Episodes
The Last Oases: Egypt's Desert Outposts After Rome
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the final centuries of ancient Egypt not from the Nile's banks but from its desert edges. After Rome's hold weakened, a chain of oasis settlements—Kharga, Dakhla, Bahariya, and Farafra—became refuges for pagans, Christians, and rebels alike. We follow the lives of real people: a camel-riding courier named Aurelius Psenamun, a Christian deacon in Kharga's great temple, and the Roman officers who clung to outposts as the frontier dissolved. We meet the…
The Last Grain Ships: Egypt's Final Act in Rome's Pantry
In this episode, Lucas and Luna trace the final centuries of ancient Egypt through the one commodity that kept it tethered to Rome: grain. From the massive annona shipments that filled the granaries of Constantinople to the canals, silt, and climate shocks that slowly eroded Egypt's agricultural empire, we follow the story to its end. Along the way, we meet the pagarchs who managed the harvest, the last recorded shipment under Heraclius, and the Arab conquest that rerouted the Nile's bounty.…
Egypt's Last Great Pharaoh: Ramesses III and the Sea Peoples
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the reign of Ramesses III, the last great pharaoh of Egypt, and his desperate battles against the Sea Peoples around 1178 BCE. They discuss his monumental victories at Djahy and the Delta, the economic turmoil and tomb robberies that plagued his rule, and the famous harem conspiracy that may have ended his life. Along the way, they touch on the bronze trade collapse, the rise of the Peleset (Philistines), and the broader Bronze Age collapse that brought…
The Last Ptolemies: Cleopatra’s Rome
When Cleopatra VII died in 30 BCE, Egypt didn't vanish—it was remade as a Roman province. But the Ptolemaic dynasty's final century was a slow, strange unraveling: incestuous pharaohs, murdered regents, and a kingdom that traded independence for survival. This episode follows the last Ptolemies from the Battle of Actium to the fall of Alexandria, and asks what actually killed ancient Egypt—was it Rome's legions, or the dynasty's own relentless decay? Lucas and Luna trace Cleopatra's gamble with…
The Last Temples: Egypt's Gods After Rome
Egypt's temples didn't fall with the pharaohs. They survived Alexander, Cleopatra, and Rome — and some outlasted the Roman Empire itself. In this episode, Lucas and Luna trace the slow death of Egypt's ancient religion, from the Ptolemaic building boom to the Christianization under Justinian. They visit the last hieroglyphic inscription ever carved — a 394 CE graffito at Philae by a priest named Esmet-Akhom — and follow the worship of Isis as it spreads across the Mediterranean, only to be…
The Last Roman Emperor in Egypt: Heraclius' Grief
In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore the final years of Roman rule in Egypt through the turbulent reign of Emperor Heraclius. From his dramatic rise against Phocas to the devastating loss of Egypt to the Sassanid Persians, and later to the Arab forces under Amr ibn al-As, Heraclius' story is one of ambition, faith, and ultimate tragedy. Along the way, we discuss the Monophysite-Chalcedonian schism, the role of the patriarch Cyrus, the fall of Jerusalem and the True Cross…
The Fall of Elephantine: Egypt's Last Island Fortress
Elephantine Island at Aswan stood guard at Egypt's southern border for millennia. In this episode, Lucas and Luna follow the fortress through its final centuries: from a Roman military post to a Christian pilgrimage site, and finally to a quiet village amid the ruins. They trace the last soldiers of the limitanei, the fading cult of Khnum, the arrival of the Coptic bishops, and the slow erosion of imperial power that left Elephantine exposed to the Blemmyes and Nobatae. With the help of papyri…
The Last Libyans: Egypt's Forgotten 26th Dynasty
Before the Persians, before Alexander, before the Romans, Egypt was ruled by a line of pharaohs who came from the desert tribes of Libya. This episode looks at the 26th Dynasty, the Saite Renaissance, and how Psamtik I and his successors used Greek mercenaries, Nubian trade, and a deliberate revival of ancient art to keep Egypt independent for 140 years. We also explore the reign of Amasis, the pharaoh who knew when to flatter the Greeks, and the failed invasion by Cambyses that was almost an…
The Last Flood: How Climate Ended Ancient Egypt
In this episode, we explore the final centuries of ancient Egypt through the lens of climate. From the great drought that may have toppled the Old Kingdom to the Nile's changing flood patterns that strained the Roman and Byzantine economies, we trace how environmental shifts undermined one of history's longest-lived civilizations. Join us as we discuss the Nilometer's records, the role of volcanic eruptions, and the famines recorded in the Coptic Apocalypse of Pseudo-Athanasius. We consider how…
The Last Garrisons: Rome's Desert Frontier in Egypt
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the final centuries of Roman Egypt through the lens of its desert frontier. They discuss the network of forts and garrisons that guarded Egypt's borders, the soldiers—both Roman and allied—who manned them, and the everyday realities of life on the fringes of the empire. The conversation moves from the grand strategy of Diocletian to the local records of the Abinnaeus archive from Dionysias, and reflects on what the abandonment of these outposts meant for…
The Last Pagans of Philae: Temple of Isis After Rome
In this episode, Lucas and Luna trace the final centuries of the temple of Isis at Philae, the last bastion of ancient Egyptian religion under Roman and Byzantine rule. They explore how the cult of Isis survived for centuries after Christianity became the empire's official faith, why the Nobatae and Blemmyes tribes were granted access to the sanctuary, and how the temple's hieroglyphic inscriptions—including the famous last one by Esmet-Akhom—mark the end of a 3,000-year tradition. Drawing on…
The Last Weavers of Egypt: Coptic Textiles After Rome
When the Arab conquest of Egypt in 641 CE ended Roman rule, the workshops that had clothed the Mediterranean did not vanish overnight. In this episode, Lucas and Luna trace the rise and fall of Egypt's textile industry—from the wool and linen looms of the Fayyum and Oxyrhynchus, through the export boom of the Roman era, to the surprising persistence of Coptic weaving under the new Islamic regime. They explore how a single factory in Herakleopolis supplied an entire legion, what a tunic found in…
The Last Hieroglyphs: When Egypt's Writing Died
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the final chapter of ancient Egyptian civilization through the slow death of its writing systems. They trace the last known hieroglyphic inscription at Philae in 394 CE, the final demotic text from 452 CE, and the last hieroglyphic graffito from 452 CE. They discuss the rise of Coptic script, the role of the temple of Isis at Philae as a bastion of old traditions, the closure of temples under Justinian, and the enduring legacy of Egyptian writing in the…
The Nile's Last Flood: When Egypt's Heartbeat Stopped
In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna unravel the slow, almost invisible death of ancient Egypt—not by conquest, but by the failure of the Nile itself. They trace the Nilometer readings at Elephantine and Roda, the silent abandonment of the Fayyum's irrigation canals, and the rise of the Coptic church as the old temples fell silent. Through the words of John of Nikiu and the archaeological silence of the papyri, they piece together how the very rhythms of the river—the flood that…
The Last Pharaohs: Rome's Ghost Emperors in Egypt
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the twilight of ancient Egypt under Roman rule, focusing on the last native Egyptian revolts and the shadowy figures who claimed the pharaonic throne. From the rebellion of Akasis in 293 CE to the final uprising of the Blemmyes in 297 CE, we uncover how Rome's heavy hand and economic exploitation sparked a desperate fight for autonomy. We also discuss the role of the Nilometer, the Dodekaschoinos frontier, and the enduring legacy of hieroglyphic culture…
The Lost City of Abu Mina: Egypt's Final Christian Pilgrimage
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the rise and fall of Abu Mina, the most important Christian pilgrimage site in late antique Egypt, and how its fate mirrors the decline of Roman and Byzantine power in the Nile Valley. They trace the city's origins to the martyrdom of Saint Menas, its growth under Emperor Arcadius, its prosperity as a healing sanctuary, and its slow abandonment as the Plague of Justinian, Persian invasions, and the Arab conquest shattered the economic and religious…
The Nubian Archers Who Defended Roman Egypt
When Roman legions withdrew from the southern frontier, an unlikely group held the line: the Nobatae and Blemmyes, desert peoples hired as foederati. This episode follows the archers of the Dodekaschoinos — the land between Aswan and Maharraqa — through the letters of Abinnaeus, a Roman cavalry officer stationed at Dionysias, and the inscriptions of Silko, the Nubian king who called himself 'king of the Nobatae and all the Aethiopians.' We explore how these frontier warriors adapted to Roman…
The Dodekaschoinos: Rome's Lost Frontier
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Dodekaschoinos, the twelve-schoenus stretch of the Nile south of Syene that served as Rome's buffer zone with Nubia. They trace its history from Diocletian's treaty with the Nobatae and Blemmyes to the final Roman withdrawal in the sixth century. The conversation covers the rise of the kingdom of Silko, the destruction of the temple of Kalabsha, and the gradual abandonment of frontier forts like Taphos. They examine how the loss of this region cut off…
Persian Rule in Egypt: The Sassanid Occupation That Changed the Nile
Between 619 and 629 AD, Egypt fell under Persian control for the first time in nearly a millennium. This episode explores how Khosrow II's generals—Shahrbaraz and others—conquered Alexandria and the Nile Valley, and how the Sassanids governed this rich province. We dig into the pragmatic religious tolerance the Persians showed toward the Monophysite Copts, who had suffered under Byzantine persecution, and how this decade-long interlude reshaped loyalties. When Emperor Heraclius finally…
Egypt's Lost Canals: How Irrigation Failure Doomed an Empire
Egypt was Rome's breadbasket for centuries, but by the 600s its famed agricultural productivity had collapsed. This episode explores the slow decay of the Fayyum's irrigation system—the Bahr Yussef canal, Lake Moeris, and the network of channels that transformed the desert into farmland. We trace how silt buildup, labor shortages from the Plague of Justinian, and administrative neglect under Byzantine rule turned the granary into a patchwork of abandoned fields. The decline of the Fayyum…
What Oxyrhynchus Reveals About Egypt's Final Fall
The vast archive of papyri from the ancient city of Oxyrhynchus offers an extraordinary ground-level view of Egypt's transition from Roman to Arab rule. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how everyday documents — tax receipts, marriage contracts, petitions, and letters — reveal the gradual collapse of Byzantine administration and the rise of a new order after the Arab conquest. They look at a farmer's complaint about water theft from 580 AD, a Greek marriage contract from 641, and an…
Battle of Heliopolis: The Day Egypt Fell to the Arabs
In this episode, Lucas and Luna take you to the summer of 640 AD, when the fate of Roman Egypt was decided at the Battle of Heliopolis (modern-day Ain Shams). You'll meet the Byzantine commander Theodorus, who tried to hold the line against the Arab general Amr ibn al-As, and learn how a daring cavalry charge shattered the imperial army. We explore the tactical errors, the role of Coptic defectors, and the collapse of Byzantine morale that led to the surrender of Babylon and Alexandria.…
Benjamin I: The Coptic Patriarch Who Survived Rome's Fall
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the life of Benjamin I, the Coptic patriarch who led Egypt's native church through the collapse of Roman rule and the Arab conquest. From his exile during the persecution of Monophysites under Cyrus of Alexandria to his triumphant return after the surrender of Babylon fortress, Benjamin's story reveals how religious divisions within Egypt weakened Byzantine control and eased the Muslim takeover. The conversation covers the patriarch's meeting with Amr ibn…
How Cyrus of Alexandria Surrendered Egypt to the Arabs
In this episode, we focus on Cyrus of Alexandria—the last Byzantine governor and patriarch who, facing a resentful Coptic population and the advance of Amr ibn al-As's army, negotiated the surrender of Egypt. We explore his dual role as imperial prefect and Chalcedonian patriarch, his persecution of the Monophysite Copts under Emperor Heraclius, and how that alienation paved the way for the Arab conquest. The siege of the fortress of Babylon, the Battle of Heliopolis, and the eventual fall of…
The Silver Crisis: How Inflation Broke Roman Egypt
In the third century, Roman Egypt's economy buckled under relentless inflation. The silver denarius lost 99% of its value. Diocletian's Edict of Maximum Prices tried to cap wages and goods, but failed spectacularly. This episode tracks the collapse through papyrus records from Oxyrhynchus, the plummet of the Alexandrian tetradrachm, and the peasant flight from the land. We follow the rise of the solidus, the gold coin that stabilized Byzantium too late for Egypt's faltering grain fleet. Lucas…
The Arab Conquest of Egypt: Babylon and the Fall of Alexandria
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the final chapter of Roman Egypt: the Arab conquest of 639-642 AD. They focus on the siege of the Babylon fortress near modern Cairo, the role of the Monophysite Coptic patriarch Benjamin I, and the terms of surrender negotiated with Amr ibn al-As. How did religious divisions within Egypt pave the way for the Arab invaders? What happened to the grain fleet and the great city of Alexandria? Lucas recounts the dramatic fall of the Roman province, the…
The Monophysite Schism How Religion Broke Roman Egypt
In this episode of Why Ancient Egypt Finally Fell, Lucas and Luna explore how the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD—and the ensuing religious schism between Constantinople's Chalcedonian orthodoxy and Egypt's Monophysite (miaphysite) Christians—fatally weakened Roman control over the Nile. They discuss the role of Pope Dioscorus of Alexandria, Empress Pulcheria's politics, and the Tome of Leo. They trace how emperors from Marcian to Justinian persecuted Egyptian believers, driving the Coptic…
When Persia Conquered Egypt: The Prelude to the Arab Invasion
In 619 AD, after centuries of Roman rule, Egypt fell to a new conqueror: the Sassanid Persian Empire. This episode explores the brutal Persian occupation under King Khosrow II and the general Shahrbaraz, the initial welcome by Egypt's Monophysite Christians, and the subsequent Byzantine reconquest under Emperor Heraclius. We examine how the decade-long Persian interlude shattered the Byzantine administration, deepened the religious rift between Chalcedonians and Copts, and left Egypt vulnerable…
The Plague of Justinian and the End of Roman Egypt
In 541 AD, a ship full of grain from Egypt arrived in Constantinople carrying more than just food. It carried Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that would trigger the Plague of Justinian, a pandemic that killed millions across the Mediterranean. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how the plague devastated Egypt, the empire's breadbasket, and why the catastrophic collapse of the grain trade helped sever Egypt's ties to Constantinople. They discuss the role of the Nilometer at Elephantine, the…
The Great Oasis Revolt: Why Egypt's Western Desert Rose Against Rome
When Roman tax collectors pushed too hard in the 3rd century CE, the communities of Egypt's Kharga and Dakhla Oases fought back. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Great Oasis Revolt of 272–278 CE—a forgotten uprising that saw farmers and townspeople unite against imperial grain demands. They discuss the role of the remote fortress of Kysis, the battle at Hibis, and how the revolt foreshadowed Egypt's eventual detachment from Rome. Along the way, they examine papyrus letters from the…
The Plague of Justinian How Disease Ended Egypts Roman Era
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how the Plague of Justinian, which struck Egypt in 541 AD, accelerated the end of Roman control in the province. The plague, caused by Yersinia pestis, arrived via grain ships from the Red Sea port of Berenice Troglodytica. It devastated the Nile Delta, hitting the annona grain supply that fed Constantinople. With the army and bureaucracy weakened, the Blemmyes and Nobatae tribes pushed deeper into the Thebaid, and the Roman garrisons at Syene and Philae…
Egypt's Last Army: The Blemmyes Foederati Rebellion
When the Roman Empire could no longer pay its own frontier troops in southern Egypt, it turned to the very people it had long fought: the Blemmyes. These nomadic warriors from the Eastern Desert were hired as foederati, a classic late Roman strategy of using barbarians to guard borders. But what happened when the subsidies stopped? This episode follows the explosive revolt of the Blemmyes mercenaries under their king Kharamadoye, the sack of the town of Syene (modern Aswan), and the desperate…
The Plague of Cyprian: How Disease Broke Roman Egypt
Before the Arab conquest, before the Blemmyes and Nobatae, Egypt was shattered by the Plague of Cyprian (249–262 CE). This episode explores how the Antonine and Cyprian plagues devastated the Nile Valley, depopulating cities like Alexandria and Oxyrhynchus, collapsing the grain trade, and triggering inflation so severe that the Roman state never fully recovered. Lucas and Luna discuss the medical evidence from Galen and Cyprian, the social chaos documented in papyri, and how the crisis paved…
The Nubian King Who Conquered Egypt: Silko of the Nobatae
A figure barely mentioned in Roman sources but carved into the temple walls of Kalabsha: Silko, king of the Nobatae, who shattered the Blemmyes and carved out a Nubian kingdom in the ruins of Roman Egypt. This episode follows his campaign into the Dodekaschoinos, the Greek inscription he left at Talmis (Kalabsha), and the diplomatic fallout that forced Emperor Diocletian to pay tribute. We also explore Silko's ambiguous identity—Nobatian or Blemmyan?—and how his victories reset the balance of…
Egypt's Final War: Emperor Probus and the Blemmyes
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore a pivotal but often overlooked conflict that sealed the fate of Roman Egypt: the Blemmyan War under Emperor Probus in the 270s CE. They examine how drought, economic collapse, and a resurgent Nubian confederation led to the fall of Roman rule in Upper Egypt. Key figures include Emperor Probus, the Blemmye king Kharamadoye, and the Roman prefect Julianus. The episode also covers the Battle of Coptos, the siege of Syene, and the eventual peace treaty that…
Why Egypt's Last Pagans Fought from Philae
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the final stand of Egypt's ancient religion at the temple of Philae, long after the rest of Egypt had converted to Christianity. They focus on the little-known figure of Smet, a Blemmyan priest-king who led a rebellion in the 6th century AD to reclaim the temple of Isis from Byzantine forces. The conversation covers the political and religious dynamics of the Dodekaschoinos region, the role of the Nobatae and Blemmyes as foederati, and the imperial decree…
Egypt's Final Garrison: The Blemmyes Take Syene
By the 5th century AD, the Roman Empire's grip on Egypt's southern frontier was slipping. Syene, modern Aswan, was the last Roman garrison on the Nile guarding the border with Nubia. But who was guarding the garrison? Lucas and Luna explore the final decades of the Roman military presence at Syene, the rise of the Blemmyes as a regional power, and the fortress's eventual abandonment. Discover the papyrus records of soldiers like Abinnaeus, the role of the foederati system, and how the Roman…
The End of Egypt's Grain Fleet: Why Rome Let the Nile Starve
For centuries, Egypt was the breadbasket of Rome. Its grain fleet fed the imperial capital and its armies. But by the 3rd century AD, the system began to crack. This episode explores how a series of environmental, economic, and military pressures—including the collapse of the Red Sea trade, the rise of the Blemmyes raiders, and the bureaucratic strangulation of the annona—choked off the grain supply and accelerated Rome's withdrawal from Egypt. We focus on the lesser-known port of Berenice…
Kysis in Dakhla Oasis Egypts Final Pagan Stronghold
When Roman Egypt officially Christianized, a handful of old-believer communities held on in remote desert oases well into the 5th and even 6th centuries. This episode follows the archaeological and textual trail of Kysis in the Dakhla Oasis — a settlement where temples to Amun remained open long after Theodosius I banned pagan worship. Lucas and Luna explore the material evidence: unread demotic graffiti, a reused temple turned Coptic church, and the final named priests who refused to convert.…
Egypt's Last Grain: The Annona and the Fall of Roman Egypt
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the final collapse of Roman Egypt through the lens of its most vital commodity: grain. They trace the annona — the state-sponsored grain dole that fed Constantinople — from its origins under Augustus to its disruption by Blemmyan raids, climate shifts, and the Justinian plague. The discussion focuses on the strategic port of Berenice Troglodytica, the role of the Nilometer on Elephantine Island, and the desperate measures taken by Procopius to secure…
The Nubian Archers: How Kushite Mercenaries Shaped Egypt's Fall
In the waning centuries of ancient Egypt, as Roman control frayed along the southern frontier, a little-known group of Nubian archers from the kingdom of Kush played a pivotal role in both defending and destabilizing the region. This episode explores the story of the Blemmyes and Nobatae—nomadic tribes turned foederati—and their complex relationship with the Roman garrisons at Syene and Philae. We delve into the archers' military tactics, their integration into Roman border defense, and their…
Egypt's Last Rebellion: The Blemmyes and the Fall of Roman Rule
In this episode, Lucas and Luna pick up where previous episodes left off, diving into the final century of Roman control over Egypt through the lens of the Blemmyes—a nomadic people from the eastern desert who harried the empire's southern frontier. Lucas explains how the Blemmyes, often dismissed as mere raiders, actually formed a complex polity with their own kings, like Kharamadoye, and even extorted tribute from the Romans by threatening trade routes and the Nile's security. He traces the…
Egypt's Last Roman Garrison: The Fall of Syene
Long after the pharaohs, Egypt's southern frontier held out under Roman rule. This episode follows the story of Syene, today's Aswan, the last Roman garrison on the Nile. We trace its decline from a prosperous garrison town guarding the border with Nubia to a ghost outpost abandoned by Constantinople. Key figures include the Roman general Maximinus, who led a desperate defense against the Blemmyes and Nobatae, and the local commander Abinnaeus, whose papyrus letters reveal the daily struggles…
Egypt's Final Grain Crisis: The Annona and the End of Empire
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Egypt's final grain crisis under Roman rule. How did the annona — the grain dole for Rome — drain Egypt's resources, and how did climate change, corruption, and administrative collapse combine to end an empire? They delve into the Fayyum's irrigation decline, the Edict of Maximum Prices, and the Blemmyes raids. Specific figures like Diocletian and Justinian are discussed, alongside the Nilometer's records and the revolt of the Blemmyes. A new angle not…
Egypt's Final Lost City: The Ghost of Kysis in the Dakhla Oasis
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the final chapter of ancient Egypt not through its famous temples or pharaohs, but through the forgotten city of Kysis in the Dakhla Oasis. They trace how this prosperous outpost of the Ptolemaic and Roman eras, with its sandstone temple to Amun and thriving irrigation network, slowly withered after the third century AD. Climate shifts, the collapse of the grain trade, and relentless raiding by the Blemmyes forced the city into decline. Lucas walks Luna…
Egypt's Last Roman Fortress: The Fall of the Thebaid Frontier
In the 6th century CE, Roman Egypt's southern frontier crumbled under pressure from the Blemmyes and Nobatae. This episode follows the final years of the Dodekaschoinos, the ritual zone around Philae where Isis was worshipped until Justinian's decree. We explore the foederati system, the Silko inscription, and the final abandonment of the temple. Lucas and Luna also discuss how climate change and plague eroded Roman control, leading to the rise of the Nobatae kingdom and the death of pagan…
Egypt's Last Roman Officials: The Thebaid Frontier
When the Roman Empire began to crumble, Egypt's southern frontier — the Thebaid — became a crucible of survival. This episode follows the last Roman administrators, generals, and tax collectors who tried to hold the line against Blemmye raids, grain shortages, and imperial neglect. We explore the Dodekaschoinos buffer zone, the fortress at Philae, and the foederati who switched sides. What happened when Rome stopped paying its army in the south? How did local warlords fill the power vacuum?…
Egypt's Lost Language: The End of Demotic Script
In this episode of Why Ancient Egypt Finally Fell, Lucas and Luna explore the twilight of Egypt's native scripts. After the fall of hieroglyphs and hieratic, demotic writing — the everyday cursive used for over a thousand years — lingered in temples and legal documents until the 5th century CE. They trace the final known demotic inscription, the Graffito of the Scribe from Philae, and the last demotic papyrus from the island of Elephantine. They examine how the rise of Coptic, written with the…
Egypt's Last Pharaoh: Cleopatra's Final War with Rome
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the final chapter of ancient Egypt through the lens of Cleopatra VII's last war against Rome. They trace the buildup to the Battle of Actium in 31 BCE, the naval clash between Octavian and the fleet of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, and the aftermath in Alexandria. Lucas explains Cleopatra's political maneuvering, her alliance with Antony, the propaganda war waged by Octavian, and the tragic end of the Ptolemaic dynasty. The conversation touches on key…
The End of Egypt's Last Pagan Temple at Philae
In this episode of Why Ancient Egypt Finally Fell, Lucas and Luna explore the final closure of the Temple of Isis at Philae, the last bastion of ancient Egyptian religion. They delve into the 6th-century campaign by the Byzantine emperor Justinian to shut down the temple and suppress the native Nubian cultures of the Blemmyes and Nobatae, who had been granted the right to worship there under a treaty with Diocletian. The conversation covers the role of the general Narses, the conversion of the…
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