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The Erythraean Sea (Greek: Ἐρυθρὰ Θάλασσα, Erythrà Thálassa, lit. "Red Sea") was a former maritime designation that always included the Gulf of Aden and at times other seas between Arabia Felix and the Horn of Africa

ERYTHEIA the "Red Isle" was an island located in the far western stream of the earth-encircling river Okeanos (Oceanus) which was bathed red by the light of the setting-sun. It was the home of the three-bodied giant Geryon and his fabulous herd of red-hided cattle. Herakles was sent to fetch these as one of his twelve labours and sailed to the island in the cauldron-boat of the sun-god Helios. Menoites (Menoetes), who herded the cattle of Haides on the island, warned Geryon of the hero's approach.

Erytheia was one of several mythical realms located in the far west. Its neighbours included Hesperia, garden of the Hesperides, Sarpedon, isle of the Gorgones, and Leuke the White, home of the blessed dead. Further west on the far shore of the river Okeanos lay the gloomy netherworld realm of Haides.

Late Greek writers identified Erytheia with southern Spain and Hesperia with the Atlantic coast of north-west Africa. The island also shared its name with the Red (Erythraian) Sea between Egypt and Arabia and the two were often confounded.

An early Greek translation of the Old Testament called the Septuagint version of the Book of Exdous first introduced the name “Red Sea” into a Bible translation. However, this is not a literal translation, but an assumed identification by the translators for the body of water referred to in Exodus. The Hebrew name in question is יָםסוּף —transliteration: Yam Suph (literally: “Sea of Reeds” or “Reed Sea”).

The Hebrew name generally given to the sea that the Israelite exodus crossed is Yam Suph. In the following passages, Exo. 10:19; Exo. 13:18; Exo: 15:4,22; 23:31; Num. 14:25, etc., the Hebrew name is always translated “Red” Sea, which was the name given by the Greeks to the sea separating Africa from Asia.

In the New Testament (Acts 7:36; Hebrews 11:29) this name is used for the Gulf of Suez.

The origin of the name “Red” Sea is uncertain. Some think it is derived from the red color of the mountains on the western shore, or from the land of Edom (meaning “red”); others from the red coral found in the sea, or the red appearance sometimes given to the water by certain cyanobacteria (Trichodesmium erythraeum) floating in it.

This sea was also called by the Hebrews Yam-mitstraim, i.e., “the Egyptian sea” (Isaiah 11:15), and simply Ha-yam, “the sea” (Exodus 14:2, 9, 16, 21, 28; Joshua 24:6-7; Isaiah 10:26, etc.).