Aphroditopolis or Aphrodites Polis is the Greek name of several places in ancient Egypt. In fact, each Aphroditopolis played a distinct role in Egypt’s history.
- Aphroditopolis in the Antaiopolite Nome, also called Aphrodito, ancient Per-Wadjet, now the village of Kom Ishqaw
- Aphroditopolis in the Aphroditopolite Nome, now the village of Atfih
- Aphroditopolis in the Faiyum OasisFaiyum Oasis, a village attested between the 3rd century BC and the 3rd century AD.
- Aphroditopolis in the Pathyrite Nome, now the village of Gebelein
Aphroditopolis
The Aphroditopolis of the Aphroditopolite Nome was known as Tpyhwt during pharaonic times, Βούσιρις(Busiris) in Hellenistic times, Aphroditopolis during the Byzantine and Roman Empires, Petpeh in Coptic. Since the Islamic conquest, it has been known as Atfih. This region’s ancient name, Aphroditopolis, reflects its legacy through numerous eras of Egyptian history.
Under the Ptolemaic dynasty, this town was the seat of the Aphroditopolis Nome. Under the Romans, it was also the seat of the former diocese in the Roman province Arcadia Aegypti. Exploring the records and architecture here offers valuable insights into what made this town significant in both Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt.
Pathyris
Aphroditopolis of the Pathyrite Nome is an archaeological site located about 32 kilometres south of Luxor (ancient Thebes) on the western bank of the Nile. The archaeological site is known as Naga el-Gherira. Two hills at the site give it its Arabic name of Gebelein and its ancient Egyptian name of Inr-ti, meaning “two rocks”. In Greek, it was known as Aphroditopolis and Pathyris from Old Egyptian Per-Hathor (“Domain of Hathor). The site is not very interesting to casual tourists, as there are few visible remains. However, the hills provide a good view of the Nile Valley. In addition, it may be more interesting because of the artefacts that originated here. Many important discoveries from Aphroditopolis are now spread around in various museums.
Discover
- Ancient Egyptian Towns. To sum up, the ancient site of Aphroditopolis is an intriguing location to explore in Egypt’s history.