Arsinoe (Ancient Greek:Ἀρσινόη) orArsinoites orCleopatris (Ancient Greek:Κλεοπατρίς) orCleopatra, was an ancient city at the northern extremity of theHeroopolite Gulf (Gulf of Suez), in theRed Sea.
Arsinoe was the capital of theHeroopolite nome, and one of the principal harbors belonging toEgypt. It appears to have been also denominatedCleopatris (Strabo p. 780) andArsinoites (Plin. v. 9. § 9; Orelli,Inscr. 516). It is also conjectured to have stood on the site of thebiblicalPi-hahiroth (Pihachiroth).Exodus14:2, 9;Numbers33:7; Winer,Biblioth. Realwörterb. ii. p. 309. The modernArdscherúd, a village nearSuez, corresponds to this Arsinoe. It was seated near the eastern termination of the Royal canal, which communicated with thePelusiac branch of theNile, and whichPtolemy Philadelphus carried on from theBitter Lakes to the head of the Heroopolite gulf. Arsinoe (Plin. v. 12) was ca. 200 km fromPelusium.
The revenues of the Arsinoite nome were presented by that monarch to his wife (who was also his sister),Arsinoe II of Egypt, after whom the city was named, and remained the property of successive queens or princesses of theLagid family, including one of the Cleopatra's who changed the name into Cleopatris. The shortness of the road across theeastern desert and its position near the canal were the principal advantages of Arsinoe as a staple of trade. But although it possessed a capacious bay, its access from the south was difficult due to the prevailing northern winds. Arsinoe, accordingly, was less eligibly situated for theIndian traffic than eitherMyos Hormos orBerenice.
Arsinoe is depicted in the first DLC (The Hidden Ones) of the 2017 video gameAssassin's Creed Origins. It is shown as a town occupied by Romans, who tear down ancient Egyptian monuments for use as building materials in 38 BC.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Arsinoe".Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.
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