Eudoxus of Cyzicus

Eudoxus of Cyzicus ( ; ; ) was a Greek navigator and diplomat who explored the Arabian Sea for Ptolemy VIII, king of the Hellenistic Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt.

Voyages to India The Silk Road extending from southern Europe through Arabia, Somalia, Egypt, Persia, India and Java until it reaches China. According to Poseidonius, later reported in Strabo's Geography, the monsoon wind system of the Indian Ocean was first sailed by Eudoxus of Cyzicus in 118 or 116 BC. Poseidonius said a shipwrecked sailor from India had been rescued in the Red Sea and taken to Ptolemy VIII in Alexandria. The unnamed Indian offered to guide Greek navigators to India. Egyptian ships had traditionally traveled to India by hugging the coast of the Arabian Peninsula, where ships were subject to tolls and pirating, so a separate route that crossed the sea appealed to Ptolemy VIII. Heralds for these festivals were usually elected by fellow citizens, suggesting that Eudoxus was well known and respected in Cyzicus. Eudoxus was reportedly very interested in geography and expressed desire to sail up the Nile. Eudoxus of Cyzicus made two voyages from Egypt to India. The first, in 118 BC, was guided by the Indian sailor. Eudoxus returned with a cargo of aromatics and precious stones, which was all seized by Ptolemy VIII.

It is often suggested that Eudoxus of Cyzicus believed the circumnavigation of Africa was possible because of the proposed theories of Eratosthenes of Cyrene.

It is, however, most likely that Eudoxus never succeeded in circumnavigating the African continent. One of the most outspoken proponents of the circumnavigation’s success was Poseidonius, who theorized that the African continent was much smaller than it actually is. The success of Eudoxus’ circumnavigation of Africa would have lent credence to Poseidonius’ theory.

Impact Eudoxus of Cyzicus’ discovery of a route to India that crossed the open sea made trade between India and Egypt more accessible. According to Strabo, the new sea route was not fully utilized under the Ptolemaic Dynasty, with no more than 20 vessels taking the route every year. The Indian exports seem to have held far greater value than the exports from Egypt, with Egypt mostly importing luxury and medicinal goods. It was not until the Roman annexation of Egypt that the sea route saw significant trade volume.

The discovery of the new sea route also appears to have led to the creation of a new office in the Ptolemaic courts: the commander in charge of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. It is generally believed that this position was created under the reign of Ptolemy IX, likely in 110 or 109 BC, but some scholars have suggested that the position did not exist until the middle of the first century BC, possibly under the reign of Cleopatra VII. Those who held this new position appear to have enjoyed a highly elevated status in society and were considered close to the ruler.

In popular culture Eudoxus (under the Greek spelling of his name, Eudoxos) is the narrator of L. Sprague de Camp's historical novel The Golden Wind.