The Port of Adulis, a symbol of Eritrea's ancient maritime heritage and enduring Red Sea identity.

The Port of Adulis was one of the most important harbors on the western coast of the Red Sea in antiquity. Situated about 60 km south of modern Massawa, it provided access to the sea to the Aksumite Kingdom (1st–7th centuries AD), linking the African hinterland to the wider Indian Ocean and Mediterranean trade networks.

Classical sources such as the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (1st century AD) and the writings of Cosmas Indicopleustes (6th century AD) describe Adulis as a bustling emporium where merchants traded ivory, rhinoceros horn, frankincense, obsidian, tortoise shell, gold, and slaves in exchange for textiles, glassware, metal goods, and wine brought from Arabia, India, and the Mediterranean.

Adulis also held strategic and political significance: its prosperity was tied to control over inland trade routes that carried African commodities from the highlands and interior to the coast.

Archaeological work in recent decades has revealed extensive urban remains, monumental buildings, and ceramic assemblages at the site, confirming its role as both a port and a major urban settlement. These excavations emphasize Adulis’s importance not only as a trade hub but also as a cultural and political center.

Today, Adulis is celebrated in Eritrea as a symbol of its ancient maritime heritage and enduring Red Sea identity, often invoked in discussions of coastal sovereignty and cultural pride.

Eritrea’s maritime boundaries and rights are determined by international law, however, Adulis is a powerful symbol and cultural asset that Eritrea leverages to affirm a long-standing Red Sea identity and stewardship of its coastline and islands. Our legal titles are anchored in international law and our might but Adulis bolsters narrative legitimacy.

Written by @Erihistory