Cornucopia. Egypt came under Roman patronage and was ruled from 27 BC. This once great realm was reduced to the fate of a Roman outpost; its bountiful harvests providing Rome with sustenance.
Coptic Christianity is said to have been introduced by St Mark in Alexandria during the reign of Claudius in 42 AD. The religion gained a strong following and quickly spread throughout Egypt. By the 3rd century, Christians constituted the majority of Egypt’s population. In 384 AD, Egypt’s “pagan” temples were ordered closed or converted and adherence to Christianity endorsed.
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| Muhammad "Ali Mosque |
Medieval Egypt 641 - 1517 AD
Medieval Egypt. The initial Islamic incursion into Egypt came after defeat of the Byzantine army by Caliph Umar’s army. Alexandria was surrendered to him under treaty on Nov 8, 641. Taxation of the Copts led them to revolt against their Arab rulers and by 706 Arabic became the official language of the government.
This was the start of a complex and turbulent period. In 969 the city of Cairo was founded as the royal city of the Fatimid Dynasty. Years later, the “Lion”, Saladin, fortified Cairo building a massive citadel in 1174 that overlooked the city. Egypt became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1517. This is the start of Egypt's Early Modern period.
