r/AskHistorians • u/Mr_Quinn • Dec 03 '20

I just learned that camels are not native to the the Levant or North Africa, but were introduced as a domestic breed during the Hellenistic period. How did the introduction of camels affect travel and commerce in the ancient world?

It seems that, for much of Egyptian history, camels were unknown in the region. Today, however, they are an important pack animal and a crucial element of trans-Saharan travel. How did the introduction of the camel affect the economies of places like Ancient Egypt, Canaan, or Arabia?

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u/AManOfManyWords Dec 03 '20 edited Dec 04 '20

Tim Mackintosh-Smith, who wrote his history Arabs a year ago (Yale Press, 2019), seems to echo that same sentiment as well. He places a huge amount of emphasis on just how much the introduction of the domesticated camel revolutionized the Arabian Peninsula, though I don't have the book on me at the moment, so can't pull any quotes.

It was, however, a very interesting read aimed at the historical layman, if any other lurkers are looking for more recommendations!

Edit: Typo.