Since ancient times, ships from the east (Asia Minor, Syria, Phoenicia, and Egypt) and the west (Italy and Spain) came with their cargoes, unloaded them at one harbor, and transported them the few miles overland to the other side of the isthmus.
فمنذ الازمنة القديمة ،‏ كانت السفن تبحر من الشرق (‏ من آسيا الصغرى وسورية وفينيقية ومصر )‏ والغرب (‏ من ايطاليا وإسبانيا )‏ محملة بالبضائع .‏