Editing Port (section)

==Historical ports==
{{main|Historical ports}}[[File:La Lanterna di Genova di notte.jpg|thumb|The ancient [[Port of Genoa]], Italy]]

Wherever ancient civilisations engaged in maritime trade, they tended to develop sea ports. One of the world's oldest known artificial harbors is at [[Wadi al-Jarf]] on the [[Red Sea]].<ref name=Discovery>{{cite news|title=Most Ancient Port, Hieroglyphic Papyri Found|author=Rossella Lorenzi|work=Discovery News|date=12 April 2013|url=http://news.discovery.com/history/ancient-egypt/worlds-oldest-port-and-egyptian-papyrus-uncovered-130412.htm|access-date=21 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130414103902/http://news.discovery.com/history/ancient-egypt/worlds-oldest-port-and-egyptian-papyrus-uncovered-130412.htm|archive-date=14 April 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> Along with the finding of harbor structures, ancient anchors have also been found.

Other ancient ports include [[Port of Guangzhou|Guangzhou]] during [[Qin dynasty]] China and [[Canopus, Egypt|Canopus]], the principal Egyptian port for Greek trade before the foundation of [[Alexandria]]. In [[ancient Greece|Ancient Greece]], Athens' port of [[Piraeus]] was the base for the Athenian fleet which played a crucial role in the [[Battle of Salamis]] against the Persians in 480 BCE. In ancient India from 3700 BCE, [[Lothal]] was a prominent city of the Indus valley civilisation, located in the [[Bhal region]] of the modern state of [[Gujarāt]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Rao|first=S. R. Rao|title=Lothal|publisher=Archeological Survey of India|year=1985}}</ref> [[Ostia Antica]] was the port of ancient Rome with [[Portus]] established by [[Claudius]] and enlarged by [[Trajan]] to supplement the nearby port of Ostia. In Japan, during the [[Edo period]], the island of [[Dejima]] was the only port open for trade with Europe and received only a single Dutch ship per year, whereas [[Osaka]] was the largest domestic port and the main trade hub for rice.
[[File:Frigidarium Terme del Foro Ostia Antica 2006-09-08.jpg|thumb|Remains of the port of [[Ostia Antica]], Italy]]

[[Ostia Antica]] ({{literally|Ancient Ostia}}) is an [[ancient Roman]] city and the port of [[History of Rome|Rome]] located at the mouth of the [[Tiber]]. It is near modern [[Ostia (Rome)|Ostia]], {{convert|25|km|abbr=on}} southwest of [[Rome]]. Due to [[siltation|silting]] and the invasion of sand, the site now lies {{convert|3|km|0|abbr=on}} from the sea.<ref>Ostia-Introduction http://www.ostia-antica.org/intro.htm {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903173213/http://ostia-antica.org/intro.htm |date=2017-09-03 }}</ref> The name ''Ostia'' (the plural of ''ostium'') derives from Latin ''os'' 'mouth'. Ostia is now a large [[Classical archaeology|archaeological site]] noted for the excellent preservation of its ancient buildings, magnificent [[fresco]]es and impressive [[mosaic]]s. The city's decline after antiquity led to harbor deterioration, marshy conditions, and reduced population. Sand dunes covering the site aided its preservation. Its remains provide insights into a city of commercial importance. As in [[Pompeii]], Ostia's ruins provide details about Roman [[urbanism]] that are not accessible within the city of Rome itself.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gates |first=Charles |title=Ancient cities: the archaeology of urban life in the ancient Near East and Egypt, Greece and Rome |date=2011 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-203-83057-4 |edition=2nd |location=London [u.a] |pages=367–370}}</ref> Post-classical [[Swahili culture|Swahili kingdoms]] are known to have had trade port islands and trade routes<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/06/sfe/ht06sfe.htm |title=Eastern and Southern Africa 500–1000 AD |publisher=Metmuseum.org |access-date=21 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011004233549/http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/06/sfe/ht06sfe.htm |archive-date=4 October 2001 |url-status=dead }}</ref> with the Islamic world and Asia. They were described by Greek historians as "metropolises".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1924318.stm |title=Tanzanian dig unearths ancient secret by Tira Shubart |work=BBC News |date=17 April 2002 |access-date=21 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021220062204/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1924318.stm |archive-date=20 December 2002 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Famous African trade ports such as [[Mombasa]], [[Zanzibar]], [[Mogadishu]] and [[Kilwa]]<ref>{{cite book| last = Newitt| first = M.D.D.| title = A History of Mozambique| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=vLzp_zs1t6cC&pg=PA245| year = 1995| publisher = Indiana University Press| isbn = 9780253340061 }}</ref> were known to Chinese sailors such as [[Zheng He]] and medieval Islamic historians such as the Berber Islamic voyager [[ibn Battuta|Abu Abdullah ibn Battuta]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/1354-ibnbattuta.html |title=Ibn Battuta: Travels in Asia and Africa 1325–1354 |publisher=Fordham.edu |date=21 February 2001 |access-date=21 April 2009 |archive-date=13 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513172555/http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/1354-ibnbattuta.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Many of these ancient sites no longer exist or function as modern ports. Even in more recent times, ports sometimes fall out of use. [[Rye, East Sussex]], was an important English port in the Middle Ages, but the coastline changed and it is now {{convert|2|mi|km}} from the sea, while the ports of [[Ravenspurn]] and [[Dunwich]] have been lost to [[coastal erosion]].
[[File:Maritime republics map - IT.png|thumb|A map with the locations and coats of arms of the [[maritime republics]] of [[Italy in the Middle Ages|medieval Italy]]: [[Duchy of Amalfi|Amalfi]], [[Republic of Genoa |Genoa]], [[Republic of Pisa|Pisa]], and [[Republic of Venice|Venice]], [[Republic of Noli|Noli]], [[Republic of Ancona|Ancona]], [[Republic of Ragusa|Ragusa]], [[Republic of Gaeta|Gaeta]].]]

The [[maritime republics]] ({{langx|it|repubbliche marinare}}), also called merchant republics ({{langx|it|repubbliche mercantili}}), were Italian [[Thalassocracy |thalassocratic]] [[Port city|port cities]] which, starting from the [[Middle Ages]], enjoyed political autonomy and economic prosperity brought about by their maritime activities. The term, coined during the 19th century, generally refers to four Italian cities, whose coats of arms have been shown since 1947 on the flags of the [[Italian Navy]] and the Italian Merchant Navy:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.marina.difesa.it/storiacultura/storia/tradizioni/Pagine/LaBandiera.aspx |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131227030826/http://www.marina.difesa.it/storiacultura/storia/tradizioni/Pagine/LaBandiera.aspx |title=La Bandiera della Marina Militare |language=Italian |website=Marina Militare |publisher=Ministero della Difesa |archive-date=December 27, 2013 |access-date=July 29, 2023 |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Duchy of Amalfi|Amalfi]], [[Republic of Genoa |Genoa]], [[Republic of Pisa|Pisa]], and [[Republic of Venice|Venice]]. In addition to the four best known cities, [[Republic of Ancona|Ancona]],<ref>''The International Geographic Encyclopedia and Atlas'', ''Ancona'' (p. 27), Springer, 1979. ISBN 9781349050024.</ref><ref name=Persi>Peris Persi, in ''Conoscere l'Italia'', vol. Marche, Istituto Geografico De Agostini, Novara 1982 (p. 74); AA.VV. ''Meravigliosa Italia, Enciclopedia delle regioni'', edited by Valerio Lugoni, Aristea, Milano; Guido Piovene, in ''Tuttitalia'', Casa Editrice Sansoni, Firenze & Istituto Geografico De Agostini, Novara (p. 31); Pietro Zampetti, in ''Itinerari dell'Espresso'', vol. Marche, edited by Neri Pozza, Editrice L'Espresso, Rome, 1980</ref> [[Republic of Gaeta|Gaeta]],<ref>Touring Club Italiano, ''Lazio'' Touring Editore, 1981 (p. 743); Giovanna Bergamaschi, ''Arte in Italia: guida ai luoghi ed alle opere dell'Italia artistica'', Electa, 1983 (p. 243); Salvatore Aurigemma, Angelo de Santis, ''Gaeta, Formia, Minturno''.</ref> [[Republic of Noli |Noli]],<ref>Giovanni Murialdo, ''Dinamiche territoriali e commerciali nella Noli signorile e comunale...'', in: Mauro Darchi, Francesca Bandini, ''La repubblica di Noli e l'importanza dei porti minori del Mediterraneo nel Medioevo'', Firenze, All'Insegna del Giglio, 2004 (p. 9)</ref><ref>Bohun Lynch, ''The Italian Riviera: Its Scenery, Customs, and Food, with Notes Upon the Maritime Alps'', Doubleday, Doran, 1927 (p. 159).</ref><ref>AA. VV., ''Medioevo latino, bollettino bibliografico della cultura europea da Boezio a Erasmo (secoli VI – XV), volume 28'', Sismel Edizioni del Galluzzo, 2007, (p. 1338); Giuseppe Gallo, ''La Repubblica di Genova tra nobili e popolari (1257–1528)'', edizioni De Ferrari, 1997, p. 44</ref> and, in [[Dalmatia]], [[Republic of Ragusa|Ragusa]], are also considered maritime republics; in certain historical periods, they had no secondary importance compared to some of the better known cities.

Uniformly scattered across the Italian peninsula, the maritime republics were important not only for the history of navigation and commerce: in addition to precious goods otherwise unobtainable in Europe, new artistic ideas and news concerning distant countries also spread. From the 10th century, they built fleets of ships both for their own protection and to support extensive trade networks across the Mediterranean, giving them an essential role in reestablishing contacts between [[Europe]], [[Asia]], and [[Africa]], which had been interrupted during the early Middle Ages. They also had an essential role in the [[Crusades]] and produced renowned explorers and navigators such as [[Marco Polo]] and [[Christopher Columbus]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Trade in Medieval Europe |url=https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1301/trade-in-medieval-europe/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210620023026/https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1301/trade-in-medieval-europe/ |archive-date=20 June 2021 |access-date=2021-06-02 |website=World History Encyclopedia |language=en}}</ref>

Over the centuries, the maritime republics — both the best known and the lesser known but not always less important — experienced fluctuating fortunes. In the 9th and 10th centuries, this phenomenon began with Amalfi and Gaeta, which soon reached their heyday. Meanwhile, Venice began its gradual ascent, while the other cities were still experiencing the long gestation that would lead them to their autonomy and to follow up on their seafaring vocation. After the 11th century, Amalfi and Gaeta declined rapidly, while Genoa and Venice became the most powerful republics. Pisa followed and experienced its most flourishing period in the 13th century, and Ancona and Ragusa allied to resist Venetian power. Following the 14th century, while Pisa declined to the point of losing its autonomy, Venice and Genoa continued to dominate navigation, followed by Ragusa and Ancona, which experienced their golden age in the 15th century. In the 16th century, with Ancona's loss of autonomy, only the republics of Venice, Genoa, and Ragusa remained, which still experienced great moments of splendor until the mid-17th century, followed by over a century of slow decline that ended with the [[Napoleon]]ic invasion.