Boats portrayed in the Nile Mosaic of Palestrina are far smaller than the barge uncovered off Alexandria. Credit: Camelia.boban / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

Researchers have identified an ancient Egyptian pleasure boat off the submerged island of Antirhodos, once part of Alexandria’s Portus Magnus, which matches a description written by the first-century Greek historian Strabo, creating a rare link between archaeology and an ancient text. The finding offers new insight into elite life in early Roman Egypt.

A window into Alexandria’s grandeur

Alexandria was one of the most remarkable cities of antiquity, known for its palaces, major temples, and the towering 130-meter (426-foot) Pharos lighthouse. The newly identified vessel adds another piece to the city’s maritime and cultural history.

The excavation was led by the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology (IEASM) under Franck Goddio, a visiting professor in maritime archaeology at the University of Oxford. Researchers date the vessel to the first half of the first century AD.

Archaeologists have uncovered a rare first-century Egyptian pleasure boat off Alexandria’s coast—matching a description written by Strabo over 2,000 years ago.#Alexandria #Strabo pic.twitter.com/HtWXZ3X9jA

— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) December 8, 2025

It measures about 35 meters (115 feet) long and features a central pavilion with a richly decorated cabin, indicating that it was built for leisure rather than trade or military purposes.

Ancient texts align with the physical evidence

Strabo visited Alexandria between 29 and 25 BC and described similar pleasure boats used by the royal court. He wrote that such vessels were luxuriously fitted and used for excursions. He also noted that crowds traveled by boat to public festivals, filling the canal day and night with music, dancing, and behavior he described as extremely licentious. Archaeologists say the structure and size of the newly identified boat closely match his account.

Unusual construction revealed underwater

The vessel was found 7 meters (23 feet) below the surface, buried under about 1.5 meters (5 feet) of sediment. Its timbers suggest a breadth of about seven meters and a layout that may have required more than 20 rowers.

Goddio said the construction was so unusual that he first suspected two ships were lying on top of each other. The bow is flat and the stern is round, features that allowed the vessel to navigate in very shallow water. This is the first time such a vessel has ever been discovered in Egypt, despite references in ancient texts and depictions in artwork such as the Palestrina mosaic.

Linked to the Temple of Isis destruction

The boat lies less than 50 meters (164 feet) from the Temple of Isis, which Goddio has been excavating. He believes the vessel may have sunk during the temple’s catastrophic destruction around AD 50. Later earthquakes and tidal waves caused sections of the coastline, including the Portus Magnus, to sink beneath the sea, engulfing palaces and other buildings.

Another theory suggests the vessel may have been a sacred barge used during the navigium Isidis ceremony. Goddio said the richly decorated boat could have represented the solar barque of Isis, mistress of the sea.

Early research hints at new insights

Graffiti in Greek was found on the central carling but has not yet been deciphered. Goddio said that although research is still at an early stage, the wreck promises to reveal new information about life, religion, luxury, and pleasure on Egypt’s waterways during the early Roman period.

Ship type never seen before

The Oxford Centre for Maritime Archaeology recently published scientific results from the excavations at the Temple of Isis. Its director, Prof Damian Robinson, said the newly identified vessel represents a type of ship never before found. He noted that while cabin-boats appear in ancient texts and artwork, this discovery provides the first archaeological example.

Wreck to remain underwater

The vessel will remain on the seabed in accordance with UNESCO regulations favoring underwater preservation. Only a small area has been explored so far, and excavations are expected to continue.