View source for Thebaid

{{Short description|Administrative region in Aegyptus}}
{{other uses}}
{{Infobox Former Subdivision
|native_name = {{aut|Provincia Thebais}}<br>{{lang|grc|Θηβαΐς}}<br>{{lang|grc|ἐπαρχία Θηβαΐδος}}
|common_name = Thebaid
|image_map = 
|image_map_caption = 
|era        = [[Late Antiquity]]
|subdivision  = Province
|nation      = the [[Byzantine Empire]], [[Diocese of Egypt]]
|year_start  = c. 293
|year_end    = 641
|p1          = 
|flag_p1     = 
|s1          = 
|flag_s1     = 
|capital     = [[Ptolemais Hermiou|Ptolemais]]
|event_start = Division by emperor [[Diocletian]]
|event1      = [[Byzantine–Sassanid War of 602–628|Persian occupation]]
|date_event1 = 612–628
|event_end   = Conquest by Arabs
|today       = [[Egypt]]
}}
[[File:Dioecesis Aegypti 400 AD.png|thumb|right|300px|Map of the late Roman [[Diocese of Egypt (Late Antiquity)|Diocese of Egypt]], with Thebais in the south.]]
The '''Thebaid''' or '''Thebais''' ({{langx|grc|Θηβαΐς}}, ''Thēbaïs'') was a [[region]] in [[ancient Egypt]], comprising the 13 southernmost [[nome (Egypt)|nomes]] of [[Upper Egypt]], from [[Abydos, Egypt|Abydos]] to [[Aswan]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Windham|first=Dharma|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Dv5LoZYYodoC&q=thebaid,+13+southernmost+nomes&pg=PR12|title=Reluctant Goddess: Kleopatra and the Stolen Throne|date=March 2006|publisher=Infinity Publishing|isbn=978-0-7414-3092-2|language=en}}</ref>

== Pharaonic history ==
[[File:Pyramidion of Nebamun. Possibly top of a stela. Limestone. 19th Dynasty. From Egypt. Bought in the Thebaid (Thebais) but probably it came from Deir el-Medina. The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, London.jpg|thumb|Pyramidion of Nebamun. Possibly top of a stela. Limestone. 19th Dynasty. From Egypt. Bought in the Thebaid (Thebais) but probably it came from Deir el-Medina. The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, London]]
The Thebaid acquired its name from its proximity to the ancient Egyptian capital of [[Thebes, Egypt|Thebes]] ([[Luxor]]). During the Ancient Egyptian dynasties this region was dominated by Thebes and its priesthood at the temple of Amun at [[Karnak]].

In [[Ptolemaic dynasty|Ptolemaic Egypt]], the Thebaid formed a single administrative district under the ''[[Epistrategos]]'' of Thebes, who was also responsible for overseeing navigation in the [[Red Sea]] and the [[Indian Ocean]]. The capital of [[Ptolemais in Thebaide|Ptolemaic Thebaid]] was [[Ptolemais Hermiou]], a Hellenistic colony on the Nile which served as the center of royal political and economic control in [[Upper Egypt]].

== Roman province(s) ==
During the [[Roman Empire]], [[Diocletian]] created the province of ''Thebais'', guarded by the [[Roman legion|legions]] [[Legio I Maximiana|I ''Maximiana Thebanorum'']] and [[Legio II Flavia Constantia|II ''Flavia Constantia'']]. This was later divided into Upper ({{langx|la|Thebais Superior}}, {{langx|el|{{lang|grc|Ἄνω Θηβαΐς}}}}, ''Anō Thēbaïs''), comprising the southern half with its capital at Thebes, and Lower or Nearer ({{langx|la|Thebais Inferior}}, {{langx|el|{{lang|grc|Θηβαΐς Ἐγγίστη}}}}, ''Thēbaïs Engistē''), comprising the northern half with capital at [[Ptolemais Hermiou|Ptolemais]].

Around the 5th century, since it was a [[desert]], the Thebaid became a place of  retreat of a number of Christian [[hermit]]s, and was the birthplace of [[Pachomius]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14561a.htm|title=Thebaid|encyclopedia=[[Catholic Encyclopedia]]}}</ref>  In [[Christian art]], the Thebaid was represented as a place with numerous monks.

== Episcopal sees ==
Ancient episcopal sees of '''Thebais Prima (Thebaid I)''' listed in the ''[[Annuario Pontificio]]'' as Catholic [[titular see]]s:<ref name=AP>''Annuario Pontificio 2013'' (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 {{ISBN|978-88-209-9070-1}}), "Sedi titolari", pp. 819-1013</ref>
* Antaeopolis ([[Tjebu]])
* [[Antinopolis|Antinoöpolis]], the Metropolitan Archbishopric
* Apollonopolis Parva (Côm-Esfaht, now [[Qus]])
* [[Cusae]]
* [[Hermopolis|Hermopolis Magna = Maior]]
* [[Hypselis]] (Chutb = Shutb)
* Oasis Magna ([[Kharga Oasis]])
* Panopolis ([[Akhmim]])

Ancient episcopal sees of '''Thebais Secunda (Thebaid II)''' listed in the ''[[Annuario Pontificio]]'' as Catholic [[titular see]]s:<ref name=AP/>
{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* Apollonopolis Magna ([[Edfu]])
* Coptus ([[Qift]])
* [[Qus|Diocletianopolis in Thebaide]] (Qus)
* [[Hu, Egypt|Diospolis Superior]] (Hu)
* [[Hermonthis]]
* Latopolis ([[Esna#The Ancient City|ancient Esna]])
* [[Qena|Maximianopolis in Thebaide]] (Qena)
* [[Philae]]
* Pselchis ([[Temple of Dakka]])
* [[Ptolemais in Thebaide]] (Ptolemais Hermiou), the Metropolitan Archbishopric
* Syene ([[Aswan]])
* Tentyris ([[Dendera]])
* [[Thinis]]
}}
== Cultural references ==
[[Anatole France]]'s novel, [[Thaïs (novel)|''Thaïs'']], opens on a monastic and ascetic community along the Nile, in Thebaid.

== See also ==
* [[List of Catholic dioceses in Egypt]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
* {{Nuttall}}

== Sources and external links ==
* {{cite web |url=http://pleiades.stoa.org/places/991398 |title=Places: 991398 (Thebais) |author=Bagnall, R., J. Drinkwater, A. Esmonde-Cleary, W. Harris, R. Knapp, S. Mitchell, S. Parker, C. Wells, J. Wilkes, R. Talbert, M. E. Downs, M. Joann McDaniel, B. Z. Lund, T. Elliott, S. Gillies |date=15 February 2012 |access-date=March 8, 2012<!-- 3:17 pm -->|publisher=Pleiades}}
* [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/country/EG-type.htm GCatholic - (Current, Titular and) Defunct sees in Egypt]
{{Late Roman Provinces|state=collapsed}}

{{coord missing|Egypt}}

{{Clear}}

[[Category:Roman provinces in Africa]]
[[Category:Roman Egypt]]
[[Category:Byzantine Egypt]]
[[Category:Geography of ancient Egypt]]
[[Category:Late Roman provinces]]
[[Category:293 establishments]]
[[Category:290s establishments in the Roman Empire]]
[[Category:3rd-century establishments in Egypt]]
[[Category:290s]]
[[Category:640s disestablishments in the Byzantine Empire]]
[[Category:641 disestablishments]]
[[Category:7th-century disestablishments in Egypt]]
[[Category:640s disestablishments]]