Abstract EN:

This thesis takes a fresh look at Greek presence in Egypt before the conquest of Alexander the Great. By looking at Greek amphorae found in Egypt, our study will shed some light on the question of movement in the Mediterranean.Our approach is strictly archaeological and will take into consideration the ensemble of documentation concerning amphorae, still largely unpublished, from some 30 Egyptian sites. This enquiry places the archaeological context at the heart of the argument. The ceramic assemblages and the nature of contexts are what nourish our reflections. Quantitative studies allow us to determine the relative role of imports and thus to elucidate both exchange networks and the penetration of Mediterranean products into Egypt. We have been able to reveal a swing in trade towards the end of the 7th century away from the Levant and towards the Aegean cities. To date, nothing indicates a significant Greek presence prior to the last third of the 7th century. Throughout the 6th century, we witness a gradual generalisation of Greek imports. Widely distributed across the entire territory, Greek amphorae are not limited to coastal settlements, the nature of which is also under study. The invasion of Cambyses in 525 does not seem to have slowed this exchange. We do, however, note certain changes in the hierarchy of the principal Aegean export cities. The wide distribution of Greek amphorae is evidence of a strong current that can no longer be envisaged simply as destined for Greek communities in situ. By situating our data with a Mediterranean perspective, we are proposing a hypothesis of a more pronounced north-south circulation.