darius, digging of the suez canal and its role in the development of trade relations during the achaemenid

the ground connection between iran and egypt was established long before the achaemenid period. many unsuccessful efforts were also made by egyptian pharaohs to establish maritime connections before the achaemenids. with the conquest of egypt by cambyses (529-522 b.c), in the year 525 b.c, it was under the rule of achaemenids. after the death of cambyses, darius i (522-486 b.c) defeated the gaumat the magush and became the king. being informed of the activitie stook place about the digging of the suez canal before him, darius decided to bring this great work to a conclusion. ­providing the necessary requirement he completed the pharaohs unfinished works and successfully made the suez canal being dug during 10 years. the canal made the mediterranean sea, the red sea, the persian gulf, the oman sea and the indian ocean being connected and established the maritime relations between iran, egypt, and india and developed commercial relations between these three countries and all areas were located between them and the suez canal was then the main crossing of commercial goods were exchanged between western and eastern regions.