A Roman Province in the Eastern Mediterranean

Egypt was a large and exceptional province of the Roman Empire. Its longitudinal extent from the Mediterranean coast to Aswan (Syene) equals almost 1000 km. The high urbanization rate was an essential characteristic of Egypt. A feature that distinguished Egypt from other Roman provinces was the relatively small number of slaves. The system of imposing public services on the whole masculine population of Egypt, a feature of the country under Roman rule, originated from several sources. The appointment of liturgical functionaries was a major concern of the administration, whose lower and middle levels were also composed of liturgists. The system of liturgies gradually engaged a growing number of people and showed a tendency toward degeneration. At least until the end of the second century AD, the great Egyptian temples still organized traditional festivals, including solemn processions.