Roman Egypt: A History

422 Pages·2021·12.515 MB·English

by  Roger S. Bagnall

Roman Egypt
EgyptplayedacrucialroleintheRomanEmpireforsevencenturies.It
was wealthy and occupied a strategic position between the
Mediterranean and Indian Ocean worlds, while its uniquely fertile
lands helped to feed the imperial capitals at Rome and then
Constantinople. The cultural and religious landscape of Egypt today
owes much to developments during the Roman period, including in
particular the forms taken by Egyptian Christianity. Moreover, we
have an abundance of sources for its history during this time, espe-
ciallybecauseoftherecoveryofvastnumbersofwrittentextsgiving
an almost uniquely detailed picture of its society, economy, govern-
ment,andculture.Thisbook,theworkofsixhistoriansandarchae-
ologists from Egypt, the US, and the UK, provides students and a
generalaudiencewithareadablenewintroductiontotheperiodand
includes many illustrations of art, archaeological sites, and docu-
ments,andquotationsfromprimarysources.
roger s. bagnall is Professor Emeritus of Ancient History and
foundingLeonLevyDirectorEmeritusattheInstitutefortheStudyof
theAncientWorldatNewYorkUniversity.Hispublicationsinclude
numerousbooksonthedocumentsandsocialandeconomichistory
ofRomanandLateAntiqueEgypt.

Roman Egypt
A History
Editedby
roger s. bagnall
NewYorkUniversity
withcontributionsfromMonaHaggag,T.M.Hickey,
MohamedG.Elmaghrabi,AriettaPapaconstantinou,and
DorothyJ.Thompson
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Informationonthistitle:www.cambridge.org/9781108844901
DOI:10.1017/9781108953948
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Names:Bagnall,RogerS,editor.
Title:RomanEgypt:ahistoryeditedbyRogerSBagnall.
Description:Cambridge,UnitedKingdom;NewYork,NY:Cambridge UniversityPress,
2021.|Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
Identifiers:LCCN2021007638(print)|LCCN2021007639(ebook)|ISBN 9781108844901
(hardback)|ISBN9781108953948(ebook)
Subjects:LCSH:Egypt–History–30B.C.-640A.D.|Romans–Egypt.|BISAC: HISTORY/
Ancient/General|HISTORY/Ancient/General
Classification:LCCDT93.R662021(print)|LCCDT93(ebook)|DDC 932/.022–dc23
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Contents
Listofillustrations [pageviii]
Listofmaps [xvii]
Listofboxes [xviii]
Listofcontributors [xxi]
Preface [xxiii]
Chronology [xxviii]
1 LayingthefoundationsforRomanEgypt
(DorothyJ.Thompson) [1]
1.1 ThepharaonicbackgroundandtheThirdIntermediatePeriod
(1069–664BC) [1]
1.2 Rebuildingacentralizedstate:Saiterule [3]
1.3 TwoPersianoccupationsandsixtyyearsofindependence [5]
1.4 GreeksinEgyptbeforeAlexander [9]
1.5 AlexanderandthePtolemies [11]
1.6 Resistancetoforeignrule [17]
1.7 Alexandriaandotherurbancenters [20]
1.8 Theworldofthetemples [25]
1.9 ThepopulationofEgypt [29]
1.10 Amultilingualenvironment [33]
1.11 GreekandEgyptianeducationinPtolemaicEgypt [35]
1.12 TheHellenizationoftheEgyptianadministration [37]
1.13 Amixedeconomy [39]
1.14 RomansinEgyptbeforetheRomanconquest [42]
2 ThecomingofRomanrule [46]
2.1 Government and administration: continuity and change
from the Ptolemies to the Romans (Mohamed G.
Elmaghrabi) [46]
2.2 TheRomanarmyinEgypt(MohamedG.Elmaghrabi) [60]
2.3 LanguagesinRomanEgypt(T.M.Hickey) [67]
2.4 ThecentralroleofAlexandria(MohamedG.Elmaghrabi) [71]
2.5 Egypt’sintegrationintotheRomaneconomy
(T.M.Hickey) [87]
2.6 Thedevelopmentofurbanelites(RogerS.Bagnall) [92]
v
vi Contents
2.7 Thetreatmentofthetemplesanditsimplications
(T.M.Hickey) [95]
2.8 TheJewishcommunitiesofEgypt,especiallyAlexandria
(RogerS.Bagnall) [102]
2.9 ReligiouschangeunderRomanrule(DorothyJ.
Thompson) [106]
2.10 ThepeopleofRomanEgypt(RogerS.Bagnall) [112]
2.11 TheoriginsofChristianityinEgypt(RogerS.Bagnall) [117]
3 DevelopmentandcrisisinaRomanprovince [121]
3.1 Thecontinuedriseofurbanismandtheelite(RogerS.
Bagnall) [121]
3.2 Violencefrominside,above,andoutside(RogerS.
Bagnall) [130]
3.3 Intensificationofhigh-valueagriculture(T.M.Hickey) [137]
3.4 TheAntonineplagueanditsdebatedconsequences(Mohamed
G.Elmaghrabi) [142]
3.5 Twilightofthetemples(RogerS.Bagnall) [145]
3.6 TheemergenceoftheAlexandrianchurch,thencitybishops;
thepersecutionsofChristians(RogerS.Bagnall) [152]
3.7 TheinventionoftheCopticwritingsystem(RogerS.
Bagnall) [162]
4 ThemakingofLateAntiqueEgypt [169]
4.1 Diocletian’sreformsofadministration,coinage,andtaxation
(MonaHaggag) [169]
4.2 AnEgyptiannationinaRomannation(RogerS.
Bagnall) [178]
4.3 TurbulenceandrenewalinAlexandria(Mona
Haggag) [180]
4.4 Elitestrugglesforwealthandpowerandtheriseofanew
aristocracy(T.M.Hickey) [186]
4.5 Paganism,Christianity,andreligiouspluralism(Mona
Haggag) [190]
4.6 TheemergenceofChristianinstitutionsinpublic;thechurch
andimperialpolitics(RogerS.Bagnall) [200]
4.7 ThereappearanceofaJewishcommunityinEgypt
(RogerS.Bagnall) [203]
4.8 Theinventionofcharitableinstitutions(RogerS.
Bagnall) [206]
4.9 Monasticism(MonaHaggag) [210]
4.10 ThedevelopmentofaChristianliterarycultureinCoptic
(RogerS.Bagnall) [217]
4.11 ThedevelopmentofaChristianeducationalculture
(RogerS.Bagnall) [220]
Contents vii
5 Divergenceanddivision [225]
5.1 PatriarchsandchurchpoliticsfromChalcedontoJustinian
(AriettaPapaconstantinou) [225]
5.2 ConflictsoverdoctrineandpowerfromJustiniantoHeraclius
(AriettaPapaconstantinou) [233]
5.3 Alexandriaasauniversitycity;theauditoriaofKomel-Dikka
(MonaHaggag) [243]
5.4 EgyptianvillagesinLateAntiquity(RogerS.Bagnall) [250]
5.5 Thedominanceofthewealthyelite(T.M.Hickey) [258]
5.6 Cityandcountry:dependenceanddivergence(RogerS.
Bagnall) [263]
5.7 Copticdevelopsaliteratureandbidsforofficialstatus(Arietta
Papaconstantinou) [268]
6 ThePersians,theArabconquest,andanother
transformationofEgypt(Arietta
Papaconstantinou) [276]
6.1 TheSasaniansinEgypt(T.M.Hickey) [276]
6.2 Theconquestandlingeringuncertainties [280]
6.3 Administrativecontinuityandevolution [290]
6.4 Oldandnewelites [296]
6.5 Impactontheruralpopulation [303]
6.6 Theevolutionofthechurchandthedominanceofthe
Miaphysites [314]
6.7 TheformationofaCopticidentity [319]
6.8 TheevolutionoflanguageuseandgradualextinctionofCoptic
asspokenandbusiness/legallanguage [327]
6.9 Linguisticchangeandreligiousconversion [335]
Epilogue [344]
Glossary [347]
Bibliography [350]
Index [373]
Illustrations
Chapter1
1.1.1 TheUnionofUpperandLowerEgypt,onthegreattemple
ofRamesesII(Dynasty19)atAbuSimbel.PhotobyPrisma/
UIG/GettyImages [page2]
1.2.1 BlockstatueofPedon,foundinPriene.Photofrom
Ç.Şahin,“ZweiInschriftenausdemsüdwestlichen
Kleinasien,”EpigraphicaAnatolica10:1–2(1987)plates1
and2;W.BlümelandR.Merkelbach,DieInschriftenvon
Priene(Bonn2014):408,usedcourtesyofW.Blümelon
behalfoftheeditorsofEpigraphicaAnatolica. [5]
1.3.1 StatueofUdjahorresnetfromSais.Vaticanmuseumscat.
no.22690. [7]
1.4.1 DedicationofastatuettetoApisbyaGreek.BM
1898,0225.1.©TheTrusteesoftheBritishMuseum. [11]
1.5.1 OracletempleatSiwa.PhotobyRogerBagnall. [13]
1.5.2 OrdersofAlexander’sgeneralPeukestas.PhotobyE.G.
Turner.AfterTurner,E.G.(1974)JEA60:pl.LV.Courtesy
oftheEgyptExplorationSociety. [15]
1.6.1 Canopusdecree.EgyptianMuseum,Cairo,CG22186;JE
37548.Photo:P.M.Fraserarchive,CentrefortheStudyof
AncientDocuments,Oxford. [19]
1.8.1 Edfutemple.PhotoA.K.Bowman. [26]
1.8.2 VaseofArsinoeII.BritishMuseumno.1873,0820.389.
©TheTrusteesoftheBritishMuseum. [27]
1.10.1 DedicationtoIsis-AstartewithPhoeniciandedication.
Cairo,EgyptianMuseum,Catalogue(1962)
no.4751. [35]
1.13.1 TetradrachmofPtolemyISoter.AmericanNumismatic
Society1944.100.75899. [42]
1.14.1 CleopatraVIIinEgyptiandressontheDenderatemple.
PhotoOlafTausch:commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
Dendera_Tempel_Kleopatra_Cäsarion_05.jpg. [44]
viii
Listofillustrations ix
Chapter2
2.1.1 Chartofpapyrusfindsdistribution.CourtesyMark
Depauw,derivedfromthedataofTrismegistos. [48]
2.1.2 EdictofTiberiusJuliusAlexander.Photo“NeferTiyi”:
www.flickr.com/photos/nefertiyi/8853838884/. [50]
2.1.3 Decisionaboutafoundlingchildbythestrategos.P.Oxy.
1.37.PhotocourtesyBritishLibrary. [55]
2.2.1 Letteraboutenlistmentinthefleet.Berlin,Staatliche
MuseenP.7950.PhotoAegyptischesMuseumund
Papyrussammlung,StaatlicheMuseen,Berlin/ArtResource,
NewYork. [61]
2.2.2 AstelefromNikopolis.Greco-RomanMuseum,
Alexandria,inv.252. [62]
2.2.3 ThefortofDiosintheEasternDesert.FromM.Reddé,“The
FortletsoftheEasternDesertofEgypt,”inJ.-P.Brun,T.
Faucher,B.Redon,etal.,TheEasternDesertofEgypt
duringtheGreco-RomanPeriod:ArchaeologicalReports
(books.openedition.org/cdf/5248),Figs.11,23,and29.
CourtesyofMichelReddé. [64]
2.2.4 Ostraconwithaletteroftheprefectconcerningdeserters.
P.Bagnall8.PhotocourtesyAdamBülow-Jacobsen. [66]
2.3.1 Demoticabstractofacontract.P.Tebt.1.227.Photo
courtesytheCenterfortheTebtunisPapyri,TheBancroft
Library,UniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley. [68]
2.4.1 PlanofAlexandria.FromBagnallandRathbone2017:Fig.
2.1.1. [73]
2.4.2 BronzedrachmacoinofAntoninusPius.American
NumismaticSociety1944.100.60756. [74]
2.4.3 BronzecrabfromobeliskinAlexandria.Metropolitan
MuseumofArt,accession81.2.2. [75]
2.4.4 MosaicfromtheVillaofBirds,Alexandria.AncientWorld
ImageBank,InstitutefortheStudyoftheAncientWorld,
NYU. [76]
2.4.5 RomantombfromAlexandria.PhotoRüdigerStehn:
www.flickr.com/photos/rstehn/32883277522/. [77]
2.5.1 BronzedrachmacoinofHadrianwithIsisPhariaandthe
Pharos.AmericanNumismaticSociety
1944.100.57679. [89]
x Listofillustrations
2.5.2 The“Torloniarelief”showingRomanmerchantvessels.
(Rome,MuseoTorlonia,inv.430).Photousedcourtesyof
theFondazioneTorlonia,Rome. [90]
2.5.3 Berenike,planofsite.MapbyMartinHense. [91]
2.6.1 AgriculturaldevelopmentaroundawellintheDakhlaoasis.
PhotobyRogerS.Bagnall. [95]
2.7.1 PlanoftheEdfutemple.FromBagnallandRathbone2017:
229. [96]
2.7.2 PetitiontotheprefectofEgypt:P.Tebt.2.302.Photo
courtesytheCenterfortheTebtunisPapyri,TheBancroft
Library,UniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley. [99]
2.7.3 ColoreddrawingonademoticaccountshowingTutuand
Bes.P.Tebt.frag.13,385.PhotocourtesytheCenterforthe
TebtunisPapyri,TheBancroftLibrary,Universityof
California,Berkeley. [101]
2.8.1 LetterofClaudiustotheAlexandrians.P.Lond.6.1912v,
BritishLibraryPapyrus2248.PhotocourtesyBritish
Library. [104]
2.9.1 IsiswithHarpokratesinwallpaintingfromKaranis.
FacsimilepaintingbyHamzehCarroverexisting
photograph(2003.02.0002). PhotocourtesyoftheKelsey
MuseumofArchaeology,UniversityofMichigan. [107]
2.9.2 AnubisfromKomel-Shoqafa.PhotoAndréPelle,©
ArchaeologicalSocietyofAlexandriaandCentred’études
Alexandrines. [108]
2.9.3 HeadofAugustusfromMeroe.BritishMuseumcat.no.
1911,0901.1.©TheTrusteesoftheBritishMuseum. [110]
2.10.1 MummyportraitofEutyches.MetropolitanMuseumofArt,
18.9.2. [114]
2.11.1 Christianmanuscript,GospelofJohn,assignedtothe
secondcentury.P.Ryl.457.PhotocourtesyoftheJohn
RylandsUniversityLibrary,Manchester. [119]
Chapter3
3.1.1 Antinoopolis,gatewaytothetheater.Descriptiondel’Égypte
IV55. [122]
3.1.2 Funeraryshroudofawoman,datedc.170–200.Metropolitan
MuseumofArt,9.181.8. [123]