MONASTERIES OF THE EASTERN DESERT OF THE DELTA AND SINAI. A
number of places are mentioned in the ancient sources as the
abodes of monks in this vast region. Pelusium is today called
Tall al-Farama, and is 2 miles (3 km) from the Mediterranean
coast and 14 miles (23 km) east of the al-Tinah station on the
railway line that links Port Said and al-Isma‘iliyyah. It is
cited several times as the center of an area in which anchorites
lived. ABU SALIH THE ARMENIAN writes that in his time
(thirteenth century) there were numerous churches and
monasteries in ruins in this place. He attributes its
destruction to the Persians (619-629) and the Arabs. Kasios or
Mount Casios, today Katib al-Qals, was about 50 miles (75 km)
east of Port Said, on the north edge of Lake Bardawil. It was
the site of a monastery of Saint Romanos, where JACOB BARADAEUS,
the restorer of the Monophysite hierarchy, died on 30 July 578.
Ostracine was at the eastern extremity of Lake Bardawil. Some
identify it with the village called KHIRBAT AL-FILU