We began a series of articles about beautiful Egypt in all its ages and in all its conditions, about its freedom loving people, its innovative people who write down the pages of its history, but rather its innovation expands to draw the history of the entire world.
Also, we tackled Egypt’s army which engraved on the walls of history, and taught the world the meaning of a homeland, when it fought against the Hyksos, the Persians, and the tyrant Ptolemies. We tackled as well its army members, who taught their rulers a lesson on who the Egyptians are, and how they can do miracles and turn the defeat into victory as happened in Rafah Battle in 217 B.C. which took place during the reign of Ptolemy IV; the Ptolemaic army fled from the mercenary soldiers after an insidious defeat by the armies of Syria, and was supported by nobody except the Egyptian people who turned the defeat into victory.
We talked about Egypt, the land of beauty, and the land of blessings to where the men of God have resorted. Then we talked about Egypt, the country of diversity, starting with diverse civilizations. We introduced the Pharaonic civilization under the reign of thirty families that ruled Egypt, then the Ancient Greek civilization since the conquest of Alexander and throughout the independent rule of the Ptolemaic families over Egypt. We have presented this era in some detail to acquaint ourselves with the history of this great people – who resisted any foreign interference in the affairs of his country- and his role in the making of history.
Hence, we are starting a new phase in the history of the Egyptian people’s civilizations. Although Egypt had lost its independence through being a Roman state, it yet was still the lofty proud Egypt whose people reject injustice and tyranny.
Egypt as a Roman State
The year 44 B.C. can be set as the beginning of the Roman Empire, along with Julius Caesar’s self proclamation as an emperor for Rome. The empire had expanded all over the world; it occupied all the Macedonian lands in the East and the Ancient Greek cities in Greece, that the borders of the Roman Empire expanded from Spain westwards to the Western coasts of Asia Minor in the East, besides the Crimean lands of North Africa. The empire was divided into two empires: one in the west with Rome as a capital while the other in the east with Constantinople as a capital, this one is called the Byzantine Empire.
At that time, Egypt was one of the most powerful nations and the most important one; so, Rome acted carefully regarding all what happened in Egypt and seized every opportunity to interfere into its affairs. It had interfered before in the conflicts that occurred in the Ptolemaic family and recognized the kings and their enthronement until Egypt became a Roman state after the victory achieved by Octavius over Antonius, Antonius’ suicide and then Cleopatra’s. Octavius became the Caesar of Rome and was titled August Caesar. Egypt remained under the Roman rule from 30 B.C. until 640 AD when Islam entered Egypt by Amr ibn al-Aas.
The Coptic civilization was formed in Egypt during the first six centuries AD. We will start reviewing the most important periods of Roman rule in Egypt, which had an impact on its civilization and its people.
August Caesar (29 B.C. – 14 AD)
Octavius killed the two sons of Cleopatra after entering Egypt. Historians said that on this occasion, a new historical currency was coined on which “Egypt’s Conquer” was written. Caesar mentioned his conquest of Egypt in the official records of Rome. The Roman states were divided into states governed by the emperor, and states governed by the Senato (Roman Senate). Egypt was directly governed by the Emperor, and Caesar was the one who would appoint its ruler, who was given the title “The General Ruler of Alexandria and Egypt”.
Egypt was of a great importance to Rome; it was the main source of wheat and money, which made Caesar of Rome control Egypt by appointing its rulers on his own, excluding the Senato members from Egypt; as nobody was allowed to visit Egypt except via a special permit issued by Caesar. About this, the Roman historian Tacitus said – as recounted by Dr. Mustafa al-Abbadi: [One of the secrets of reinforcing August’s rule, is that he secured Egypt by denying the members of the Senato and prominent Roman cavalry entry without his permission, to prevent anyone from causing Italy to starve through controlling the state of Egypt and its land and sea ways, and thus nobody shall have the ability to resist the great armies]. He also deployed military garrisons in the county cities. Rome had imposed a lot of money to be paid by Egypt.
August Caesar crushed the political activity in order to keep control over Egypt, he prevented the Alexandrians from having a legislative council lest they should lead a political activity against Rome.
On the other hand, they offered many privileges to the Jews in Egypt. The influence of the priests was weakened through annexing the temples to the government. August Caesar guaranteed the Egyptians’ freedom of religion and worship, abstaining from interfering in their religious affairs. The Egyptians worked to renew the temples all over Egypt, setting the name of August Caesar eternally on their buildings. The Roman emperor became the official king of the country, following the suit of the pharaohs and getting called by Pharaonic titles.
A. Cornelius Gallus
He was the first ruler of Egypt, and he made a number of reforms in Egypt, especially with respect to agriculture; he purified canals and bays, and constructed bridges and vaults. He also faced the revolution of the Egyptians after August Caesar’s departure from Egypt, which had erupted because of the new taxes imposed by the Caesar on the people. The revolution overwhelmed several cities, but it reached its peak in the city of Thebes. Even Gallus led the army, going there to control it, he exerted pressure over its people, managed to assert his dominance and to loot the country. His victories and suppression of the revolution made him arrogant and tyrant, that he ordered statues to be sculpted on his image, which provoked August Caesar who ousted him.
Historians were contradictory regarding his exile, yet they agreed that he committed suicide. A ruler was appointed to rule over Egypt, yet historians contradicted in the order of the rulers.
B. Petronius
He faced a revolution in Alexandria, yet managed to assert his authority over the people, he sent an army to the Arab countries in order to subdue them as a means of securing the trade ways of Egypt. Yet this assault which lasted for nearly one year was not successful. The People of Sudan took advantage of the soldiers’ preoccupation and their absence from the Egyptian border, they prepared an army and managed to seize Aswan. But Petronius fought them and defeated them, and made a reconciliation with August Caesar himself. After a war against Sudan and his victory, Petronius returned to manage the country affairs well, then he was succeeded by Aelius Gallus.
C. Aelius Gallus
He was the commander of the army which moved to secure the Egyptian trade ways, whose assault didn’t bear the awaited results. After he became a ruler of Egypt, he went to Upper Egypt, accompanied by Geographer Strabon for the purpose of exploring the site of the country and knowing all what relates to it. His ruling period lasted until the death of August Caesar. One of the most important events occurred in Egypt during August Caesar’s reign is the Holy Family’s Flight to Egypt… about which we will speak later and…. Stories about Egypt never end!
The General Bishop
Head of Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
