Minorities in Graeco Roman Alexandria: A Religious or a Racial Issue?

Document Type : Original Article

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Department of Tourist Guidance - Faculty of Tourism and Hotels - Helwan University

Abstract

“The First City of the Civilized World” is the ideal description for the city of Alexandria, Egypt, in the fourth century BC. Despite the existence of many other cities carrying the name of Alexander the Great, the Alexandria he built in Egypt remained the most distinctive over three centuries. Built by the architect Dinocrates after being commissioned by Alexander the Great in April 331 B.C.E to design and construct a city carrying his name to be a hub where existing and ancient civilizations would interact. The city was built on a grid as a metropolis during the era of Antiquity (or Hellenistic Era). Like any populated city, Alexandria was a well situated city for many opportunities and attracted immigrants from all parts of the Greek empire. Though Alexandria was inhabited by a Greek majority, the city was home to many minority and immigrant populations - the largest of these being the Jewish and native Egyptian communities. Divisions of these inhabitants were not only based on race, but also were based on religion.  This article discusses the different groups of minorities in Graeco Roman Alexandria, their role in the society, their relations with their each other and whether the distinction of these groups was based on race or religion.

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