PELUSIUM

Greek Pelousion, ancient Egyptian city on the easternmost mouth of the Nile River (long silted up). The Egyptians likely called it Sa'inu and also Per-Amon (House of Amon), whence perhaps the site's modern name, Tell Farama. It lies about 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Port Said, in the Sinai Peninsula. In the Bible the city is called (Ezekiel 30:15) the stronghold of Egypt (the name being given in the King James Version as Sin, transliterated from the Hebrew). In the 26th and later Egyptian dynasties, Pelusium was the main frontier fortress against Palestine and was a customs post for Asiatic goods. In 525 BC the Persians, under Cambyses II, defeated the Saite pharaoh Psamtik III there. During the periods of Egyptian independence from Persia (28th29th dynasty), it was a vital defensive centre. In Roman times it was a station on the route to the Red Sea. Ruins date from the Roman period.