Which sea lies north of Cleopatra's Egypt?

The Mediterranean Sea lies north of Cleopatra’s Egypt.

Ancient Egypt occupied the northeastern corner of Africa, with the Mediterranean forming its northern boundary. The Nile Delta opened onto this sea, making the coast and the port city of Alexandria crucial to Egypt’s trade, diplomacy, and military affairs during Cleopatra VII’s reign.

The Red Sea lay to Egypt’s east, not north. It connected Egypt with the Arabian Peninsula and the wider Indian Ocean trade network. The Arabian Sea is farther southeast, while the Black Sea is north of the eastern Mediterranean but does not directly border Egypt.

This geography helps explain Cleopatra’s political world. Alexandria faced the Mediterranean and connected Egypt to Greece, Rome, and other coastal powers. The Nile linked the inland agricultural heartland to the port, while Egypt’s eastern routes led through the Red Sea and Sinai. A useful distinction is that the Mediterranean was Egypt’s northern sea, whereas the Red Sea was its eastern maritime frontier.