Trade began in the Predynastic period in Egypt and continued through Roman Egypt. Foreign trade and contacts with other lands attracted covetous attention from abroad. Temples used agents for internal trade and local markets flourished. Trade and communication between the Pharaoh and foreign rulers established Egypt as a powerful unified nation in the ancient world. Trade routes were established over time to Nubia, Punt, Cyprus, Syria, Greece and Crete. In addition, ancient Egypt traded goods with other countries such as Asia Minor, Libya, Mesopotamia and Arabia. Egypt and its neighbors through the Ptolemaic period used the economic and artistic exchange system. Trade flourished through an exchange of goods and services based on a standard of value both parties considered fair. The economy of the Roman Empire was an exchange economy.
The currency was not known in Egypt until after the fourth century B.C when it was introduced from Greece. Ancient Egypt knew the currency system only in late times. Ancient Egypt's economy operated on a barter system without cash. Social change that the Ptolemais introduced in Egypt such as coinage. Therefore, the Greco Roman world indicates clear historical correlations between monetization and the developments of markets. The Ptolemaic initially issued gold, silver and bronze coins. As well as Egypt was very much a part of the Roman administration, because of the economic importance of its agricultural resources, its geographic location on trade routes from the Red Sea and Nubia.