Roman Period Of Egypt

The Egypt came under Roman rule in -30. It retains a special status throughout the Roman Empire. The country remains one of the main granaries wheat to Rome, and the religion of Egypt continues to shine across the pond Mediterranean. The country enjoys the Pax Romana for several decades.

Summary 1 History 2 The Roman Emperors 3 Bibliography 4 See also 4.1 Article Related External 4.2 Links

/ / History

After the death of Cleopatra VII , Egypt became a province of the Roman Empire, governed by a prefect chosen by the emperor, not a governor of the senatorial order. The legacy of the Ptolemies is not completely erased: the Greek is a language common in the administration. There is no massive colonization of Egypt by the Romans. These same respect and adopt the Egyptian pantheon, and worship, even if the cult of the emperor of Rome and is gradually introduced.

The first Roman prefect in Egypt:

• Gaius Cornelius Gallus ;
• Gaius Aelius Gallus ;
• Gaius Petronius.

After the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 , Alexandria became a major center of immigration studies and Jewish. Under Trajan a Jewish revolt in Alexandria will delete privileges.

Hadrian visited Egypt several times and founded the city of Antinoupolis in memory of his young lover Antinous who drowned in the Nile. Under Marcus Aurelius , a major revolt broke out, attributed to boukoloi, the herdsmen of the Nile delta. This revolt is probably its causes in part the difficulties facing the province. The flooding of the Nile was low, the epidemic known as the ' Antonine plague 'affects this province and we are witnessing the flight of many peasants against tax requirements. The revolt broke out around 169 , and seems to peak in 172 , it was followed by more repression from the Romans, but also a tax rebate. We saw this in the late period of prosperity in Egypt. In 175, Avidius Cassius , who led the Roman forces during the revolt, said he himself emperor and is recognized by the armies of Syria and Egypt. The usurper was eventually shot down, and the emperor restored peace after a visit to Alexandria. Another rebellion broke out in 193 when Pescennius Niger was proclaimed emperor on the death of Pertinax. Later, the emperor Septimius Severus gives a constitution to Alexandria.

The Emperor Caracalla ( 211 to 217 ) grants Roman citizenship to free Egyptians, like any other inhabitant of the Empire.

The ^third century is marked by a series of theft and wars, as in Egypt throughout the Roman Empire. In 272 , the queen of Palmyra , Zenobia conquered Egypt temporarily. Two generals based in Egypt, Probus and Domitius Domitianus, leading revolts and become emperors. The emperor Diocletian Egypt resumed in hand, and reorganized the province in the late ^third century.

The Roman Emperors

In the fall of the Ptolemies, Egyptian traditions have remained in use and the Pharaonic religion is always respected the Pharaoh Djoser, the Emperor Hadrian.

If Egypt is important to the Romans, it is primarily because the country, with Tunisia, is the granary of the empire. Egypt belongs to the Emperor personally and not the Senate. The Roman period is a shameful enough for the Egyptians, regarded as low class people. They endure poor living conditions.

Temples were built, or the Romans or embellish complete temples begun by the Ptolemies. The art of this period is coarse and without comparison with the time of Seti. Are constructed and the city of Antinoupolis by the Roman Hadrian , Trajan's kiosk at Philae , the Temple of Dendera beautified by Augustus , several mammisi , etc..

The pharaoh was the son of the gods, without which there is only disorder in Egypt. The Roman Emperor will stand as the Ptolemies, Egyptian fashion, he must submit to the people spiritually, he does not care to respect the tradition, with some exceptions.

After 391 , the date of closure of pagan temples, great religious upheaval appear: Christianity took off, but not really captivated the country until the ^fifth century or even the ^sixth century.

The Western Roman Empire collapsed in 476 , when the abdication of Romulus Augustus. It leaves only one of the East , whose center is Byzantium , or Constantinople , combining traditional Greek civilization and Roman, although a tendency to form Eastern definitively from the ^seventh century.

Egypt was then ruled by a prefect sent by Byzantium, who governs from Alexandria.

After the end of the worship of Isis on Philae, the Egyptian civilization dies, her story fell into oblivion until the arrival of Napoleon in 1798.

Bibliography

• Maurice Sartre, The Roman East. Provinces and provincial societies in the eastern Mediterranean to Severus Augustus (31 BC - 235 AD), Seuil, Paris, 1991 ( ISBN 2020127059 ) ;
• Dominique Valbelle and J.-Y. Carrez-Maratray, Camp Lo Roman Empire at Tell el-Herr, Wandering, Paris, 2000 ( ISBN 2877722074 ) .

See also

Related articles

• Antinous and Antinoe
• Copt
• Roman Governor
• Flavius Abinnaeus
• Byzantine period in Egypt
• Late Antiquity

External Links

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