Two ancient cities called Canopus and Herakleion, once thrived in the area of the modern day Abu Qir Bay in Alexandria. The cities existed before the founding of Alexandria as an ancient city. Evidence suggests that they began to decline in the 4 th Century B.C. Both cities ended up submerged in the sea, though how exactly this occurred is unknown.
Canopus and Herakleion were extremely prosperous deriving their wealth fromthe taxation of goods brought at the nearby ports for transport on the Nile. In recent excavations, remains of the cities have been discovered and include parts of a temple and statues of deities.
Travelers of the 18 th Century used to walk along the shores hoping to see the remains of the two doomed cities. To this day, it is unknown what disaster led to their disappearance. Some suggested that an earthquake or a flood is what led to their ultimate demise.
