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Naucratis, (Greek: Ναύκρατις), loosely translated as "(the city that wields) power over ships" (Piemro in Egyptian, now Kom Gieif), was an ancient city of Egypt, on the Canopic branch of the Nile, 45 mi (72 km) SE of Alexandria. Initially given as a reward to colonists from the Greek city-state of Miletus by the Saite Pharaoh Psammetichus I (Psamtik) (c663-609) for their help in defeating his rival the pretender Inarus, it was not only the first Greek settlement in Egypt but also Egypt's most important harbor in antiquity until the rise of Alexandria and the shifting of the Nile led to its decline.

During the 6th century BC the Hellenophile Pharoah Amasis (570-526) converted Naucratis into a major treaty-port and commercial link with the west. This was done most likely as a means to contain the Greeks and concentrate their activities in one place under his control. It became not the colony of any particular city-state but an emporion (tading post) like Al Mina, the largest market port of north Syria. According to Herodotus the walled shrine known as the Hellenion was a co-operative enterprise financed by nine eastern Greek cities, four Ionian (Chios, Clazomenae, Teos, and Phocaea) four Dorian (Rhodes, Halicarnasus, Cnidus and Phaselis) and one Aeolean (Mytilene.) Miletus, Samos and Aegina had their own separate sanctuaries. Thus at least twelve Greek city-states worked in a collaboration that was not only rare but proved to be lasting.

The Egyptians supplied the Greeks with mostly grain but also linen and papyrus while the Greeks bartered mostly silver but also timber, olive oil and wine.

Herodotus tells us that the prostitutes of Naucratis were “peculiarly alluring.”

Naucratis soon became a profound source of inspiration to the Greeks by re-exposing them to the wonders of Egyptian architecture and sculpture lost to them since the Bronze Age.

The site has been excavated, revealing pottery of a Greek type and ruins of Greek temples.

References

• Archaeological information: