Byzantine period of Egypt

The Byzantine Egypt known one long period of peace, of the 5th century at the beginning of the 7th century, which enabled him to know a " rare opulence" (Jean-Claude Cheynet). True megalopolis, Alexandria joined together philosophical and mathematicians around the Mouséion and was also the seat of a Church having an intense spiritual life.

To died from Théodose into 395, the Egypt, then integrated into the Roman Empire, passes in the bosom of the Roman empire of the East. The condition of Egypt was not better.

To the tax pressure, is added the quarrel between the Monophysisme and the dyophysism, with its religious implications (on the nature of Christ), but so political, which causes riots. The monophysism ends up being overcome. In addition, the emperor Justinien, by an edict of 551, orders the closing of the temple of Philaé, ultimate relicat of paganism, or was still practiced the old worships, in particular that of Isis. However, the monophysists of Egypt gathered, and an indigenous and national Church appears, the Church Copte.

Under the reign of Héraclius, Egypt undergoes two invasions: the first, in 615, of king de Perse, the second, in 639, of `Amr, lieutenant of the khalife Omar. With the complicity of Mokoukos (or Makaukas), prefect of Average-Egypt, it entered Memphis, seized the fortress of Babylon and walked on Alexandria, where the element melkite (i.e. the Greeks) opposed most obstinate resistance. Lastly, after fourteen months of seat, tired not to have received any help of Byzance, Alexandria went on December 22nd, 640.

See too

External bond

Byzantine Egypt by Jean-Claude Cheynet, Professor of Byzantine history at the university of Paris V-Sorbonne.

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