Graeco-Roman Egypt

In this book, Sabine R. Huebner explores the world of the protagonists of the New Testament and the early Christians using the rich papyrological evidence from Roman Egypt. This gives us unparalleled insights into the everyday lives of the non-elite population in an area quite similar to neighboring Judaea-Palestine. What were the daily concerns and difficulties experienced by a carpenter's family or by a shepherd looking after his flocks? How did the average man or woman experience a Roman census? What obstacles did women living in a patriarchal society face in private, in public, and in the early Church? Given the flight of Jesus' family into Egypt, how mobile were the lower classes, what was their understanding of geography, and what costs and dangers were associated with travel? This volume gives a better understanding of the structural, social, and cultural conditions under which figures from the New Testament lived.

The terms Dt and nHH have often been treated as synonyms reflecting notions related to the vastness of time. However, from the study of original source material – the texts and iconography compiled over some three millennia, and authored by those who surely had complete understanding of their subject matter – it becomes clear that those modern interpretations are somewhat questionable. Clues to the connotations which may be ascribed to Dt and nHH are perhaps most clearly apparent in texts and imagery from the reign of Tutankhamun – a time of some political upheaval during which it was more than usually important to express traditional mores with some clarity so as to demonstrate a return to the well-established ideology underpinning pharaonic culture prior to the Amarna interlude. Testing those indications against the wider range of extant literary material confirms that Dt and nHH were neither synonyms, nor were they entirely temporal in nature, but rather referenced a duality of ontological conditions which together were fundamental to the fabric of pharaonic ideology. The reappraisal of this duality of conditions allows the many texts and iconographic depictions surviving from dynastic Egypt to be considered from a new perspective – one providing deeper insight into the character of pharaonic culture. Moreover, it becomes apparent that the influences of an ideology which evolved during times pre-dating the pyramid builders permeated the philosophical and theological treaties of the scholars of ancient Greece and Rome, and thence into more recent times. At least two great gods may live on.

An increase of cross-cultural learning as a consequence of increased travel and migration between Egypt and the Levant during the Iron Age occurred after millennia of migration in earlier times. The result was an Egyptian-Levantine koine, often not recognized as relevant by historians due to an uncritical reproduction of ancient myths of separation. However, the cultural exchange triggered by migration is attested in the language, in the iconography of the region, in the history of the alphabet, in literary motifs, in the characterization of central characters of the Hebrew Bible and, last but not least, in the rise of new religions, which integrated the experience of otherness in a new ethos.

En este trabajo se abordará la figura de la diosa Isis desde diversas perspectivas. Primero, analizaremos su papel en Egipto, su lugar de procedencia, desde los tiempos Neolíticos hasta la conquista de Alejandro Magno, que da inicio al período helenístico. En esta época se producen cambios en la forma de entender a la diosa en Egipto, pero lo fundamental es que su culto se generaliza en Grecia, si bien ya había llegado allí siglos atrás. Esto da lugar a una asimilación sincrética de Isis a otras divinidades y también a la transformación de su culto en una religión mistérica. Isis acaba llegando al mundo romano, donde algunos emperadores intentarán erradicar su culto, mientras que otros, por el contrario, lo promoverán, hasta su definitiva desaparición en el siglo VI d.C. Una vez dado un repaso a su historia, analizaremos el mito más famoso de la diosa: el de Isis y Osiris, partiendo sobre todo de la versión que ofrece Plutarco. Por último trataremos de sintetizar las principales atribuciones de esta diosa: madre, trono y maga.

Palabras clave: Isis, diosa, Osiris, madre, culto

This work critically examines every one of the spells and rites translated in Hans Dieter Betz's "Greek Magical Papyri in Translation" and Daniel & Maltomini's "Supplementum Magicum" (plus texts drawn from a number of other lamellae, amulets, etc) with a view to identifying the precise magical technique used in each case. This categorisation is done on the basis of the original Greek or Demotic headwords or key words rather than upon the translation or later imprecise descriptions. The result is an identification of 40+ magical techniques such as autoptos, systasis, agoge, niketikon, oneiropompos, etc, rather than a simple but unhelpful identification each passage as a 'spell' or 'charm'. This is fully tabulated with line count for every single rite, presenting the full panorama of Graeco-Egyptian magic in the form, and with the structure, that the original scribes or magicians would have used. This enables ready access to all of the passages relevant to any one technique. It also removes the difficulties presented by varying translations of a specific Greek technical term by a range of different English approximations (such as 'love spell' for more than 7 different processes). Each of these techniques is then expanded upon showing where they influenced later systems of magic or remained unique in the Graeco-Egyptian world.

ABSTRACT: Preface to the Guide:

Focus and limitations:
The compilation of this guide began in Spring 2007 as a series of check lists and book requests for the somewhat small collection of Egyptological and related works in M. H. Sterne library at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.  During the development of several courses on Ancient Egypt, the Ancient Near East, and other areas spanning Prehistory through to the Roman period (and later), the collection grew, and continues to expand, and began to require a research paper guide for students enrolled in courses dealing with these geographic areas and time periods. The nature of the prime cliental, namely undergraduate to MA students in a North American setting, in conjunction with limited funding, has steered  –of necessity– the building of both Sterne library’s collections and this guide towards mostly English-language sources, less expensive works, and more easily available and more recent publications.

Overall aims:
In order to maximize student and public research usage of the existing, albeit still limited, collections, I have since compiled and incorporated selected journal articles, book chapters, encyclopedia entries, and other book titles from Sterne Library’s physical holdings (i.e., non-electronic sources) into diverse categories of research topics/subjects.  In addition, every effort has been made to add a full listing of electronic sources (including links) available to researchers of the geographic and temporal areas covered by this guide (i.e., mainly Prehistoric to Roman period Egypt).  The guide also provides general assistance for more serious/professional scholars (i.e., a quick reference to key articles, chapters, and volumes), but remains a tool aimed at English-speaking undergraduate-MA students and the public, focusing on Sterne’s holdings (note: other emerging Egyptological libraries will also approximate Sterne’s holdings).

Design and usage:
An attempt has been made to obtain sources spanning all aspects of Ancient Egypt and related areas, which have in-turn influenced the subdivision of the guide into general works, time periods, and diverse subject areas. Some of these categories have grown sufficiently large to merit further subdivision, such as the New Kingdom section, which has a general list of sources, materials regarding individual rulers, and a few affiliated topics of interest (Exodus; Sea Peoples).  I have attempted to place each source (i.e., books; book chapters; encyclopedia entries; journal articles) under each pertinent topic category that it covers, but naturally I may have missed some categories, while there may be other complementary and broader works that cover such topics elsewhere.  A list of the pertinent call number ranges has been placed at the end of the guide (see table of contents) to assist in the merits of additional shelf-browsing.

Beyond the guide:
Naturally there are numerous significant Egyptological sources outside Sterne Library’s holdings (including electronic links: e.g., JSTOR) that might be retrieved via interlibrary loan.  Sterne Library’s current Egyptological resources, however, are sufficient to introduce most areas of Egyptological research, and enable the researcher to consult the endnotes/footnotes and bibliographic data listed in recent books, articles, and encyclopedia entries to compile a list of further resources that may either be accessed via interlibrary loan, or possibly by visiting directly a neighbouring professional Egyptological library: e.g., the instructor (UAB); Atlanta (Emory University); Memphis (Memphis State University).

The collections in other Birmingham and Alabama libraries have online links via Sterne Library’s website, and offer many duplicate and different Egyptological works that are often accessible to the public/students: e.g., Birmingham Public Library, Gorgas Library (UA).  Naturally, I encourage students, faculty, and public researchers to see me for further assistance with this guide and their research topics.

Gregory Mumford (UAB)
Update: 15 Jan., 2021

PLEASE NOTE: This resource has received substantial updates in pertinent sections within the guide.  Some additional sorting of various articles/entries is still required, but these articles can be found, unsorted, at the end of the guide (e.g., articles from KMT, JSSEA, EA, etc., listed chronologically and by issue). I anticipate another update in the following year ...

First published in Buzzle on 16th August 2006

Republished on the same day here:
http://sudaneseonline.com/en2/publish/Articles_and_Analysies_12/Sudan_s_Beja_Blemmyes_and_their_Right_to_Freedom_a_929.shtml

Republished on 23rd August 2006 and discussed in the forum below:
http://www.politicsforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=62793
At the moment the misinformed international community plans to spend so easily US $ 3 billion for Lebanon's reconstruction, it is essential to highlight that much less money would be enough to bring peace in the strategically crucial area of Eastern Sudan where the Blemmyes / Beja have started their struggle for self-determination and independence. Support to historically indigenous Beja would bring the Khartoum tyrants at the brink of collapse, opening the path of independence for the oppressed peoples of Sudan, and at the same time it would reshape the entire area of the Red Sea where historical nations demand international recognition.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the basins known from Meroïtic sites in Lower Nubia and Meroë Royal City (Sudan). These structures have not been adequately debated and the accepted explanation as to their function, that they were ‘wine-presses’, has not been subject to constructive challenge. On the contrary, that they represent the remains of a short-lived Meroïtic viticulture industry has been widely accepted in literature despite the thin state of the evidence. This discussion presents a critique of the accepted function of these Meroïtic basins and offers a detailed consideration of their leonine spouts.

Publication of the fragments of a hieroglyphic papyrus from the so-called Bibliotheca of the Tebtynis temple, I-II cent. A.D. It looks like an 'open' votive cubit, with its typical texts, and maintaining their divisions in 28 digits.
NB: actually the correct papyrus inv. nr. is I 1.

This study concerns the mummy of a Greco-Roman adult male aged 45-55 years from the Fayum region of Egypt. It was acquired by Charles E. Ficke in 1896. The Putnam Museum and Science Center had the mummy CT scanned on August 21, 2007.  Data from that scan were sent to the Akhmim Mummy Studies Consortium for analysis. Details of possible provenience, mummification techniques and paleopathology are discussed.

The cult of the Egyptian god Antinous is discussed in the paper. Antinous acted in the image of Osiris and Horus, absorbed the features of Apollo, Dionysus and other heroes, showed himself as a divine child and the pharaoh, was deified in Egyptian and Greco-Roman models that included the elements of apotheosis of the emperor and the posthumous journey of the Egyptian king to heaven. All these images allowed matching Antinous and the emperor. The Roman ruler was worshipped in Egypt as Theos Synnaos along with Antinous. Comparing the emperor with the deified Hadrian’s minion was a form of the Interpretatio Aegyptiaca of the image of the Roman ruler in the valley of the Nile. During the Great Antinous Games, in which boys and girls took part, Antinous received the images of a hero, a god, and a demon-spirit, from whom miracles and predictions were expected. The image of Antinous was combined with the image of a wreath that symbolized the victory over death, the birth of the divine child and rebirth in the afterlife.

Resumo: O presente artigo tem como objetivo analisar as evidências da manutenção de Abidos como centro do culto do deus Osíris no período greco-romano. Para tal, mobilizamos documentações escritas que abordam a perspectiva greco-romana acerca de Abidos e seus significados religiosos e funerários. Para enriquecer a discussão, elencamos documentos materiais e arqueológicos provenientes de Abidos, tais como estelas e sarcófagos. Defendemos que a continuidade do culto a Osíris na localidade demonstra a busca dos egípcios pela preservação de suas práticas religiosas diante de uma mudança de cenário político-cultural.
Palavras-chave: Osíris; Abidos; Egito Ptolomaico; Egito Romano; estelas funerárias.

Lo storico greco Erodoto definiva l’Egitto dono del Nilo, senza il quale non ci sarebbe potuto essere lo sviluppo di una delle più importanti civiltà potamiche della storia. Ancora oggi, l’acqua del Nilo è l’unica fonte di approvvigionamento idrico per le popolazioni egiziane, etiopi e sudanesi. L’incremento demografico e le innovazioni tecnologiche hanno spinto nel corso del tempo le società ripuarie a sfruttare la risorsa in maniera sempre più ingente, portandole a entrare in conflitto alla ricerca di una garanzia idrica duratura. Accordi internazionali, conflitti geopolitici e tavoli di concertazione tra gli Stati nilotici garantiscono un equilibrio sempre fragile. Attraverso la ricostruzione geostorica e politica di un territorio complesso, il libro esplora le modalità di gestione di una risorsa scarsa ma fondamentale per la vita umana e lo sviluppo di tutto il Nord-Est africano. Dopo aver delineato le dinamiche più remote per quanto riguarda la gestione dell’acqua in Egitto, il testo mette in luce le politiche coloniali alla base dei megaprogetti realizzati e previsti su tutto il bacino e come oggi questi incidano fortemente negli equilibri geopolitici e sociali della zona.

NOW IN PAPERBACK (June 2019) This is the only substantial and up-to-date reference work on the Ptolemaic army. Employing Greek and Egyptian papyri and inscriptions, and building on approaches developed in state-formation theory, it offers a coherent account of how the changing structures of the army in Egypt after Alexander’s conquest led to the development of an ethnically more integrated society. A new tripartite division of Ptole- maic history challenges the idea of gradual decline and emphasizes the reshaping of military structures that took place between c. 220 and c. 160 BC in response to changes in the nature of warfare, to mobiliza- tion and demobilization, and to financial constraints. An investigation of the socio-economic role played by soldiers permits a reassessment of the cleruchic system and shows how soldiers’ associations generated inter-ethnic group solidarity. By integrating Egyptian evidence, Chris- telle Fischer-Bovet also demonstrates that the connection between the army and local temples offered new ways for Greeks and Egyptians to interact.

This volume deals with the publication of Temple C of Bakchias, a locality in the North Eastern Fayyum, where the joint Archaeological Mission of the University of Bologna and Sapienza University of Rome works. The temple dedicated to the god Soknobkonneus has been preserved only in the foundations, but it is possible to rebuild it in its overall structure, revealing itself to be one of the most important places of worship in the city.

Songbook for ancient Egypt music video (http://music.ancientgebts.org). Includes exercises, plus sing a song in hieroglyphic lyrics! Learn the lyrics in Tigrigna, Amarigna, English and hieroglyphs and sing along!

To have Legesse Allyn speak at your next event, please visit http://keynotespeaker.ancientgebts.org

For the print version of this book and others in the book series for your library, you can order it from Amazon.com at the following link...
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/102-5565860-1204124?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=%27Legesse%20Allyn%27

This course presents a broad survey of historical forces at work over the past 6,000 years, examining the manners in which human societies have organized themselves along categories of race, ethnicity, class, and gender to meet the challenges of the increasing human population and its demands on natural resources: thus, it examines continuity and change in societies over time, in different places, and among various peoples.