The Thebaid or Thebais ( grc-gre, Θηβαΐς, ''Thēbaïs'') was a
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
in
ancient Egypt, comprising the 13 southernmost
nomes of
Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt ( ar, صعيد مصر ', shortened to , , locally: ; ) is the southern portion of Egypt and is composed of the lands on both sides of the Nile that extend upriver from Lower Egypt in the north to Nubia in the south.
In ancient ...
, from
Abydos to
Aswan
Aswan (, also ; ar, أسوان, ʾAswān ; cop, Ⲥⲟⲩⲁⲛ ) is a city in Southern Egypt, and is the capital of the Aswan Governorate.
Aswan is a busy market and tourist centre located just north of the Aswan Dam on the east bank of the ...
.
Pharaonic history
The Thebaid acquired its name from its proximity to the ancient Egyptian capital of
Thebes (
Luxor
Luxor ( ar, الأقصر, al-ʾuqṣur, lit=the palaces) is a modern city in Upper (southern) Egypt which includes the site of the Ancient Egyptian city of ''Thebes''.
Luxor has frequently been characterized as the "world's greatest open-a ...
). During the Ancient Egyptian dynasties this region was dominated by Thebes and its priesthood at the temple of Amun at
Karnak
The Karnak Temple Complex, commonly known as Karnak (, which was originally derived from ar, خورنق ''Khurnaq'' "fortified village"), comprises a vast mix of decayed temples, pylons, chapels, and other buildings near Luxor, Egypt. Construct ...
.
In
Ptolemaic Egypt, the Thebaid formed a single administrative district under the ''
Epistrategos ''Epistrategos'' ( grc, ἐπιστράτηγος, , over-general; la, epistrategus) was a senior military and administrative office in Ptolemaic Egypt, which was retained during the subsequent Roman period as well. Each ''epistrategos'' were resp ...
'' of Thebes, who was also responsible for overseeing navigation in the
Red Sea
The Red Sea ( ar, البحر الأحمر - بحر القلزم, translit=Modern: al-Baḥr al-ʾAḥmar, Medieval: Baḥr al-Qulzum; or ; Coptic: ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϩⲁϩ ''Phiom Enhah'' or ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϣⲁⲣⲓ ''Phiom ǹšari''; T ...
and the
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by th ...
. The capital of
Ptolemaic Thebaid was
Ptolemais Hermiou
Ptolemais Hermiou, or Ptolemais in the Thebaid, was a city and metropolitan archbishopric in Greco-Roman Egypt and remains a Catholic titular see.
Today, the city of El Mansha ()-Bsoi () in the Sohag Governorate is located where the ancient city ...
, a Hellenistic colony on the Nile which served as the center of royal political and economic control in
Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt ( ar, صعيد مصر ', shortened to , , locally: ; ) is the southern portion of Egypt and is composed of the lands on both sides of the Nile that extend upriver from Lower Egypt in the north to Nubia in the south.
In ancient ...
.
Roman province(s)
During the
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediterr ...
,
Diocletian
Diocletian (; la, Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus, grc, Διοκλητιανός, Diokletianós; c. 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed ''Iovius'', was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Gaius Valerius Diocles ...
created the province of ''Thebais'', guarded by the
legions I ''Maximiana Thebanorum'' and
II ''Flavia Constantia''. This was later divided into Upper ( la, Thebais Superior, el, , ''Anō Thēbaïs''), comprising the southern half with its capital at Thebes, and Lower or Nearer ( la, Thebais Inferior, el, , ''Thēbaïs Engistē''), comprising the northern half with capital at
Ptolemais.
Around the 5th century, since it was a
desert
A desert is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About on ...
, the Thebaid became a place of retreat of a number of Christian
hermit
A hermit, also known as an eremite (adjectival form: hermitic or eremitic) or solitary, is a person who lives in seclusion. Eremitism plays a role in a variety of religions.
Description
In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Ch ...
s, and was the birthplace of
Pachomius
Pachomius (; el, Παχώμιος ''Pakhomios''; ; c. 292 – 9 May 348 AD), also known as Saint Pachomius the Great, is generally recognized as the founder of Christian cenobitic monasticism. Copts, Coptic churches celebrate his feast day on ...
.
In
Christian art
Christian art is sacred art which uses subjects, themes, and imagery from Christianity. Most Christian groups use or have used art to some extent, including early Christian art and architecture and Christian media.
Images of Jesus and narrative ...
, the Thebaid was represented as a place with numerous monks.
Episcopal sees
Ancient episcopal sees of Thebais Prima (Thebaid I) listed in the ''
Annuario Pontificio
The ''Annuario Pontificio'' (Italian for ''Pontifical Yearbook'') is the annual directory of the Holy See of the Catholic Church. It lists the popes in chronological order and all officials of the Holy See's departments. It also provides names ...
'' as Catholic
titular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbish ...
s:
[''Annuario Pontificio 2013'' (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 ), "Sedi titolari", pp. 819-1013]
* Antaeopolis (
Tjebu
Tjebu or Djew-Qa, was an ancient Egyptian city located on the eastern bank of the Nile in what is now Asyut Governorate, Egypt. In Greek and Roman Egypt, its name was Antaeopolis after its tutelary deity, the war god known by the Hellenized n ...
)
*
Antinoöpolis
Antinoöpolis (also Antinoopolis, Antinoë, Antinopolis; grc, Ἀντινόου πόλις; cop, ⲁⲛⲧⲓⲛⲱⲟⲩ ''Antinow''; ar, الشيخ عبادة, modern ''Sheikh 'Ibada'' or ''Sheik Abāda'') was a city founded at an older Egyp ...
, the Metropolitan Archbishopric
* Apollonopolis Parva (Côm-Esfaht, now
Qus)
*
Cusae
Cusae ( grc, Κοῦσαι or Κῶς; cop, ⲕⲱⲥⲉⲓ or ⲕⲟⲥⲉⲓ) was a city in Upper Egypt. Its Ancient Egyptian name was ''qjs'' (variant ''qsy''), conventionally rendered Qis or Kis. Today, the town is known as El Quseyya, and ...
*
Hermopolis Magna = Maior
*
Hypselis (Chutb = Shutb)
* Oasis Magna (
Kharga Oasis
The Kharga Oasis (Arabic: , ) ; Coptic: ( "Oasis of Hib", "Oasis of Psoi") is the southernmost of Egypt's five western oases. It is located in the Western Desert, about 200 km (125 miles) to the west of the Nile valley. "Kharga" or ...
)
* Panopolis (
Akhmim
Akhmim ( ar, أخميم, ; Akhmimic , ; Sahidic/Bohairic cop, ) is a city in the Sohag Governorate of Upper Egypt. Referred to by the ancient Greeks as Khemmis or Chemmis ( grc, Χέμμις) and Panopolis ( grc, Πανὸς πόλις and Π ...
)
Ancient episcopal sees of Thebais Secunda (Thebaid II) listed in the ''
Annuario Pontificio
The ''Annuario Pontificio'' (Italian for ''Pontifical Yearbook'') is the annual directory of the Holy See of the Catholic Church. It lists the popes in chronological order and all officials of the Holy See's departments. It also provides names ...
'' as Catholic
titular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbish ...
s:
[
]
See also
* List of Catholic dioceses in Egypt
The Catholic Church in Egypt is presently composed of an exempt Latin missionary jurisdiction and 14 Eastern Catholic (arch)eparchies (mainly the Coptic Catholic Patriarchate's province), but also yielded over 90 titular sees.
Current dioceses ...
References
*
Sources and external links
*
GCatholic - (Current, Titular and) Defunct sees in Egypt
Roman provinces in Africa
Roman Egypt
Byzantine Egypt
Geography of ancient Egypt
Late Roman provinces
293 establishments
290s establishments in the Roman Empire
3rd-century establishments in Egypt
290s
640s disestablishments in the Byzantine Empire
641 disestablishments
7th-century disestablishments in Egypt
640s disestablishments
{{Egypt-geo-stub