User Guide

TTrraaddee
Few Egyptian cities are completely self-sufficient.
Most lack the ability to produce a necessary food or
good. To adequately provide for its citizens, a city
must trade with others to procure some items it needs.
The financial benefit for the city can be great, too.
Chances are, a city will make much more money from
exporting goods than from taxation.
Opening a Trade Route
Before your city can reap the benefits of healthy trade
relations, you must first open a trade route. To find
91
Commerce and Trade
ing off into the industrial or other non-residential
sections of the city.
If citizens are not supplied with the food and goods
they want, build more Bazaars.
As housing devel-
ops and evolves, it grows more spacious, and more
residents can call it home. Be sure to build more
Bazaars as more people move into a neighborhood.
Be patient.
Setting up a distribution system is a
long process, and it can take time for the system to
work properly.
90
Commerce and Trade
plete, I returned to Khmunhotep's house to bid
him and his family farewell. Imagine my
pleasure when Khmunhotep graciously invited
me to stay a while. I gratefully accepted his
offer, and made the necessary arrangements.
To properly thank Khmunhotep and
Nefernetka for their generosity, I stopped by
the local Bazaar to find them a present. The
Bazaar was teeming with activity. Traders
had set their wares out, and local residents
were examining the goods, offering grain,
linen and other items in exchange. My first
stop was at the brewer's stand. To slake my
thirst, I bought some beer. The beer was freshly
brewed, and the ingredients used for flavor-
ing floated on top. Luckily, the mug had a
straw with a filter attached so that I didn't
swallow the sediment along with the tasty
brew.
I made my way through the booths
offering linen, pomegranates, figs and pottery
until I found the jeweler's booth. I found a
beautiful beaded collar and offered some
ivory in exchange. After striking my bargain,
I returned to Khmunhotep's home, happy that
I would be able to stay longer in Egypt and see
more of this fascinating land.
Goods from Near and Far
Ahket, 12th year of Ramesses
Mid-afternoon
Dear Journal,
It was time to deal with the matter at
hand. I had been charged with conducting a
successful trade mission to Egypt on behalf of
my homeland. While Syria is a beautiful land
that provides much for its people, our crops are
not always reliable. The rain is unpre-
dictable, and many years our harvest is pal-
try. We look to Egypt to supplement our stocks,
offering her the things she lacks.
I went to the Storage Yard and was
pleased to see that thieves had left our stocks
alone. On this trip, we brought ivory, wine
and weapons for trade. I visited the trade
minister, one of
Pharaoh's closest advi-
sors, to strike the deal.
In exchange for our
fine goods, we received
valuable papyrus and
an enormous amount
of grain that will go
far in feeding our peo-
ple. My business com-