Cartography of Egypt

Claudius Ptolemy’s “Geography”

Excerpts from Book IV, Chapter 5

Written about 1900 years ago, when Antoninus Pius was the Roman emperor.

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§ 10 –The seven mouths of the Nile: the Herakleotikon or Kanobic, Bolbitinon, Sebennytikon, Pathmitikon, Mendesion, Tanitikon and Pelousiakon mouths.

In Kassiotis: Kassion, Outlet of the Sirbonis lake, Ostrakine, Rhinokoroura, Anthedon

It is bounded on the east by part of Ioudaias (Judaea) which runs from Anthedonos city to Arabia rock as far as the inmost point in the Arabian gulf at Heroon city and by a part of the Arabian gulf, described as follows:

After the above-mentioned inmost point of the gulf: Arsinoe, Klysma fortress, Cape Drepanon, Myos Reef, Philoteras Harbour, Mount Aias, Leukos harbour, Mount Akabe, Nekhesia, Mount Samaragdos, Point Lepte, Berenike, Mount Pentadaktylon, Point Bazion.

The principal cities and areas along the Nile river are as follows:

The so-called Great Delta begins where the Agathodaimon branches off from the Great river and flows through the Herakleotic mouth into the so-called Boubastiakon, which flows out through the Pelusiac mouth.

The so-called Small Delta is where the Boubastiakos river splits into the Bousiritikos river, which flows out through the Pathmitic mouth.

There is a third delta between the two aforementioned, where the Bubastis forks into one that flows through Athribis city and the Pineptimi mouth. At the Great Delta two rivers branch off toward the north from the river Agathodaimon.
The first is called the Thermouthiakos river, which flows out through the Sebennytic mouth; the second is the so-called Taly river, which flows through the Bolbitic mouth.

The Boutikos river which runs along at a nearly equal distance from the seacoast joins the Thermouthiakos, the Athribitikos, the Bousiritikos and the Boubastiakos, from which others springing from adjacent marshes and lakes flow into the sea through the remaining mouths, some of which are connected, as we have said, with the Great river.

The area around these rivers is commonly called the
Lower Country, with the following nomes and cities:

West of the Great river starting from the sea, in the Alexandria nome:
the city of Hermopolis Mikra
in the Andropolites nome, the city of Andropolis
In the Letopolites nome, the inland city of Letopolis.

Between the Great river and Taly river in the Metelites nome, the city of Metelis.

Between the Great river and the Thermouthiakos river these cities:
in the Phthenotes nome, the city of Buto
in the Kabasites nome, the city of Kabasa
in the Saites nome, the city of Sais
Toward the Great river from the west: the city of Naucratis.
From the east toward the Great river: in the Prosopites nome, the city of Nikiou.

Between the Thermouthiakos and the Athribitikos rivers:
in Sebennytes of the Lower Places, the city of Pakhneumounis
in the Xoites nome, the city of Xois
in the Phthemphonthis, the city of Tava.

Between the Athribitikon and the Bousiritikou rivers:
In the Onouphites nome, the city Onouphis
in the Athribites nome, the city Athribis
in the Mendesios nome, the city Thmouis
in the Sebennytes of the Upper Places, the city Sebennytos
in the Bousirites nome, the city Busiris
in the Leontopolites nome, the city Leontopolis.

Between the Bousiritikos and Boubastiakos rivers:
in the Neout or Nesog nome, the city Panephysis
in the Tanites nome, the city of Tanis
in the Pharbaithites nome, the city of Pharbaethos.

From the east of the Boubastikon river is the Sethroites nome: the city of Herakleopolis Mikra
in the Arabias nome, the city of Phakoussa
in the Boubastites nome, the city of Bubastis
in the Heliopolites nome, the city of Heliou/Oniou.

In the border area of Arabias and Aphroditopolis, the Traianos river flows through Babylon, Heliopolis, and Heroonpolis

The area further south from the Great Delta and the Low Country is called the Seven Nomes. The first nome west of the river is Memphites, and the city of Memphis
Inland on the same side of the river, the town Akanthon.

Then where the river divides, the Herakleopoliten nome forms an island and inland on this island the city of Nilopolis.

The city at the westerly section of the river, Herakleopolis
The west side of the island, the Arsinoites nome, the inland city of Arsinoe and Ptolemais harbour.
The east side of the island, Aphroditopolites nome, the city of Aphroditopolis
Also on the east side of the island, the city of Ankyronpolis.

Adjoining to the west of the river is the Oxyrynkhites nome, and the inland city of Oxyrynkhos(polis)
Then likewise the Kynopolites nome, the city west of the river, Ko
Opposite which on the island lies Kynonpolis
and then on the east bank of the river, Akoris
and in the interior, Alabastron

Then in the Hermopolites nome, inland, west of the river, the city of Hermopolis (Magna)
East of the river in the Antinoites nome, the city of Antinoöpolis

Further south is Thebes and
the Upper Country.

There, from west of the river, is the Lykopolites nome, the inland city Lykonpolis
in the Hypselites nome, the city of Hypsele
in the Aphroditopolites nome, the inland city of Aphroditespolis
then, Krokodeilonpolis
in the Thinites nome, the city Ptolemais or Hermeiou
then inland, likewise west of the river, Abydos
in the Diopolites nome of the Upper Places, the city of Diospolis Mikra
in the Tentyrites nome, the city of Tentyra
and the inland village Pampanis
Next Memnon, in the interior, the village Tathyris.
in the Hermouthites (or Hermonthites) nome, the city of Hermouthis or Hermonthis
and next Latonpolis
then Apollonospolis
then the inland village Phthonthis
and the island of Elephantine.

East of the river: in the Antaiopolites nome, the inland city of Antaioupolis
and next Passalos or Passalon
in the Panopolites nome, the city of Panopolis (or Panonpolis)
next, Lepidotonpolis
then Khenoboskia
next, Kainepolis
in the Koptites nome, the inland city of Koptos or Koptospolis
next, Apollonospolis Mikra
in the Theban nome, Diospolis Megale
then Touphion
then Khnoubis
then Eilethyiaspolis
then inland, Toou
then Omboi or Ombroi
then Syene.