An oasis in the Libyan desert, west of the Nile, the seat of the oracle temple of Amon, which was already famous in the time of Herodotus and was consulted by Alexander the Great. The fragmentary remains of the temple, with inscriptions dating from the 4th century BC, lie in the ruins of Aghurmi. The oracle fell into disrepute during the Roman occupation of Egypt. Nearby is the ruined temple of Umm Beda (Um Ebeida), and there are also many Roman remains in the vicinity. The earliest remains date to the 26th Dynasty (664-525 BC). Two rock outcrops provide the sites of the old walled settlements of Siwa and Aghurmi, which are veritable fortresses.