Suez

Emperor Trajan's Canal connects Nile to Red Sea - 'River of Trajan' enables Roman-Indian Ocean trade for two centuries

Red Sea canal abandoned - silting and maintenance costs end 900 years of intermittent canal operation

Arabs reopen ancient canal - Amr ibn al-As restores connection to supply grain from Egypt to Mecca and Medina

Caliph al-Mansur closes canal permanently - prevents rival supplies reaching Mecca rebels, ends ancient waterway forever

Venice proposes Suez canal to Ottomans - desperate attempt to compete with Portuguese Cape route, Ottomans refuse

Ottoman Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmed attempts Suez canal - gets few miles before abandoning, Portuguese already dominate