Nile into Tiber: Egypt in the Roman World

Interest in all kinds of interactions between Egypt and Rome has grown considerably over the last decade. This debate has not only altered our views on the impact of Rome on Alexandria and Egypt but also strongly put to the fore the reverse direction of this cultural interaction: Egyptian influences on the Roman world. It is this topic, Egypt in the Roman World, that was central to the IIIrd International Conference of Isis Studies, held in Leiden in May 2005.
This book, a selection of the papers delivered at the conference, gives a clear overview of the debate as it has developed in recent years. In two parts (I. Interpretations of the meaning of Aegyptiaca Romana and II. Understanding the cults of Isis in their local context)preceded by a general introduction it offers a broad perspective on the various aspects of cultural interaction between Egypt and Rome, also by bringing together different research traditions in this field.

L. Bricault, Ph.D. in Egyptology, Sorbonne, is the author of the Atlas de la diffusion des cultes isiaques (2001) and the Recueil des Inscriptions concernant les Cultes isiaques (2005) and coordinates a series of international colloquia and publications in this field.
M.J. Versluys and P.G.P. Meyboom are both Assistant Professor in Classical Archaeology at Leiden University and have widely published on the Nile Mosaic of Palestrina ; the meaning of Nilotic scenes in the Roman world and other aspects of Roman visual material culture.

'Nile into Tiber' is a very rich and rewarding volume, and it is well worth working through, for all ancient historians will find something of value in its pages. - J.G. Manning, Yale University. In: Ancient West & East 11 (2012).

The study of Egyptian cultural and religious influence in the classical Mediterranean has developed immeasurably over the last generation, and the ‘Religions in the Graeco-Roman World’ series has done much to nurture this growth. The present volume – the proceedings of the third international conference of Isis Studies – takes stock of current scholarship on the varied forms of Roman Aegyptiaca, offers some cogent observations on the parameters of this study, and suggests some persuasive routes for further research. (-) an admirably thorough examination of the complexities of religious acculturation, and an impressive survey of the different approaches that may be taken to the study of this problem. (-) This is a useful and often thought-provoking collection of essays. - A. Merrills, The Classical Review 59 (2009) 262-265.

(-) this third conference reflects a number of new foci in research on the Egyptian cults. The various discussions break once and for all with the idea that Aegyptiaca must necessarily be linked to the presence of Alexandrian cults. (-) the contributions reflect an increasing complexity in the interpretation of both Aegyptiaca and Egyptian cults, particularly in their emphasis on the essential role of context. Finally, a recurring theme in this volume, and an increasing focus in the field in general, is the role of Aegyptiaca in the wider context of Roman imperialism. - U. Rothe, The Journal of Roman Studies 98 (2008) 217-219

Die einzelnen Analysen sind hoher fachlicher Kompetenz und zeigen darüber hinaus auch die erweiterten Interpretationsmöglichkeiten einzelner Aspekte der antiken Kultur im Rahmen einer interdisziplinären Zusammenarbiet verschiedener Wissenschafszweige auf. (-) Die hier publizierten, umfassenden Forschungsergebnisse werden diese Tagungsband unverzichtbar machen für jede weitere Beschäftigung mit dem Phänomen der grenzüberschreitenden Ausbreitung und Adaption des ägyptischen Isiskultus. - J. Moje, PalArch’s Journal of Archaeology of Egypt/Egyptology (2007)

(-) gli autori riescono a toccare tematiche sempre interessante. Questi atti toccano sia aspetti generali di interesse generale per tutti gli studiosi dei culti isiaci, che tematiche più locali che soddisfano sopratutto i recercatori che si occupano del Mediterraneo orientale, fornendo comunque interessanti confronti utili a tutti. - A. Gavini, I culti isiaci nell’impero romano: status quaestionis e nuove prospettive, Journal of Roman Archaeology 21 (2008) 515-518