A province of strategic and economic importance to the Byzantine world, Egypt supplied the porphyry stone used in Constantine's great column at Constantinople and served as the empire's main source of grain. It was also the origin point of the sixth-century bubonic plague that killed two-fifths of Constantinople's population, and repeatedly figured as a military pivot point: Heraclius used it as a base to topple the usurper Phocas, the Persians seized it to strangle Byzantine food supplies, and Muslim forces eventually overran it at the end of Heraclius's reign. During the Fourth Crusade, the Venetian doge Dandolo proposed Egypt as the campaign's initial target, citing its strategic vulnerability, while privately maintaining trade agreements with Cairo and having no intention of attacking it.
Mentioned in
What each episode says
Episode 4 (1 mention)
Mentioned as the source of the porphyry stone from which Constantine's great column in his forum was made, the stone being brought all the way from Egypt to Constantinople.
“crowned with a hundred foot column of porphyry brought all the way from Egypt.”
Episode 8 (1 mention)
Egypt is mentioned as the origin point of the bubonic plague that swept through both the Persian and Byzantine empires in the 6th century, ultimately killing two-fifths of Constantinople's population.
“however, never happened. Starting in Egypt, the bubonic plague swept through both the Persian”
Episode 9 (2 mentions)
“The second, Isidore, had been educated in Egypt and was considered the finest architectural”
“and precious stone from Sparta, Egypt, Libya, and North Africa.”
Episode 10 (5 mentions)
Heraclius the Elder sent his son with a navy to seize Egypt, using it as a base to gather a massive army for the march on Constantinople. The Persians later conquered Egypt two years after taking Jerusalem, depriving the empire of its main source of bread. At the end of Heraclius' reign, the Muslims swarmed over a defenseless Egypt.
“Still unopposed, two years later they turned to Egypt, depriving the empire of its main”
“from the capital, and the loss of Egypt and Thrace resulted in famine.”
“His opponent, by contrast, was Sharbaraz, conqueror of Egypt and widely considered the”
Episode 11 (2 mentions)
“First to fall was the richest province, Egypt.”
“Spain, Italy, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and North Africa were all gone, never to be retaken.”
Episode 14 (1 mention)
“Egypt and could have been contained by a competent figure on the throne.”
Episode 15 (3 mentions)
Dandolo cleverly suggested Cairo (Egypt) as an initial target for the Fourth Crusade rather than Jerusalem, citing Richard the Lion-Hearted's advice that Egypt was the weak point of the Muslim East. This was a ruse, however, as Dandolo simultaneously had representatives in Cairo discussing trade agreements and had privately vowed never to take part in hostilities against Egypt.
“he had announced that Egypt was the weak point of the Muslim East,”
“But the old Doge had no intention of attacking Egypt.”
“and was vowing never to take part in any hostilities against Egypt.”
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