ee ee ot een aed Reet co ec ee Det a en ea Mediterranean society, and a distinctive milieu, launched EUR eon ee enue tea a see fully only after the end of Byzantine rule. This book is the een ae ee a) including the first half-century of Arab rule. Twenty-one renowned Pe Se See es eae ns, artand architecture of the petiod. Tapics covered ee es eee eee eee eon Re eee ote eed een ee et et cen Re EC ed to this portiait ofa society, and recent archaeological discoveries eee nen cee} nand co OGER BAGN ALL. is Professor of Ancient History at New York University and Directar ofthe Institute forthe Study oF the Ancient er ee en ee ety erry i recon (41gg5). He isalso editor of the oxford ere eset ene eta Pe ea cee eer DE ee eee ee ‘cavers an exiremele wide range of topics across the entire schokatly nett ee ete ‘successfully offers cid and penetratin ee “This book will quickly and deservedly f en ee ail those interested in Egypt in the Byzantine world, and will no doubt See tenis) sein ca (Cover laeratian: masse ane in the Chirch AF St Stephen, Umm al-Rases, Jordan, showing the c from The Jordan, p. . CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS orcambridge org i | 879> ir 9 Frsose CV Aele) a SO ACOMVCLELMLILL ACs ML PMI TCAYte yeuseg, [Pan Saumenehe bereagua lime (a i SVANaLat MUO a Cel 300-700EGYPT IN THE BYZANTINE WORLD, 300-700 Egype in che period ftom the reign ofthe emperor Constantine co the ‘Arab conquest was both a vital part of te late Roman and Byzantine world, patticiparing fully in che culture ofits wider Mediterranean society, and a distincrive milieu, launched on a path to developing, the Coptic Christan culture that we see fully only after the end of Byzantine rule. This book is the fist comprehensive survey of Egypt {0 teat ths entire period including the frst half-century of Arab rule ‘Twenty-one renowned specialists present the history, society, econ- omy culture religious instiutions, are, and architecture ofthe period. “Topics covered range from elie lceracuee to mummifcation and from ‘monks to Alexandrian scholars. A full range of Egypes uniquely ich source materials literature, papyrus documents, letters, and archaco- logical remains ~ gives exceptional depth and vividness ro this portrait of a society, and recent archaeological discoveries are described and ilasceaced. ROGER BAGNALL is Professor of Ancient History at New York Universiy and Director of the Institue forthe Study of che Ancient World. He is an internationally acknowledged leader in the feld of papyrology and hs publications include Feype in Latent (1995) The Demography of Roman Egype (1994, with Bruce Free) and Reading Papyri, Writing Ancient History (1995). He is also editor of che Oxford Handbook of Paprolegy (2008),EGYPT IN THE BYZANTINE WORLD, 300-700 ROGER S. BAGNALL = CAMBRIDGE © UNIVERSITY PRESSFr Cambie, New York Melbourne, Mads, Cape Town, Singapore, Sto aul Cambridge Univers Press The Edinburgh ulling, Camb cas Ba UK bis inthe ied Stes f Ams by Cambie Unies Ps New Yr ornsambideog Information on his tes nec onl Bos871572 Cambridge Univeity rst2007 “This publication ein optigh Sabet to sur exepion ands the prvisons flrs cote Reon apc not ay pr may ke phe wihowe heen pion of Cambridge Universi Paes Fire pulshed 2007 Fins pptaccison 290 Pei in he United Kingdom she Univers Pos, Cabri ‘Aealogue efor this i anil fa he Bri Libary sat gyorg adc ten orks paperback Contents List of illustrations Preface Lis of abbreviations 1 Introduction 1 Roger S. Bagnall Columbia University PART 1 THE CULTURE OF BYZANTINE EGYPT 2 Poets and pagans in Byzantine Egypt 4 Alan Cameron Columbia University 3. Higher education in early Byzantine Egypt: Rhetoric, Latin, and the law Rafiella Cribiore Columbia University 4, Philosophy in its social context Leslie SB. MacCoull Arizona State Univesity 5) Coptic literature in the Byzantine and early Islamic world 8 Stephen Emmel University of Minter 6 Early Christian architecture in Egypt and its relationship to she archicecture of the Byzantine world, 103 Peter Grossmann “Cambridge Univesity Tesh no apni fore peste acura of URL for eter rts gy Iter ls eee on spb aed does ot gunancethat mento sch iso wl emai, secure FAO Denuches Archaologisches Institut Kairovi Contents 7 Coptic and Byzantine textiles found in Egypt: Corpora, collections, and scholarly perspectives “Thelma K. Thomas Univeriy of Michigan 8 Beoween tradition and innovation: Egypsian funerary practices in ace antiquity Frangoise Dunand ‘Mare Bloch University Srasbourg PART If GOVERNMENT, ENVIRONMENTS, SOCIETY, 9. Alexandria in ehe fourth ro seventh centuries Zsolt Kiss Polish Academy of Sciences 10 The other cities in later Roman Egypt Peter van Minnen University of Cincinnari 1 Byzantine Egyptian villages James G. Keenan Leola University Chicago 12 The imperial presence: Government and army Bernhard Palme Universi of Viewna 15 Byzantine Egypt and imperial law Joe Beaueamp CNRS/Univertty of Aix-en-Provence 14 Aristocratic landholding and the economy of Byzantine Egypt “Todd M. Hickey Universit of California at Berkeley 15 Gender and sociery in Byzantine Egypt 1G, Wilfong Univesoy of Michigan 37 16 207 226 288 309 _ PART 111 6 Contents ‘The insticutional church Ewa Wipsrycka Univenity of Warsaw ‘The cule of saints: A haven of continuity in a changing world? ArieetsPapaconstantinow University of Paris 1 Divine architects: Designing the monastic dwelling place Darlene L. Brooks Hedstiom Wittenberg University ‘Monasticism in Byzantine Egypt: Continuity and memory James E. Gochving ‘Mary Washington College Depicting the kingdom of heaven: Paintings and monastic practice in early Byzantine Egype Elizabeth S. Bolman Temple Univerity 21 The Arab conquest of Egypt and the beginning of Muslim rule Petra M. Sipesteljn Chrite Church, Oxford Indes CHRISTIANITY: THE CHURCH AND MONASTICISM 3 350 368 390 408 “7 460Illustrations 6.1 Church of Antinoopolis South (plan: P. Grossmann). 62 South-east church of Kellis(Dakhla Oasis) (plan: P. Grossmann). 6.3 Sohag, church of Anba Bishuy (plan: P. Grossmann), 6.4 Luxor, church in frone of the Pylon of the temple of ‘Ammon (plan: P. Grossmann). 6.5 Pelusium, church of Tell al-Makhzan south (plan: C. Bonnet). 6.6 Abu Mina, North Basilica (plan: P. Grossmann). 6.7 Abu Mina, Great Basilica (plan: P. Grossmann). 6.8 Abu Mina, Martyr Church (plan: P. Grossmann). 6.9 Abu Mina, Eastern Church (plan: P. Grossmann). 6.10 Pelusium, circular church (plan: P Grossmann). 6. Abu Mina, Baptistery II (plan: P. Grossmann). 6.12, Sohag, church of the monastery of Anba Shenoute (plan: P. Grossmann), 6.3 Quadriburgus from al-Kab (plan: P. Grossmann). 6.14 Fortress of Raithou (south Sinai) (plan: P. Grossmann). 6.15 Foreress of Tal al-Farama (north-west Pelusiurn) (plan: P. Grossmann), 6.16 Palace on the southern side of the Great Basilica at Abu Mina (plan: P. Grossmann). 6.17 Houses of Djeme (ancient Memnonia, after Hélscher) (plan: P. Grossmann), 74 ‘Der Mumientranspore’s R. Forrer, Mein Besucl in cLAchmim: Reisebrief aus Aegypten (Scasbourg, 189). 7.2 ‘Les corps apres le dépouillement. ~ Foulles du cimetiére romain’; A. Gayet, Ania et les sépultures de Thais et Sérapion (Paris 1902) 7.3 ‘Leukyoné's A. Gayet, Fantmes d’Antinoé (Paris 1904). age 105 106 108 109 m4 uy 18 ng 4 Bs 26 19 Bt 138 138 89 Lis of illustrations 7.4 Plate 442, Dikran G. Kelekian Album ofc. 910. The Metropolitan Mascum of Art, Gift of Nanerce B. Kelekian, in honour of Olga Raggio, 2002 (2002.494.841~7). Image ‘The Metropolitan Museum of Art 7.5 a, b Matching fragments ofa runic ornament, wool and linen, tapestry weave and weft-weapping, 1940 purchase, Kelsey Museum of Archaeology 26606 A and B. 7.6 "Tanika mit Girel aus frahbyzantinische Zeit’ R. Forren, ‘Mein Besuch in e-Achmimn.Reiebriefe ans Aegypten (Gerasbourg 1895) 77 Sill, wefe-Faced compound ewill,Panopolis, 1910 purchase, Lyon, Musée des Tissus er des Arts décoraifs, 29.254; photo Pierre Vertier. 78 ‘Horse and Lion Tapestry’, wool, tapestry weave, Dumbarton Oaks Collection, 39.13: photo Dumbarton ‘Oaks, Byzantine Photographic and Fieldwork Archives, ‘Washingron. 79 leon of the Virgin, Egypc, Byzantine period, sisth century. Slit and dove-tiled tapestry weaves wool: 178 X 110 cm, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C. Hanna, Je Bequest 1967.144 70 Diageams of ornamented tunics; M. Houston, Ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine Costume and Decoration (London 1931) 7.11 Persian coat, wool, apestry weave, rimmed with silk, from Antinoopols,ffeh-seventh century, Lyon, Musée des Tissus ec des Ares décoraifs, Inv. 968, IIL (34872): phoro DR 7.12 Fragment ofa cover, weft-fced compound ewill, dyed wools, Karanis 24~5016A, Kelsey Museum of Archacology. 12798. 771 Karanis rag amalgam, fabric fragments sewn together in patallel rows of running stitches into a pad of multiple discontinuous layers, Karanis 25-4009A-L, Kelsey Mascum of Archaeology. 10375. 8.1 Plan of the necropolis of the monks of the Monastery of Epiphanius, Thebes, seventh century a (after H. Winlock) 8.2 Plan of the necropolis of the monks of Abu Fano, fourth century ap (after H. Buschhausen). 40 1B 5 150, 1st 1s 165, 16x List of illusrations 8,3 Plan of the tomb P1, necropolis ofthe columbarium, ouch, end of the fourth cencury aD (after N. Henein). 8.4 Mummy Pr.2.13, necropolis of the columbarium, Douch, end of the fourth century aD; photo R. Lichtenberg. 85 Mummy Pr.2.1.4, necropolis ofthe columbarium, Douch, end of the fourth century a0; photo R. Lichtenberg. 8.6 Mummy ED.Wo8., Christin necropolis of El Deit, fifth century ab; photo F. Dunand. 8.7 Mummy ED.W97.1, Christian necropolis of El Deis, fifth cencury ab; photo E. Dunand. 8.8 Mummy called ‘the embroidress’, Antinoopolis, fourth century aD, Brussels, Musées Royaux d'Art et d'Histoire. Seated porphyry statue, Alexandria, Graeco-Roman Museum inv. no. 5934 (Galeri) 9.2 Column from ‘Church of Theonas’() in front of present-day University of Alexandra 93 Illustration from the Alexandrian ‘Weltchronik’ in Moscow, Pushkin Museum: Patriarch Theophilus in the destroyed Serapeum. 9.4 Asculpture from Sidi Bishr in Alexandria, Graeco-Roman Muscum: Aphrodite with Eros. 9.5 Marea, Basilica. 9.6 The so-called ‘Roman Theatre’ from Kom el-Dikka. 9.7 A basker-capital, Alexandria, Graeco-Roman Museum, inv. no. 3475 9.8 One of the auditoria newly discovered at Kom el-Dikka 9.9 Kom el-Dikka, a general view of House D from the quarter cast of street Ry. 9.10 Ivory: medicine box with Isis or Tyche, Dumbarton Oaks. 1241 The provinces of early Byzantine Egypt. Satellite view of Egypt; photo NASA, 1993. (Freely available For use, ee htep/Ivsibleearth.nasa gov/useterms. php). 14.2 (2) Por-garland and (b) sega (afier M. Venit, The ‘Monumental Tombs of Ancient Alecandria: The Theater of the Dead, Cambridge 2002). 143 POxy. 2040 (cable created by Todd M. Hickey). 18.1 Temple of Phike: photo Darlene L. Brooks Hedstrom 18.2 Luxor Temple and remains of ewo churches; phoco Darlene L. Brooks Hedstrom. 9. 167 yo 7 73 174 175 189 192 194 196 97 198 19 199 246 293 297 373 374 i, Lie of illustrations 18.3 Naqlun hills; phoro Darlene L. Brooks Hedstrom, 18.4. Naqlun hermitage: photo Darlene L. Brooks Hedstrom. 18.5 Menshobia at John the Little's Monastery in Wadi an-Natrun; photo Darlene L, Brooks Hedstrom. 18.6 Monastery of Jeremias at Saqgara; photo Darlene L Brooks Hedstrom. 18.7 Kellia; phoro Darlene L. Brooks Hedstrom 18.8 Wall paincing fragments from John the Lite’s Monastery in Wadi an-Natrun; photo Darlene L. Brooks Hedstrom. Eastern wall including painted cross in a wreath, Kellia (Qusur el-leela 19/20, room 15) line drawings M. Rassart-Debergh, ‘Choix de peineures’, in EK 8184 it (Louvain 1999), chapeer 6.3, folding pl. 1, Bg. 135. 20.2 Western wall, Kellia (Qusur e-zeils 19/20, room 15), line drawing: Rassart-Debergh, EX 818 i, folding pl. 1, fig. 57. 20.3 Northern wall, Kellia (Qusur e-Izcla 19/20, room 15), line drawing; Rassar-Debergh, EK 8184 mt, folding pl. 1 fig. 134 20.4 Southern wall, Kelli (Qusur el-ecila 19/20, room 35), line drawings Rassar-Debergh, EK 8184 m1, folding pl. 1, fig. 6 20.5 Monastic gatb, including analabos, fourth~ffth century, Akhmim, now in the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin; B,Philippus Oppenheim, Das Ménchskeid im Christichen Altertun (Romische Quartaschrife fr chrstliche “Altertumskunde und fir Kirchengeschichte 28 Supplementhef) (Freiburg 1931): 21, fig. 71 20.6 ‘Cross with bust of Christ’, painting in niche, eastern wall, Kelli (Qusur al-Rubaiyat 219, room 12), drawing. M. Rassart-Debergh, “Quelques croix kellites’, in Nubia et Oriens Christians, ed. Piotr O. Scholz and Reinhard ‘Stempel (Cologne 1987) fig. 3: drawing Lenthéric. 20.7 ‘Bear’, Monastery of Apa Apollo, Bawit (cell XVID} J Clédat, Le monastire et a néeropale de Baouit (Cairo 1904), pl. XLIX. 20.8 “Hart and Snake’, Monastery of Apa Apollo, Bawit (cell XVII); Cleat, Le monastére, pl. XLIX. 20.9 ‘Monastic Saints’, Monastery of Apa Jeremias at Saqqara, (cell A, photograph at time of excavation). This painting, 375 376 378 379 380 386 43 +4 416 47 419 420xii Lis of illurations somewhat reduced, s now in che Coptic Museum, Caio. Jean Quibell, Excavations at Saggara (1906-1907) (Cairo 1908). pl. XLIV. 20.10 ‘St Sisinnius’, Monastery of Apa Apollo at Bawit (cell XVII). Clédat, Le monastere pl. LV. 20.11 ‘Christin Majesty’, detail of che upper zone showing the enthroned Christ and chariot wheels, eastern niche, Monastery of Apa Apollo at Baw (cell XVID); Cléda, Le monastre, pl. XLIL 20.12 ‘Ama Rachel’, derail, Monastery of Apa Apollo at Bawit (oom 40); Et. Drioton, Fouilles exéutées Baouit (MIFAO 59, Cairo 1943), pl. XLIX. 20.15 ‘Cross’, wall painting, eastern end, chapel in the wall, “Monastery of St Catherine on Mount Sinai; reproduced through the courtesy of the Michigan—Princeron— Alexandria Expeditions to Moune Sinai 20.14 ‘Cross’, easter wal above niche, Kellia (Qusur e-lzela 1920, room 2); Les Kelli, ermitagescopts en Basse-Eeypte, ed. ¥. Mottier and N. Bosson (Geneva 1989): 76, fig. 5. 4a 2 2 27 28 9 Preface ‘This book began life as the papers given at the annual Byzantine Studies Symposium of Dumbarton Oaks in spring 2004. In planning the sympo- sium, which was the first at Dumbarton Oaks devoted specifically o Egypt. aimed to bring together speakers who could give che audience a survey of current research and views on as wide a variety of topics as possible. Inevitably, considerations of che symposium’ schedule, balance, and bud- get prevented the inclusion of some topics or speakers. Some —but not all — of the resulting gaps have been remedied in chis volume, and I am partic- ularly grateful to chose who agreed on relatively short notice to write these chapters. Buc it was the symposium that furnished the occasion and brought together most of the contents, and I must chank particularly the Director (Edward Keenan) and Senior Fellows of Dumbarton Oaks for entrusting ime with the symposiarch’ office for the year and subsequently allowing ime free rein in shaping the resulting publication; Alice-Mary Talbot for her unfailing help and guidance in my discharge of chat task: and Caitlin MeGurk for her efficient and unoberusive work in making a complicated event a pleasure for the participants. The learned audience asked many incisive questions and pointed us in directions we had not thought of, and they too deserve some of the credit for the result Much of the reading and reflection that went into writing the intro- duction took place during the fll semester 2004, during which I raughe a course on Egype from 300 to 700 while serving as visiting professor of Coptic Studies at che American University in Cairo. I thank my colleagues there, particulary Salima Ikram, for this timulacing opportunity. Most of the editing of the volume and che actual writing of che introduction were done duringearly 2005, when I wasin the Dakhla Oasis directing Columbia, University’s fieldwork there a part of the Dakhleh Oasis Project. The sug gestions ofthe Press's referees have been helpful at many points in shaping the book. The editorial work, then and subsequently, especially on reg- ularizing the bibliographies, owes much to my graduate assistants, Jason Governale and Giovanni RuffiniAbbreviations *Papyriand papyrological seriesand journalsare cited according vo Checklist of Editions of Greek, Lain, Demoric and Coptic Papyri, Ostraca and Tablet, ed. J. Oates et al. sth edn. (BASP Supplement 9, 2001) (also available online at:heep:/Iscriprorium lib. uke edu/papyrus/texs/list.heml)sabbre- viations for journals otherwise follow the usage of L Année Philolegigue. AE CAG can GL cA cu Coptic Encyclopedia CSBE sco PHN LPhilae OCA Linnie Epigraphigue (Paris 1888-). Commentaria in Avistotelem Graeca (Berlin 1882-1909). Cambridge Ancient History. and edn, (Cambridge 1961-). Corpus glosariorum Latinorum, ed. G. Goew. 7 vols. (Leipzig 1893-1901). ‘Matériau pour un Corpus Inscriptionsom Arabicarum. Premitre partie: Egypte, ed. M. van Berchem (Mémoires publiés par les membres de Tinstieut Frangais d’Archéologie Orienrale du Caite 52, 1894-1930). Corpus inseriptionu Latinarum (Berle 1862-) Coptic Encyclopedia, ed. B.S, Atiya. 8 vols. (New York 1991). Bagnall, R. S. and K. A. Worp, Chronological Systems of Byzantine Egypt. 2nd edn. (Leiden 2004). Corpus seriptorum Christianorum Orientalin: Fontes bistoriae Nubiorum. 4 vols. (Bergen 1994-2000), Les inscriptions greeques de Pilae, ed. A. Bernand. and E. Bernand. 2 vols. (Paris 1969). Oriensalia Christiana analecta (Rome 1923-) PBerl Arab. I PCair-Arab, INI | ?G PHeid Arab. | PKbalilé\ PL PLRE 0 PPrag Arab RCEA SEG Lise of abbreviations w Arabische Briefe des 7. bis 13. Jabrhunderts aus den Staatlichen Museen Berlin, ed. Wt. Diem (Documenta Arabica Antiqua 4, Wiesbaden 197) Arabic Papyri in the Egyptian Library, ed. A. Grohmann (Cairo 1934-62). Parologiae cursus compleeus, series Gracea, ed, J. P Migne (Paris 1844-90. Papyri Schott-Reinbards I, ed. C. H. Becker (Heidelberg 1906), Arabic Papyr: Selected Material from the Khalili Gallection, ed. G. Khan (Oxford 1992) Patrologiae cursus completus series Latina, cd. J. Migne (Paris 1844-79). Prosopography ofthe Later Roman Empire, ed. AH. M. Jones, J. R. Martindale, and J. Morris. 3 vols. in 4 (Cambridge 1971-92) Parologia Orientals (Paris 1907-). “Arabische Papyti aus der Sammlung Carl ‘Wessely im orientalischen Institute (Orientélni Ustav) 2u Prag’, ed. A. Grohmann, Archio Orientibn’ vo (1938): 149-62; 18 (1939): 242-895 12 (agqi): r-11a; 14 (1943): 161-260. Repertoire chronologique d épigraphie arabe ef Ex. Combe, J. Sauvage, and G. Wier (Cairo 193). Supplemensum Epigraphicum Graecum (Leiden 1925),