The Wines of the Ancient Orient. 



5 



the Classical writers pass a favorable judgement on the qua- 

 lity of the Egyptian wines. An exception appears to be 

 Martial. This writer considered them all as being of an in- 

 ferior grade, judging from his statement that the vinegar ot 

 Egypt is better than its wine (XIII, I22). Also Apollodorus, 

 the physician, in a treatise on wines, addressed to Ptolemy, 

 king of Egypt, recommended for medicinal purposes foreign 

 wines rather than those of his own country. He praised par- 

 ticularly the Peparthian ', and the wine ol Pontus. This may 

 have been due merely to psychological reasons. The imagi- 

 nation thus was a factor introduced to effect a cure, by the 

 mere prescription of a foreign wine, which was little known in 

 the home country. 



The Greek and Roman writers in the last centuries before 

 and after our era laud Egypt also as a country with plenty 

 of wine. We have seen above that the Mareoticum was even 

 exported to Rome, yet it appears that Egypt produced just 

 enough wine for its own home consumption. 



The introduction of Islam in Egypt limited the culture of 

 vine to a great extent. In the year 401 a. H. during the reign 

 of Hakim many people of Cairo were beaten and led shame- 

 fully through the streets of the city, because they had sold 

 wine, amongst other forbidden merchandise. In 402 a. H, 

 Hakim prohibited the sale of raisins, and issued orders against 

 their importation. A large quantity of raisins was thrown 

 into the Nile or burned, while other immense quantities were 



regarding the woaderful country of Punt, ^^ ^^ , situated along the 



African and Asiatic coasts of the Gulf of Aden, does not fail to give refe- 

 rence to viticulture in that country (lines 47 and 48). In the country of the 

 Niam-niam, on his journey from Marra to the bill of Gumango, Dr. Schwein- 

 furth "had time to explore the magnificent vegetation of the adjacent hills. 

 The -wild wine [vitrs Schimperi) was loaded with its ripe clusters and afforded 

 me a refreshment to which I had been long unaccustomed. These grapes 

 were less juicy than those that grow upon the vine-clad hills of Europe, and 

 they left a somewhat harsh sensation upon the palate; but altogether, and 

 especially in colour, they reminded me of our own growth" (Schweinfurth, 

 The Heart of Africa, 2nd Engl, edition, Vol. II, pp. 234 and 235). 



i) Pliny, XIV, 7. Some scholars read Praeparentium. Preparethos was 

 one of the Cyclades, famous for its wines (Ovid. Alet., Vll, 470). 



