A Changing Position of Greek? Greek Papyri in the Documentary Culture of Early Islamic Egypt

doi:10.1017/9781009170031.013

Chapter 12 - A Changing Position of Greek? Greek Papyri in the Documentary Culture of Early Islamic Egypt

from Part III - Social and Cultural Connections

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 December 2022

Janneke H. M. de Jong

Edited by

Jelle Bruning ,

Janneke H. M. de Jong and

Petra M. Sijpesteijn

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Summary

For more than a millennium (ca. 330 BCE–eighth century CE) the Greek language was an important communicative tool in Egypt, both in written and in spoken form, leaving a firm imprint on Egypt’s documentary landscape. Beyond its communicative capacity, the Greek language in Egypt was important for its symbolic value. This is especially clear in its use in expressing power and social relations. As the language employed by the ruling power, Greek could symbolize the political order, which it did in Egypt under the Ptolemaic, Roman, and Byzantine regimes. Greek can also be considered as an identity marker, which helped to define borders between different social groups. The ability to read and write Greek was strongly connected to one’s social position and the concomitant opportunities for education. The significance of Greek in Egypt under Ptolemaic, Roman, and Byzantine rule is therefore clear.

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Type: Chapter
Information: Egypt and the Eastern Mediterranean World
From Constantinople to Baghdad, 500-1000 CE
, pp. 379 - 407

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009170031.013 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2022

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