Perspectives: Egypt and the India-Rome trade in the first century CE
DR. WILLEKE WENDRICH
MARCH 18, 2025
Synopsis
Dr. Willeke Wendrich’s webinar on Perspectives: Egypt and the India-Rome trade in the first century CE offered an enlightening exploration of the vibrant, multicultural community that once thrived in the ancient port of Berenike. Now a solitary outpost in the desert, it’s difficult to imagine that Berenike was once a bustling hub of trade, where merchants from across the ancient world converged. Dr. Wendrich showcased various artifacts, each hinting at this melting pot of cultures—offering stands, basins, inscriptions, statuettes, papyri, and ostraca. One inscription, dating to the reign of Roman emperor Caracalla (around 215 CE), featured a name blending Roman and Semitic elements. Another, in Greek-Palmyrene, dedicated to Palmyrene gods, pointed to the presence of Palmyrene soldiers from present-day Syria stationed at Berenike.
A particularly intriguing ostraca, written in Tamil Brahmi on an Egyptian potshard, revealed South Indian traders’ presence in the port. Additionally, cotton threads with the distinctive Z-weave of Indian origin, contrasted with the S-weave of Nubian cotton, highlighted the use of Indian textiles. Fragments with characteristic weaving techniques further underscored the presence of Indian traders in Berenike.
These artifacts point to a significant Indian trading diaspora settled in the port, suggesting that traders may have used the monsoon winds for voyages across the Indian Ocean, requiring months of waiting between seasons. Alternatively, coastal travel routes would not have necessitated prolonged settlement. The most captivating discoveries were the cross-cultural connections. In the Temple of Isis at Berenike, statues of various deities were found carved from Egyptian materials, with influences of Roman art styles. These included representations of Hindu, Buddhist, and Egyptian gods, showcasing the blending of diverse cultural influences in this ancient trading center.
Dr. Wendrich dedicated her talk to Roberta Tomber (1954-2022), a visionary in the field, who had first identified and written about the significance of the Indo-Roman trade, as opposed to the Rome-India trade of previous scholarship.
The engaging presentation concluded with a lively discussion among the audience. One participant drew attention to the similarities between the offering altars at Berenike’s temples and those found in Hindu shrines of South India. Another noted the resemblance between the depictions of three Hindu deities and the figure of Jagannath of Puri. Attendees expressed curiosity about the Chera coin, dating from the 1st-2nd century AD, discovered inland from Berenike at Fort Dios, as well as the goods listed in the Periplus. Several participants highlighted the shared significance of the goddess as the patron deity of sailors, noting parallels between Isis in Berenike, Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, and Pattini in Kodungallur. The webinar concluded with remarks by Dr. Thomas Samuel, Chairman of the Board of AS-IES.