A Companion to Greco-roman and Late Antique Egypt

An authoritative and multidisciplinary Companion to Egypt during the Greco‑Roman and Late Antique period

With contributions from noted authorities in the field, A Companion to Greco-Roman and Late Antique Egypt offers a comprehensive resource that covers almost 1000 years of Egyptian history, starting with the liberation of Egypt from Persian rule by Alexander the Great in 332 BC and ending in AD 642, when Arab rule started in the Nile country.

The Companion takes a largely sociological perspective and includes a section on life portraits at the end of each part. The theme of identity in a multicultural environment and a chapter on the quality of life of Egypt's inhabitants clearly illustrate this objective. The authors put the emphasis on the changes that occurred in the Greco-Roman and Late Antique periods, as illustrated by such topics as: Traditional religious life challenged; Governing a country with a past: between tradition and innovation; and Creative minds in theory and praxis. This important resource:

• Discusses how Egypt became part of a globalizing world in Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine times
• Explores notable innovations by the Ptolemies and Romans
• Puts the focus on the longue durée development
• Offers a thematic and multidisciplinary approach to the subject, bringing together scholars of different disciplines
• Contains life portraits in which various aspects and themes of people’s daily life in Egypt are discussed

Written for academics and students of the Greco-Roman and Late Antique Egypt period, this Companion offers a guide that is useful for students in the areas of Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and New Testament studies.

Katelijn Vandorpe is a professor in the Department of Ancient History at the KU Leuven.

Illustrations and Tables ix

Note on Contributors xiii

Preface xxi

Acknowledgments xxv

Abbreviations xxvii

Chronological Outline xxix

Maps xxxvii

Part I Greco-Roman Egypt Explored 1

1 Unique Sources in an Unusual Setting 3
Arthur Verhoogt

2 Modern Scholars at Work in a Digital and Multidisciplinary Setting 15
Mark Depauw and Dorota Dzierzbicka

Part II Egypt as Part of a Globalizing World 33

3 The Last Pharaohs: The Ptolemaic Dynasty and the Hellenistic World 35
Anne‐Emmanuelle Veisse

4 A Roman Province in the Eastern Mediterranean 51
Tomasz Derda

5 Egypt in the Byzantine World 71
Cornelia Romer

6 Life Portraits: Royals and People in a Globalizing World 89
Alexander Meeus

Part III Governing a Country with a Past: Between Tradition and Innovation 101

7 The Ptolemaic Governmental Branches and the Role of Temples and Elite Groups 103
Joseph G. Manning

8 The Branches of Roman and Byzantine Government and the Role of Cities, the Church, and Elite Groups 119
Thomas Kruse

9 Policymakers in a Changing World 139
Bernard Legras

10 Taxation and Fiscal Reforms 147
Andrew Monson

11 Security and Border Policy: Army and Police 163
Christelle Fischer‐Bovet and Patrick Sanger

12 Immigration, Globalization, and the Impact on Private Law: The Case of Legal Documents 179
Uri Yiftach and Katelijn Vandorpe

13 Life Portraits: People and their Everyday Papers in a Bureaucratic Society 199
Sofie Waebens

Part IV Developing the Economic Strength of the Nile Country 215

14 Monetization of the Countryside 217
Sitta von Reden

15 Stimuli for Irrigation, Agriculture, and Quarrying 233
Colin Adams

16 Economic Growth and the Exploitation of Land 251
Peter van Minnen

17 Life Portraits: People at Work 269
Katelijn Vandorpe

Part V Identity in a Multicultural Environment 281

18 Social Identity and Upward Mobility: Elite Groups, Lower Classes, and Slaves 283
Sandra Scheuble‐Reiter and Silvia Bussi

19 Ethnic Identity: Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans 299
Willy Clarysse

20 Ethnic Minority Groups 315
Sylvie Honigman

21 Family and Life Cycle Transitions 327
Jane Rowlandson and Sandra Lippert

22 Gender Issues: Women to the Fore 347
Maren Schentuleit

23 Cultural Identity: Housing and Burial Practices 361
Anna Lucille Boozer

24 A Sound Body and Mind 381
Amin Benaissa and Sofie Remijsen

25 Life Portraits: People of a Multicultural Generation 395
Yanne Broux

Part VI Traditional Religious Life Challenged 405

26 Cults, Creeds, and Clergy in a Multicultural Context 407
Katelijn Vandorpe and Willy Clarysse

27 A Successful Ruler and Imperial Cult 429
Stefan Pfeiffer

28 New Deities and New Habits 439
Franziska Naether

29 Egypt’s Role in the Rise of Christianity, Monasticism, and Regional Schisms 449
Malcolm Choat

30 Life Portraits: People in Worship 473
Gwen Jennes

Part VII Creative Minds in Theory and Praxis 483

31 Languages, Scripts, Literature, and Bridges Between Cultures 485
Sofia Torallas Tovar and Marja Vierros

32 Encounters Between Greek and Egyptian Science 501
Sydney H. Aufrere and Marie‐Helene Marganne

33 New Architectural Practices and Urbanism 519
Berangere Redon

34 Creativity in Visual Arts 533
Martina Minas‐Nerpel

Part VIII Epilogue 551

35 The People of Greco‐Roman Egypt: Quality of Life 553
Valerie Wyns and Katelijn Vandorpe

36 Egypt’s Specificity and Impact on Hellenistic History 565
Brian McGing

37 Egypt’s Specificity and Impact on Roman History 573
Michael A. Speidel

38 New Testament Studies 581
John S. Kloppenborg

39 New Voices and New Challenges 587
Rodney Ast

Digital Resources and Bibliography 595

Digital Resources 595

Bibliography 597

Index 715

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