Discovery in Sinai Reveal Secrets of Ancient Egypt’s Eastern Fortress
The discoveries shed new light on Egypt’s eastern military defences during the Ptolemaic and Roman eras, highlighting Sinai’s long-standing role as the nation’s front line.
A new wave of archaeological discoveries in North Sinai has revealed significant insights into Egypt’s ancient eastern defences. The Egyptian archaeological mission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities has uncovered the remains of military fortifications, residential units for soldiers, and a defensive trench at Tell Abu Seifa, a historically strategic site east of the Nile Delta.
The finds, announced by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, point to the presence of military strongholds dating back to the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. Notably, a trench was identified at the entrance of the Ptolemaic fortress, raising the possibility that an even older third fortress may lie within the site.
Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy described the discovery as critical to understanding the design and significance of Egypt’s eastern fortifications. Tell Abu Seifa, he noted, once served as a military and industrial centre, reinforcing Egypt’s position as a protected gateway against threats from the east.
Further discoveries include an 11-metre wide paved limestone road running over 100 metres through the Roman fortress, believed to be built atop an older Ptolemaic path. More than 500 circular clay features line the route, thought to have held trees that once framed the entrance to the fortress during the Ptolemaic period.
Residential structures dating to the Roman period were also found, giving archaeologists rare insight into the daily life of soldiers stationed at the site during the reigns of Emperors Diocletian and Maximian. Additionally, four large kilns, likely used for producing quicklime, suggest the site evolved into an industrial hub by the late Roman period.
Tell Abu Seifa played a key role in protecting Egypt’s eastern frontier, especially as shifting river routes and coastal changes reduced the significance of the nearby ancient city of Tharu (Tell Habwa). Over time, the site emerged as a vital stronghold in the region’s evolving defensive network.
