Corpus Fontium Historiae Fodinarum: Difference between revisions

'''Description-Interpretation:''' Strabo quotes here the writings of Agatharchides on the Eastern Desert of Egypt, the various population groups and how they struggled to survive the harsh climate. He omits the detailed description on (Agatharchidus’Agatharchides’) gold mine but does refer to the use of soldiers to guard some mines. 16.4.6., ‘After the gulf, one comes to the island Ophiodes, so called from the fact in the case; but it was freed from the serpents by the king, both because of their destruction of the people who landed there and on account of the topazes found there.... There was an organisation of people who were appointed by the kings of Aegypt to keep guard over this stone and the collecting of it; and this organisation was supplied by them with provisions.’

'''Comments:''' Strabo, Diodorus and Photius have copied Agatharchides, though Strabo has more interest in the inbitants of the Eastern Desert than in the mining and quarry industry. His source for this information is Artemidorus of Ephesus as he did not have direct access to the original work of AgatharchidusAgatharchides.