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 an ...

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 E ...

, 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. Constr ...

. 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''; ...

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 t ...

. 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

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 Mediter ...

, Diocletian 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, 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. Coptic churches celebrate his feast day on 9 May ...

. 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 narrati ...

, 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 archbis ...

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, 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 ''

'' as Catholic

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

Pharaonic history

Roman province(s)

Episcopal sees

See also

References

Sources and external links