Hellenistic Egypt: Monarchy, Society, Economy, CultureHellenistic Egypt brings together for the first time the writings of the preeminent historian, papyrologist, and epigraphist Jean Bingen. These essays, first published by Bingen from 1970 to 1999, make a distinctive contribution to the historiography of Hellenistic Egypt, a period in ancient Egypt extending from its conquest by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C. until its annexation as a province of the Roman Empire by Octavian (later Augustus) in 30 B.C., after his defeat of Mark Antony and Cleopatra. Ruled by Ptolemaic kings during this period, Hellenistic Egypt was a sophisticated, rich, and fertile country. Its history is intimately bound up with the history of the Mediterranean as a whole, yet parts of that history remain relatively obscure and open to debate. New evidence, particularly from papyri, emerges frequently and shifts our understanding and interpretation of this significant time. For the last six decades Jean Bingen has been a leading editor and interpreter of such evidence. In particular his work on the Ptolemaic monarchy and economy, which illustrates how the Greeks and Egyptians interacted, has transformed the field and influenced all subsequent work. Historian and classicist Roger Bagnall has selected and introduced Bingen’s most important essays on this topic. Copub: Edinburgh University Press |
Contents
Ptolemy I and the quest for legitimacy | 15 |
snapshot of a reign a temple | 31 |
Cleopatra the diadem and the image | 44 |
Cleopatra VII Philopatris | 57 |
The dynastic politics of Cleopatra VII | 63 |
The Thracians in Ptolemaic Egypt | 83 |
Ptolemaic papyri and the Achaean diaspora | 94 |
Greek presence and the Ptolemaic rural setting | 104 |
Greek tradition | 157 |
The structural tensions of Ptolemaic society | 189 |
The thirdcentury landleases from Tholthis | 206 |
Greek economy and Egyptian society in the third century | 215 |
Greeks and Egyptians according to PSI V 502 | 229 |
GraecoRoman Egypt and the question | 240 |
Normality and distinctiveness in the epigraphy | 256 |
Conclusion | 279 |
Kerkeosiris and its Greeks in the second century | 122 |
The cavalry settlers of the Herakleopolite in | 132 |
Two royal ordinances of the first century and | 141 |
| 290 | |
| 299 | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Achaean activity actual administration Alexander Alexandria already Antony appears authority beginning Caesar called century certainly Chapter character Cleopatra clergy cleruchic concerning connected contract created cult cultivator cultural decree developed direct documents domain double early economy Egypt Egyptian element epigraphic evidence example existence explain exploitation fact farmers farming follow give Greek hand Hellenistic Hellenistic Egypt immigrants important inscription interesting Italy king klêros land later Laws least less limited Macedonian matter means mention nature needed nome offer official organisation origin papyri papyrology particularly period person political population possible Préaux present privileged probably problem production Ptolemy queen reign relations remained role Roman royal rural seems shows situation social society sources space status structures temple third Thracian tion traditional village