Ancient Mesopotamia, Near East and Greater Iran: Rivers, seas and ancient civilisations

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Rivers, seas and ancient civilisations

Printed From: History Community ~ All Empires
Category: Regional History or Period History
Forum Name: Ancient Mesopotamia, Near East and Greater Iran
Forum Discription: Babylon, Egypt, Persia and other civilizations of the Near East from ancient times to 600s AD
URL: http://www.allempires.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=27322
Printed Date: 28-Apr-2024 at 22:04
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.56a - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Rivers, seas and ancient civilisations

Posted By: fantasus
Subject: Rivers, seas and ancient civilisations
Date Posted: 31-May-2009 at 09:24

The Importance of the rivers (especially Euphrates, Tigris and with a stretch, the Nil) of the region for its role as "craddle of civilisation" may be commonly recognised. Less so perhaps the role of the surrounding seas and shores. Especially The persian Gulf, the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden could be waters with good opportunities even for non advanced navigators, since they are waters where they had a lot of possible targets in a short distance, and sailors never had to be very far away from one of two opposite shores. Those waterways perhaps made a great contribution - the seaways between Sumer and Indus via Bahrain and arabian and iranian coasts, and, in the other end the seas between Egypt, "Punt", "Ofir" and perhaps also "Shaba". We may speculate that those waters contributed to the "edge" of this region, long before ocean navigation came into fashion.