 stadia in extent, by some called the
city Paraetonium, note by others, Ammonia. Between these is
the village of the Egyptians, and the promontory Aenesisphyra, and the Tyndareian rocks, four small islands, with a
harbour; then Drepanum a promontory, and Aenesippeia an
island with a harbour, and Apis a village, from which to
Paraetonium are 100 stadia; [from thence] to the temple of
Ammon is a journey of five days. From Paraetonium to Alexandreia are about
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Strabo, Geography (English) (XML Header) [genre: prose] [word count] [lemma count] [Str.].