Sirbonis Lacus (Greek: Σιρβωνίδος λίμνη, romanized: Sirbōnidos limnē, modern: Sabkhat al Bardawil) was an ancient Egyptian lagoon famous for its marshland, the Serbonian Bog. The lagoon also contained the fortified Mediterranean port Ostrakine.
Serbonian Bog[]
As described by Herodotus, Strabo and other ancient geographers and historians, the Serbonian Bog was a mix of genuine sand bars, quicksand, asphalt, and pits covered with shingle, with a channel running through it to the lake. This gave the wetlands the deceptive appearance of being a lake surrounded by mostly solid land.
According to Diodorus Siculus, most of the Persian army of Darius II was lost there during his attempt to restore Egypt to Achaemenid rule.
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