Lecture | Ancient History Research Seminar
The Ptolemaic Ruler Cult in Egypt: The Greek Temple of Hermopolis Magna in its Religious and Socio-Historical Context
- Date
- Thursday 5 February 2026
- Time
- Address
-
Johan Huizinga
Doelensteeg 16
2311 VL Leiden - Room
- Conference Room (2.60)
The Egyptian metropolis of Hermoupolis, capital of the 15th Upper Egyptian Nome, underwent a profound transformation of its social, religious, and architectural structures under Ptolemaic rule. From the 240s of the 3rd century BC at the latest, the foreign rulers stationed in the city the Catœtic cavalry, an elite corps of the royal army. Strategically positioned to control access to Middle Egypt, Hermoupolis thus became, alongside Akoris 50 km away, one of several garrison sites, as well as Krokodilopolis, Ptolemais in Upper Egypt, Thebes, Pathyris, and the southern border region.
A comparison with other Greek settlements in Egypt reveals a striking feature: although the Greeks brought their urban structures and institutions with them, one element is entirely absent. To my knowledge, the archaeological record does not attest a single Greek temple dedicated to a deity of the traditional Greek pantheon anywhere in Egypt. Hermoupolis, however, constitutes an exception in terms of sacred architecture: the soldiers of the Ptolemaic cavalry donated a cult complex of Greek design to the ruler gods – the Ptolemaic royal couple.
This lecture will address the question of how this temple should be interpreted and what its significance was and aims to clarify the role of the Greek ruler cult in Egypt and how this temple fits into the development of the military ruler cult in Ptolemaic Egypt.
For whom?
All are welcome, including and especially BA, MA and RMA students of all programmes. This lecture is in English.