The Roman History El Gouna Hurghada:

 

What many people don’t know is that the remains of the Roman fort Abu Sha’ar (Deir Umm Duheis) lie inside El Gouna. A 4th-century Roman fort that housed the Ala Nova Maximiana camel cavalry. It was later converted into a Coptic Christian church, with visible inscriptions, bathhouses, and barracks. 

 

A place where history, sea, and desert come together, far from the beaten tourist paths. A hidden gem. It wasn’t only the Sawiris family, the founders of El Gouna, who knew where to settle… the Romans were there centuries before them.

 

To the southwest of El Gouna stretches an area where the desert still bears the traces of the mighty Roman Empire. Wadi Bileh, a wide dry riverbed, runs through the southern foothills of Jebel Abu Dukhaan and separates it from Jebel Gattar. Between Abu Sha’ar and Kainopolis lay a network of Roman roads connecting the Red Sea with the Nile, as well as with quarries, hydreumata (water stations), villages, and forts.

 

Along parts of Wadi Bileh, stone from the mountains around Mons Porphyrites was dragged on enormous wagons to the Nile. Signposts and forts such as Medina Badiya and Um Balad Fort still mark this route today.

 

Mons Porphyrites (“the purple city”) is the northernmost of the two major Roman settlements in this region. The other, Mons Claudianus, lies to the south of the network. Mons Porphyrites was the larger and more impressive of the two.

 

The porphyry, a dark purple stone quarried here, can still be seen today in monuments across the Mediterranean: from the Burnt Column of Constantine in Istanbul to St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, the columns of the Pantheon in Rome, the Imperial Palace in Istanbul, Diocletian’s Palace in Croatia, and the temples of Baalbek. An extensive network of Roman paths connected the city with quarries and remote settlements.

 

Not far from here lies Jebel Shayib el Banat, the highest mountain peak on the Egyptian mainland. Only the mountains of Sinai are higher. Its rugged summit rises to 2,187 meters. The name literally means “the mountain of the old man and the girls.” “Shayib” is Arabic for old man, while “banat” means girls. According to Bedouin tradition, the name refers to the light-colored summit rock, resembling silvery-white hair.

 

There are several stories about the “girls.” Some say it refers to two Bedouin sisters who lived at the foot of the mountain, one of whom tragically died after falling from a steep waterfall.

 

Wadi Bileh was also once part of a salt trade route, used by caravans transporting salt from the Red Sea by camel to Upper Egypt. This “Salt Road” remained active as recently as 150 years ago.

 

In Roman times, salt was essential for preserving food, especially meat and fish. Without it, supplying large armies or cities would have been impossible. Salt was so valuable that it was even used as a form of payment for Roman soldiers. The word “salarium” (from which the word “salary” is derived) refers to the salt allowance given to them.

 

Fun fact: some granite columns weighed up to 200 tons and were transported over thousands of kilometers. Them Romans must have loved their Rocks...

 

A journey through Wadi Bileh and its Roman remains is no ordinary excursion. It’s a journey through time, from pharaohs and Romans to Bedouins. Rocky mountain trails, forgotten forts, and a touch of mystique make this area one of the most unique destinations for those who want to experience Egypt in a truly different way.

Duration: 7 hours
Minimum: 4 Persons