Chapters › Christian Nubia · Egypt
Roman & Byzantine Egypt
30 BCE – 641 CE Arabic under review
Approximate area of control
Research in progress No sourced map of this era's territory yet, so no area is drawn.
Key events
- Petronius' punitive campaign captures Napata 23 BCE after Meroitic sack of Aswan (GHA II)
- Treaty of Samos 21/20 BCE; frontier at Hiera Sycaminos (Maharraqa)
Capitals / sites
Alexandria
Geopolitics
The prefect Petronius led a punitive expedition, captured Napata in 23 BC and garrisoned Primis (Qasr Ibrim). A peace treaty followed at Samos in 21 or 20 BC (GHA II ch.10, p.290; ch.7, p.208). Diocletian (284–305) gave up Lower Nubia and paid the Blemmyes and Nobades to guard the southern frontier (ch.7, p.215). Procopius says he pulled the frontier back to the First Cataract and encouraged the Nobades to settle on the Nile as a screen against the Blemmyes; both peoples nevertheless attacked Philae around 450 (ch.10, pp.294–295). Under Justinian, between 535 and 537, Narses closed the temple of Philae (p.295).
Culture
Meroe's 'most constant relations' were with the temple of Isis at Philae, where embassies brought rich gifts and left graffiti in Demotic, Greek and Meroitic; one dated embassy, under Teqorideamani, came in AD 253 (GHA II ch.10, p.292). After Christianisation, the Blemmyes and Nobades were still allowed to visit Philae and to borrow the statue of Isis for festivals (p.295). Bishops resided on Philae from the 4th century, and Christianity gave Nubia access to Egypt and Byzantium (ch.12, p.331).
Economy
Roman coins reached Nubia and the Sudan 'though in very small numbers': a coin of Claudius at Meroe, one of Nero at Karanog, one of Diocletian 'far into Kordofan (El Obeid)', and a mid-4th-century coin at Sennar (GHA II ch.10, p.292). Under Diocletian, Rome paid the Blemmyes and Nobades sums which their kings called tribute (ch.7, p.215).
Regional power
Research in progress We have not yet read a source for this section. It will be added once one is checked; nothing is filled in by guesswork.
Open data flags
- regional_power: no actors scored
- Pass 20 text: [WORKING TRANSLATION – needs native Arabic review] for every Arabic field
Sources
- S. Donadoni (1981) Egypt under Roman domination, ch.7 (General History of Africa II) UNESCO / Heinemann / University of California Press link [en]
- J. Leclant (1981) The empire of Kush: Napata and Meroe, ch.10 (General History of Africa II) UNESCO / Heinemann / University of California Press link [en]
- K. Michałowski (1981) The spreading of Christianity in Nubia (General History of Africa II, ch.12) UNESCO link [en]
- Wikipedia contributors Egypt (Roman province) Wikipedia link [en]