Houses of Roman and Late Antique Egypt: Change or Continuity?

Abstract

This thesis investigates the evolution of domestic architecture in the Roman and Late Antique Egypt, questioning whether the period was characterized more by change or continuity in housing practices. Drawing upon archaeological evidence, papyrological sources, and recent methodological advancements, the study traces the influences of the Roman, Greek, and indigenous Egyptian traditions on house types, spatial organization, and domestic practices from the first through seventh centuries AD. The research is organized in three chapters. Chapter one is an introduction to the typologies of dwellings in the Roman world, the origins of Roman domus, and its Late Antique evolutions. Chapter two explore the influences of the new Roman culture as perceived in diverse house types that existed in Egypt from the first to the third centuries AD, including both elite and non-elite housing. It also explores some of the important factors that influenced the formation of these house types. Finally, the third chapter creates a diachronic picture of change and continuity in houses in Egypt over seven centuries of Roman rule. The findings demonstrate that there is continuity, with the previous period, in regional architectural styles and in the diversity of house types that existed in the province. However, noticeable changes also occurred, most of which hover around matters of privacy and architectural diversity. Most of these changes played out differently in classical houses and Egyptian houses. The findings demonstrate that formation of houses in Egypt is generally influences by a complex interplay of environmental adaptation, cultural hybridity, and economy. While native architectural traditions persisted, significant innovations emerged in response to social, economic and religious developments in the broader Mediterranean context. Ultimately, the thesis argues that Egyptian domestic architecture in this era is best understood as a dynamic synthesis of continuity and adaptation, shaped by long-standing traditions and multiple vectors of external and internal change.