wsjr-ḥp
71-504: B C D F G H I K M N P Q R S T U W Serapis or Sarapis is a Graeco-Egyptian god. A syncretic deity derived from the worship of the Egyptian Osiris and Apis , Serapis was extensively popularized in the third century BC on the orders of Greek Pharaoh Ptolemy I Soter , as a means to unify the Greek and Egyptian subjects of
142-561: A big exodus of the Greeks from Egypt, but most of the minority left the country either before or after the period 1952–1970. The Arab-Israeli wars of 1956 and 1967 contributed to the uprooting of the sizeable Greek community in the Suez Canal cities, especially Port Said . Today the Greek community numbers officially about 5,000 people, Many of Greek origin are now counted as Egyptian, having changed their nationality. In Alexandria, apart from
213-796: A main building and two round towers. In the Christian New Testament, the Church at Pergamon, inside the main building of the Red Basilica, is listed as one of the Seven Churches to which the Book of Revelation was addressed ( Revelation 2:12 ). Another serapeum was in Ephesus , which is near present-day Selçuk , İzmir Province , Turkey . The temple is located behind the Library of Celsus . This Egyptian temple
284-661: A marble stairway that connected the base of the hill to the sanctuary. An enormous fragment of entablature , weighing approximately 100 tons and 34 m (1,200 cu ft) in volume (the largest in Rome), belongs to the original temple, as do the statues of the Nile and the Tiber , moved by Michelangelo to the Capitoline Hill in front of the Senate building. Emperor Hadrian (117–138) ordered
355-767: A part of the Ptolemaic Kingdom . The presence of an asterisk (*) next to a person's name denotes that the person was born outside of Egypt, however the most part of this person's life or most important work occurred while in Egypt. 7th - 1st century B.C.E 1st - 7th century C.E. Ottoman era 7th - 19th century 20th - 21st century Ruler, 7th century B.C.E., Cyrene Engineer, 1st century B.C.E. or C.E., Alexandria Fashion designer, 1904 - 1970, Alexandria Mathematician, 5th century B.C.E., Cyrene Philosopher, 20 B.C.E - 50 C.E., Alexandria Philosopher, 435 - 356 B.C.E., Cyrene Serapeum A serapeum
426-636: A year after the battle of Actium . Under Greco-Roman rule, Egypt hosted several Greek settlements, mostly concentrated in Alexandria , but also in a few other cities, where Greek settlers lived alongside some seven to ten million native Egyptians . Faiyum 's earliest Greek inhabitants were soldier-veterans and cleruchs (elite military officials) who were settled by the Ptolemaic kings on reclaimed lands. Native Egyptians also came to settle in Faiyum from all over
497-492: Is a temple or other religious institution dedicated to the syncretic Greco-Egyptian deity Serapis , who combined aspects of Osiris and Apis in a humanized form that was accepted by the Ptolemaic Greeks of Alexandria . There were several such religious centers, each of which was called a serapeion/serapeum ( Ancient Greek : Σεραπεῖον ) or poserapi ( Ancient Greek : Ποσεραπι ), coming from an Egyptian name for
568-556: Is a typical Roman sanctuary, on a raised platform and with a row of columns at the entrance, where a mosaic representing Apis in a typically Egyptian manner can still be seen. From this temple likely came the statue that Bryaxis copied for the Serapeum in Alexandria. The Macellum of Pozzuoli , marketplace or macellum of the Roman city of Puteoli (now known as Pozzuoli ) was first excavated in
639-729: Is located north west of the Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara , a necropolis near Memphis in Lower Egypt . It was a burial place of the Apis , sacred bulls that were incarnations of Ptah . It was believed that the bulls became immortal after death as Osiris-Apis, a name shortened to Serapis in the Hellenic period. Another serapeum was located at Canopus , in the Nile Delta near Alexandria. This sanctuary, dedicated to Isis and her consort Serapis, became one of
710-514: Is something of a mixup: The unconnected Babylonian god Ea ( Enki ) was titled Šar Apsi , meaning "king of the Apsu" or "the watery deep", and Ea as Šar Apsi seems to be the deity intended in the description of Alexander's death. Since this "Sarapis" had a temple at Babylon , and was of such importance that only Sarapis is named as being consulted on behalf of the dying king, Sarapis of Babylon appears to have radically altered perceptions of mythologies in
781-485: Is surrounded by a huge wall and topped by a stone tower. Within its walls there was a Greek hospital, a school and housing for the elderly and poor. In addition to the Greek communities of Alexandria and Cairo, there were the organised Greek communities of Mansoura , founded in 1860, Port Said , founded in 1870, Tanta in 1880, and the community of Zagazig in 1850. There were fifteen smaller communities across Egypt and mainly around Cairo and Alexandria. In Upper Egypt ,
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#1732844844710852-622: Is the variety of Greek spoken in Egypt from antiquity until the Islamic conquest of Egypt in the 7th century. Egyptian Greek adopted many loanwords from Egyptian language ; there was a great deal of intracommunity bilingualism in Egypt. The following is an example of Egyptian Greek language, used in the Coptic Church : ⲇⲟⲝⲁ ⲡⲁⲧⲣⲓ ⲕⲉ ⲩⲓⲱ: ⲕⲉ ⲁ̀ⲅⲓⲱ ⲡⲛⲉⲩⲙⲁⲧⲓ: ⲕⲉ ⲛⲩⲛ ⲕⲉ ⲁ̀ⲓ̀ ⲕⲉ ⲓⲥ ⲧⲟⲩⲥ ⲉⲱⲛⲁⲥ ⲧⲱⲛ ⲉ̀ⲱ̀ⲛⲱⲛ ⲁ̀ⲙⲏⲛ Δόξα Πατρὶ κὲ Υἱῷ κὲ Ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, κὲ νῦν κὲ ἀῒ κὲ ἰς τοὺς ἐῶνας τῶν ἐώνων. Ἀμήν. Glory to
923-567: The Greek Dark Ages from 1100 to 750 BC, the city of Naucratis was founded in Ancient Egypt. It was located on the Canopic branch of the Nile river, 45 mi (72 km) from the open sea. It was the first and, for much of its early history, the only permanent Greek colony in Egypt; acting as a symbiotic nexus for the interchange of Greek and Egyptian art and culture. At about the same time,
994-603: The Heliadae , built the city of Heliopolis before the cataclysm ; likewise the Athenians built Sais . Siculus reports that all the Greek cities were destroyed during the cataclysm, but the Egyptian cities including Heliopolis and Sais survived. According to Herodotus (ii. 154), King Psammetichus I (664–610 BC) established a garrison of foreign mercenaries at Daphnae , mostly Carians and Ionian Greeks. In 7th century BC, after
1065-450: The Pablo de Olavide University announced the discovery of remains of Hadrian's breakfast room which used to show his imperial power. They revealed a structure as a water triclinium and a separate dining room that served as a model for the well-known Serapeum in his villa . The Serapeum of Ostia Antica was inaugurated in 127 CE and dedicated to the syncretic cult of Jupiter Serapis. It
1136-588: The Ptolemaic Kingdom . The cultus of Serapis was spread as a matter of deliberate policy by subsequent Ptolemaic kings. Serapis continued to increase in popularity during the Roman Empire , often replacing Osiris as the consort of Isis in temples outside Egypt. Alongside his Egyptian roots he gained attributes from other deities, such as chthonic powers linked to the Greek Hades and Demeter , and benevolence derived from associations with Dionysus . Serapis
1207-503: The Suez Crisis , the British and French laborers left while the Greeks stayed. The emergence of a Greek aristocracy of rich industrialists, merchants and bankers created the legacy of Greek-Egyptian philanthropism. These benefactors donated large amounts for the building of schools, academies, hospitals and institutions in both Egypt and Greece. Michail Tositsas donated large amounts for
1278-422: The chthonic aspect of Serapis. To mark the inauguration of his temple, Hadrian struck coinage that carry his effigy accompanied by Serapis, upon a dais where two columns support a round canopy. In this manner, the emperor became synnaos , a companion of the god's arcane naos and equal beneficiary of the cult of Serapis at Canopus. In February 2021, archaeologists led by researcher Rafael Hidalgo Prieto from
1349-626: The cult statue from Sinope in Asia Minor, having been instructed in a dream by the " unknown god " to bring the statue to Alexandria , where the statue was pronounced to be Serapis by two religious experts. One of the experts was of the Eumolpidae , the ancient family from whose members the hierophant of the Eleusinian Mysteries had been chosen since before history, and the other was the scholarly Egyptian priest Manetho , which gave weight to
1420-564: The ethnic Greek community from Egypt that has existed from the Hellenistic period until the aftermath of the Egyptian coup d'état of 1952 , when most were forced to leave. Greeks have been present in Egypt since at least the 7th century BC. Herodotus visited ancient Egypt in the 5th century BC and claimed that the Greeks were one of the first groups of foreigners that ever lived there. Diodorus Siculus claimed that Rhodian Actis , one of
1491-415: The modius , a basket / grain-measure, on his head, since it was a Greek symbol for the land of the dead. He also held a sceptre in his hand indicating his rulership, with Cerberus , gatekeeper of the underworld, resting at his feet. The statue also had what appeared to be a serpent at its base, fitting the Egyptian symbol of rulership, the uraeus . Originally Demotic wsjr-ḥp, (" Osiris - Apis "),
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#17328448447101562-514: The 18th century, when the discovery of a statue of Serapis led to the building being misidentified as the city's serapeum, the Temple of Serapis. Under that name, the site had considerable influence on early geology as a band of boreholes affecting the three standing columns suggested that the building had been partly below sea level for some period. A Latin inscription and other archaeological finds including statues, busts and other objects indicating
1633-476: The 5th century. The temple built on Quirinal Hill and dedicated to Serapis was, by most surviving accounts, the most sumptuous and architectonically ambitious of those built on the hill; its remains are still visible between Palazzo Colonna and the Pontifical Gregorian University . The sanctuary, which lay between today's piazza della Pilotta and the large square facing Quirinal Palace ,
1704-474: The Egyptian government for a diplomatic rapprochement with Greece and this has positively affected the Greek Diaspora. The Diaspora has received official visits of many Greek politicians. Economic relationships between Greece and Egypt have expanded. As of 2010, Egypt has received major Greek investments in banking, tourism, paper, the oil industry, & many others. In 2009, a five-year cooperation-memorandum
1775-618: The Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. According to Walker, early Ptolemaic Greek colonists married local women and adopted Egyptian religious beliefs, and by Roman times, their descendants were viewed as Egyptians by the Roman rulers, despite their own self-perception of being Greek. The dental morphology of the Roman-period Faiyum mummies
1846-519: The Great conquered Egypt at an early stage of his conquests. He respected the pharaonic religions and customs and he was proclaimed Pharaoh of Egypt. He established the city of Alexandria . After his death, in 323 BC, his empire was divided among his generals . Egypt was given to Ptolemy I Soter , whose descendants would establish Egypt's last royal dynasty. This dynasty was composed solely of ethnic Greeks and produced dynasts such as Cleopatra . Its capital
1917-870: The Greeks in Egypt were foods, wine, soap, wood crafts, printing. In the food industry, the macaroni industries of Melachrinos ( Μελαχροινός ) and Antoniadis ( Αντωνιάδης ) were well known. Another example was the cheese and butter production of Argyriou ( Αργυρίου ), Roussoglou (Ρ ουσσόγλου ) and Paleoroutas ( Παλαιορούτας ). Chocolate-Biscuits and Toffee producers were: Daloghlou ( Δαλόγλου ), Russos ( Ρούσσος ), Repapis ( Ρεπάπης ); Oil-soaps-vegetable fats (Salt & Soda) producers like Zerbinis ( Ζερμπίνης ) were based in Kafr al-Zayat. There were many Greek theatres and cinemas. Major Greek newspapers were Ta grammata ( Τα Γράμματα ), Tachydromos ( Ταχυδρόμος ), and Nea Zoe ( Νέα Ζωή ). The Greek community in Egypt has produced numerous artists, writers, diplomats and politicians,
1988-523: The Magnificent from 1520 to 1566, is perhaps the best known. At the end of the 18th century, Ottoman Egypt was home to a small community of Egyptian Greeks who numbered from under a thousand to 5000 people. At the time Egyptian Greeks were split into two distinct communities that rarely intermingled. The first was composed of Arabic speaking descendants of early Greek settlers and Greeks who immigrated to Egypt after 1517, most of whom were merchants. During
2059-706: The Ottoman Caliphate, which witnessed many Ottoman sultans and pashas of Greek ancestry rule over the Ottoman Empire in general, and Egypt in particular. Other notable Greeks in Egypt during the Ottoman period included Damat Hasan Pasha from the Morea , a governor of Egypt. Raghib Pasha , born in Greece to Greek parents, served as prime minister of Egypt. During the Ottoman Caliphate, Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha , grand vizier to Suleiman
2130-678: The Patriarchate, there is a Patriarchal theology school that opened recently after 480 years being closed. Saint Nicholas church in Cairo and several other buildings in Alexandria have been recently renovated by the Greek Government and the Alexander S. Onassis Foundation . Saint George's church in Old Cairo is undergoing restoration to end in 2014. During the last decade, there has been a new interest from
2201-865: The building of the Athens University , the Amalio Orphanage and the Athens Polytechnic . His wife Eleni Tositsa donated the land for the National Archaeological Museum of Athens . George Averoff also contributed to the building of the National Technical University of Athens , the Evelpidon Military Academy and the donation of the cruiser Averoff to the Hellenic Navy . Emmanouil Benakis contributed to
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2272-530: The building of the National Gallery of Athens , while his son Antonis Benakis was the founder of the Benaki Museum . Other major benefactors include Nikolaos Stournaras, Theodoros Kotsikas, Nestoras Tsanaklis, Konstantinos Horemis, Stefanos Delta, Penelope Delta , Pantazis Vassanis and Vassilis Sivitanidis. The exodus of Greeks from Egypt started before the coup d'état of 1952 . With the establishment of
2343-530: The centre of the Greek and Hellenistic world and the centre of international commerce, art and science. The Lighthouse of Alexandria was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World while during the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus , the Library of Alexandria was the biggest library in the world until it was destroyed. The last Pharaoh was a Greek princess, Cleopatra VII , who took her own life in 30 BC,
2414-413: The city during the 1st century and erected in couples, followed. The centre of the square was likely occupied by the temple dedicated to Isis, while the third section, a semicircular exedra with an apse presumably hosted the altar dedicated to Serapis. Fragments of the obelisks, some quite large, have been found around the current church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva; some archaeologists have proposed that
2485-432: The city of Heracleion , the closest to the sea, became an important port for Greek trade. It had a famous temple of Heracles . The city later sank into the sea, only to be rediscovered recently. From the time of Psammetichus I onwards, Greek mercenary armies played an important role in some of the Egyptian wars. One such army was led by Mentor of Rhodes . Another such personage was Phanes of Halicarnassus . Alexander
2556-505: The city of Rome was named Isis et Serapis because it contained a temple dedicated to the two Egyptian deities. The structure, originally dedicated to Isis alone, was built by Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius in the first half of the 1st century BCE to celebrate his father's victory over Jugurtha . The complex, of which only parts of the foundations remain, was originally terraced; during the Flavian dynasty , it underwent major renovations, and
2627-438: The complex synthesis of the predominant Egyptian culture and that of the elite Egyptian Greek minority in Faiyum. By the Roman period, much of the "Greek" population of Faiyum was made up of either Hellenized Egyptians or people of mixed Egyptian-Greek origins, and by the time of Roman emperor Caracalla in the 2nd century AD, ethnic Egyptians could be distinguished from Egyptian Greeks only by their speech. Egyptian Greek
2698-461: The construction of a "canopus" in his villa in Tivoli with typical imperial grandeur: an immense rectangular tank representing a canal, 119 m (390 ft) long by 18 m (59 ft) wide was surrounded by porticoes and statues, leading the way to a Serapeum. Protected by a monumental dome , the sanctuary was composed of a public area and a more intimate subterranean part that was dedicated to
2769-504: The country, notably the Nile Delta , Upper Egypt , Oxyrhynchus and Memphis , to undertake the labor involved in the land reclamation process, as attested by personal names, local cults and recovered papyri . It is estimated that as much as 30 percent of the population of Faiyum was Greek during the Ptolemaic period, with the rest being native Egyptians; the Faiyum mummy portraits reflect
2840-608: The course of the War of the Second Coalition France occupied Egypt . The new French authorities established cordial relations with the Greek community. This resulted in the recruitment of Greek mercenaries who once served the Mamluks. On 27 June 1800, a regular army unit composed of ethnic Greeks was established under the name Légion Grecque (Greek Legion). Commanded by Nikolaos Papazoglou it numbered 577 officers and soldiers. After
2911-496: The cult of Serapis was associated to that of Isis. The temple was finally demolished during the 6th century. This temple, dedicated to Isis and Serapis, was first dedicated by the triumvirs in 43 BCE in Rome. However, due to later tensions between Octavian (later Augustus Caesar) and Marc Antony, the temple was not built. Following the Battle at Actium, Augustus banned the religion from within
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2982-648: The end of the French occupation of Egypt a part of the Greek Legion continued their service in the French military as part of the Bataillon Chasseurs d'Orient and other small units. Many Greek Muslims from Crete (often confusingly called Cretan Turks ) were resettled in Egypt, Libya, Lebanon, and Syria by Sultan Abdul Hamid II after the Greco-Turkish War of 1897 that resulted in the autonomy of Crete (see
3053-528: The example of al-Hamidiyah , a largely Cretan Greek Muslim village in Syria). In 1920, approximately 200,000 Greeks lived in Egypt. By c. 1940 , the Greeks numbered about 300,000. The Greek community in Alexandria lived around the church and convent of Sabbas the Sanctified . In the same area there was a guest house for Greek travelers, a Greek hospital and later a Greek school. The Greek Orthodox bishop
3124-522: The great capital of Alexandria. With his (i.e. Osiris's) wife Isis , and their son Horus (in the form of Harpocrates ), Serapis won an important place in the Greek world . In his 2nd-century CE Description of Greece , Pausanias notes two Serapeia on the slopes of Acrocorinth above the rebuilt Roman city of Corinth , and one at Copae in Boeotia. Serapis figured among the international deities whose cult
3195-472: The judgement both for the Egyptians and the Greeks. Plutarch may not be correct, however, as some Egyptologists allege that the "Sinope" in the tale is really the hill of Sinopeion, a name given to the site of the already existing Serapeum at Memphis . Also, according to Tacitus , Serapis (i.e., Apis explicitly identified as Osiris in full) had been the god of the village of Rhakotis before it expanded into
3266-484: The late 4th century, when a Christian mob directed by Pope Theophilus of Alexandria destroyed the Serapeum in Alexandria some time around 391 CE, during one of the frequent religious riots in the city. The origins of Serapis has been the source of speculation by both Jewish and Christian philosophers in ancient times. Tertullian in early 3rd century AD believed that belief in Serapis was inspired by Patriarch Joseph who
3337-615: The most famous cult centers of the Ptolemaic Kingdom and Roman Egypt . Its festivals and rites were so popular that the site became an architectural model for sanctuaries to the Egyptian gods throughout the Roman Empire . At this Graeco-Roman site, a sacred temenos enclosed the temple dedicated to the gods, which was located behind a propylaea or peristyle court. Auxiliary shrines dedicated to other, less universal, Egyptian deities could be found here as well, including those dedicated to Anubis ( Hermanubis ), Hermes Trismegistus ,
3408-475: The most famous being the poet Constantine P. Cavafy ( Κωνσταντίνος Καβάφης ), also the painter Konstantinos Parthenis ( Κωνσταντίνος Παρθένης ). During the Balkan Wars , the Greek communities of Egypt sent volunteers, funded hospitals, and accommodated families of the soldiers. During World War II (1940–1945), more than 7000 Greeks fought for the Allies in the Middle East ; 142 died. Their financial contribution reached 2500 million Egyptian pounds. After
3479-442: The name of the deity is derived from the syncretic worship of Osiris and the bull Apis as a single deity under the Egyptian name wsjr - ḥp . This name was later written in Coptic as ⲟⲩⲥⲉⲣϩⲁⲡⲓ Userhapi ; Greeks sometimes used an uncommon form Sorapis ( Koinē Greek : Σόραπις ), slightly closer to the Egyptian name(s). The earliest mention of a "Sarapis" occurs in the disputed death scene of Alexander (323 BCE), but it
3550-464: The new sovereign regime of Gamal Abdel Nasser , rise of Pan-Arab nationalism , and the subsequent nationalisation of many industries in 1961 and 1963, thousands of Greek employees decided to emigrate. Many of them emigrated to Australia , the United States , Canada, South Africa, Western Europe, and Greece. Many Greek schools, churches, small communities and institutions subsequently closed, but many continue to function to this day. The Nasser regime saw
3621-413: The obelisk facing the Pantheon (see picture) may have been repositioned from the temple to its current location. The building was destroyed in the great fire of the year 80 CE and rebuilt by Domitian ; further renovation was initiated by Hadrian, while Septimius Severus ordered the necessary upkeep of the temple's structure. Written records attest to the Serapeum's existence and ritual activity until
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#17328448447103692-418: The oldest ancient Greek community was the one of Minia which was founded in 1812. The first banks in Egypt were crafted by Greeks, including the Bank of Alexandria , the Anglo-Egyptian bank (Sunadinos family / Συναδινός), and the General Bank of Alexandria. Also, it was the Greek agriculturists and farmers that first systematically and with scientific planning, cultivated cotton and tobacco . They improved
3763-443: The pomerium of Rome altogether. The temple was finally built by Gaius Caligula on the area known as Campus Martius , between the Saepta Julia and the temple of Minerva c. 37–41 CE. The Serapeum, 240 m (790 ft) long and 60 m (200 ft) wide, was divided in three sections: a rectangular area could be accessed first by walking under monumental arches; an open square, adorned with red granite obelisks brought to
3834-518: The post-Alexandrian era. His significance to the Hellenic psyche, due to the mention in the story of Alexander's death, may have also contributed to the choice of the similar-sounding Osiris-Apis as the chief Ptolemaic god, even if the Ptolemies understood that they were different deities. Sarapis ( Σάραπις , earlier form) was the most common form in Ancient Greek until Roman times, when Serapis ( Koinē Greek : Σέραπις , later form) became common. A serapeum ( Koinē Greek : σεραπεῖον serapeion )
3905-400: The presence of a Serapeum from the Roman period in Carthage , dedicated to the Egyptian deities Isis and Serapis . Inside Pergamon in Bergama , there is the Temple of Serapis, built for the Egyptian gods in the 2nd century CE and called the Red Basilica ( Kızıl Avlu in Turkish) by locals. This is a basilica -shaped building constructed under the reign of Hadrian . It consists of
3976-440: The quantity and quality of production and dominated cotton and tobacco exports. Notable families in tobacco commerce were the Salvagos ( Σαλβάγκος ), Benakis ( Μπενάκης ), Rodochanakis ( Ροδοχανάκης ) and Zervoudachis ( Ζερβουδάκης ). The tobacco cultivars used for cigarette manufacturing, e.g., by Kyriazi Freres , were of Greek origin. A thriving commerce between Greece and Egypt was thus established. Other areas of interest for
4047-413: The syncretism of Thoth and Hermes , Harpocrates, and others. Ritual complexes dedicated to Isis were often built around a well or a spring, which was meant to represent the miraculous annual inundation of the Nile. This was also the case in sanctuaries devoted to the Egyptian gods in Roman-era Delos , where a central basin provided the water element central in the rites of Isis. The Regio III within
4118-424: The temple of Osiris-Apis ( Ancient Egyptian : pr-Wsỉr-Ḥp , lit. 'house of Osiris-Apis'). The Serapeum of Alexandria in the Ptolemaic Kingdom was an ancient Greek temple built by Ptolemy III Euergetes . There are also signs of Harpocrates . It has been referred to as the daughter of the Library of Alexandria . It existed until the end of the fourth century AD. The Serapeum of Saqqara
4189-651: Was Alexandria. Ptolemy added legitimacy to his rule in Egypt by acquiring Alexander's body. He intercepted the embalmed corpse on its way to burial, brought it to Egypt, and placed it in a golden coffin in Alexandria. It would remain one of the famous sights of the town for many years, until probably destroyed in riots in the 3rd century AD. The initial objective of Ptolemy's reign was to establish firm and broad boundaries to his newly acquired kingdom. That led to almost continuous warfare against other leading members of Alexander's circle. At times he held Cyprus and even parts of mainland Greece . When these conflicts were over, he
4260-503: Was also compared with that of earlier Egyptian populations, and was found to be "much more closely akin" to that of ancient Egyptians than to Greeks or other European populations. Victor J. Katz notes that "research in papyri dating from the early centuries of the common era demonstrates that a significant amount of intermarriage took place between the Greek and Egyptian communities". Greek culture and political influence continued and perhaps reached some of its most influential times during
4331-433: Was any temple or religious precinct devoted to Serapis. The most renowned serapeum was in Alexandria. There is evidence that the cult of Serapis existed before the Ptolemies came to power in Alexandria: a temple of Serapis in Egypt is mentioned in 323 BCE by both Plutarch and Arrian . Ptolemy I Soter made efforts to integrate his new Egyptian subject's religions with that of their Hellenic rulers. Ptolemy's project
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#17328448447104402-413: Was based in Damietta in the church of Nikolaos of Myrna . In Cairo , the first organised Greek community was founded in 1856, with the community based in three main neighbourhoods: Tzouonia, Haret el Roum (Street of the Greeks), and in Hamzaoui. The patriarchate was based in Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Hamzaoui . The monastery of Saint George , in Old Cairo still survives. The monastery
4473-470: Was built by Caracalla on the western slopes of the hill, covering over 13,000 m (3.2 acres), as its sides measured 135 by 98 m (443 by 322 ft). It was composed by a long courtyard (surrounded by a colonnade ) and by the ritual area, where statues and obelisks had been erected. Designed to impress its visitors, the temple boasted columns 21.17 m (69 ft 5 in) tall and 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in diameter, visually sitting atop
4544-463: Was chief administrator of Egypt. The same opinion is also sounded in the Talmud . Egyptian Greeks Greek diaspora Constantinople and Asia Minor : Africa : Other regions : Other groups : Other languages The Egyptian Greeks , also known as Egyptiotes ( Greek : Αιγυπτιώτες , romanized : Eyiptiótes ) or simply Greeks in Egypt (Greek: Έλληνες της Αιγύπτου , romanized: Éllines tis Eyíptou ), are
4615-430: Was depicted as Greek in appearance but with Egyptian trappings, and combined iconography from a great many cults, signifying both abundance and resurrection. The Greeks had little respect for animal-headed figures, and so a Greek-style anthropomorphic statue was chosen as the idol , and proclaimed as the equivalent of the highly popular Apis. It was named Userhapi (i.e. "Osiris-Apis"), which became Greek Sarapis , and
4686-414: Was firmly in control of Egypt and had strong claims (disputed by the Seleucid dynasty ) to Palestine . He called himself king of Egypt from 306 BC. By the time he abdicated in 285 BC, in favour of one of his sons, the Ptolemaic dynasty was secure. Ptolemy and his descendants showed respect to Egypt's most cherished traditions – those of religion – and turned them to their own advantage. Alexandria became
4757-447: Was in Alexandria, where he stayed before returning to Rome as emperor in 70 CE. From the Flavian Dynasty on, Serapis was one of the deities who might appear on imperial coinage with the reigning emperor. Like many pagan cults of its time, the cult of Serapis declined during the rule of Theodosius I as the emperor, a Christian, implemented religious laws to restrict paganism across the empire . The main cult at Alexandria survived until
4828-416: Was received and disseminated throughout the Roman Empire, with Anubis sometimes identified with Cerberus. At Rome, Serapis was worshiped in the Iseum Campense , the sanctuary of Isis built during the Second Triumvirate in the Campus Martius . The Roman cults of Isis and Serapis gained in popularity late in the 1st century when Vespasian experienced events he attributed to their miraculous agency while he
4899-402: Was said to be Osiris in full, rather than just his ka (life force). The cult statue of Serapis that Ptolemy I erected in Alexandria enriched the texture of the Serapis conception by portraying him in a combination of both Egyptian and Greek styles. The statue suitably depicted a figure resembling Hades or Pluto , both being kings of the Greek underworld , and was shown enthroned with
4970-446: Was signed among the NCSR Demokritos Institute in Agia Paraskevi , Athens and the University of Alexandria, regarding Archeometry research and contextual sectors. Number of Greeks according to the Census in Egypt . Greeks of Cyrene (the Cyrenaica is a region corresponding to modern eastern Libya ) are also included, as during antiquity it held close relations to the Egyptian kingdoms, and at some points, also used to be
5041-399: Was to find a deity that would win the reverence of both groups alike, despite the curses the Egyptian priests had chanted against the gods of the previous foreign rulers (e.g. Set , who was lauded by the Hyksos ). The common assertion that Ptolemy "created" the deity is derived from sources which describe him erecting a statue of Serapis in Alexandria. According to Plutarch , Ptolemy stole
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