Κλῦσμα (Ancient Greek) | |
  Shown within Egypt | |
| Location | Suez,Suez Governorate, Egypt |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 29°57′16.6″N32°34′26.3″E / 29.954611°N 32.573972°E /29.954611; 32.573972 |
| Type | Settlement |
Clysma (Greek:Κλῦσμα,romanized: Klŷsma,lit. 'surf, waves that break';Coptic:ⲡⲉⲕⲗⲟⲩⲥⲙⲁ,romanized: Peklousma;Arabic:القلزم,romanized: al-Qulzum)[1] was an ancient city and bishopric in Egypt. It was located at the head of theGulf of Suez.
Clysma was founded or rebuilt by EmperorTrajan in the second century AD to protect travellers and merchants as it lay at the junction of roads from Sinai, Palestine, and Egypt.[2] This was done in conjunction with the construction of theAmnis Traianus, a canal that linked the Nile and the Red Sea and had its outlet near Clysma.[3] It has been suggested that the port was used for the exportation of textiles and grain produced in theArsinoitenome as they were better adapted to transportation via theAmnis Traianus to Clysma than overland to the southern ports ofBerenice Troglodytica andMyos Hormos.[4]
Clysma is first recorded inLucian'sAlexander Pseudomantis in the early 2nd century AD, and byPtolemy inGeographia in the mid-2nd century,[5] in which he described Clysma as aphrourion.[6] In 179,[5] soldiers of theAla Veterana Gallica were stationed at the city.[7] Clysma is also described in the works ofHierocles as akastron, and is recorded in thePanarion of SaintEpiphanius of Salamis.[6] As well as this, church historiansEusebius inOnomastikon andPhilostorgius inHistoria Ecclesiastica make reference to the city.[8] SaintEugenios of Clysma is said to have studied as a monk at Clysma.[9]
The nearbyMountain of Antony, also known as the Mountain of Clysma, was inhabited byanchorites, such as SaintJohn the Dwarf, and SaintSisoes the Great, who died there in 409 and 429, respectively.[9] The destruction of the Nile emporium ofKoptos, from where goods were transported overland to Berenice and Myos Hormos, by EmperorDiocletian in the late third century temporarily disrupted trade at the southern ports and led to an increase of trade at Clysma which reached its peak in the fourth and fifth centuries.[10] Acommercius, an official with responsibility for foreign trade, was active at Clysma during the reign of EmperorAnastasius I Dicorus.[11] Clysma is recorded on theTabula Peutingeriana.[6]
In response to an appeal for aid, in c. 525, EmperorJustin I had Clysma provide twenty vessels to the king of Ethiopia in his war with the king ofHimyar.[11] ThePlague of Justinian likely first entered the Roman Empire through the port of Clysma, and thus spread toPelusium, where it was first reported in mid-July 541.[12] According toEutychius of Alexandria, a church of Saint Athanasius was constructed at Clysma on the orders of EmperorJustinian I.[9] In c. 570, Clysma was visited by theanonymous pilgrim of Piacenza, who noted eighteen or more tombs of hermits at the city's basilica.[9]
After theMuslim conquest of Egypt, Clysma was known in Arabic asal-Ḳulzum, and theRed Sea was known as the Baḥr al-Ḳulzum (sea of Clysma).[13]
The diocese of Clysma was a suffragan of the Archdiocese ofLeontopolis.[14] Jacob was bishop of Clysma before 347, Titus/Paul was bishop in 347, and Poimen was bishop from 458 to 459.[15] Stephen, Bishop of Clysma, attended theSecond Council of Constantinople in 553.[16] The Roman Catholic Church nominally revived Clysma as atitular see, and has had the following incumbents:
Clysma appears in the 2017 video gameAssassin's Creed Origins expansionThe Hidden Ones.[17]
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