An Overview of Egypt's Historical Names and Cultural Transformations

Egypt was not always called Kemet; it was the name used for the Nile Delta, which contained fertile soil. Egypt had various populations, such as the farmers (Kemet), the miners (Deshret), the maritime traders (Jeb), and the fishermen. The oldest known name for Egypt was "Mizraim," found in inscriptions from the King of Yemen to Amenhotep IV or Akhenaten. Even the current English name is a misnomer given by the Romans to those who didn't deserve the title, as they extinct and their trade halted in late Pharaonic times. Greeks started conducting these voyages, calling themselves Jeb, settling in Egyptian cities like Pelusium, Naukratis, until they invaded Egypt and Alexander built Alexandria in Greek fashion. The Romans called these

inhabitants "Aegyptus," later corrupted to "Egypt." Philo said during this era, only Jews were recognized as citizens, not the native Egyptians. The Battle of Actium between Octavian and Cleopatra VII for the inheritance of Julius Caesar's crown highlighted the victory by Octavian, who commemorated it with coins bearing the inscription "Egyptos Capta," meaning conquered Egypt. Historically, this army was comprised of Alexandrians and Greeks. After the advent of Christianity, Josephus noted that the inhabitants of these cities became Christian, viewing the landowners as pagans, as Egypt was never predominantly Christian. When Christianity was persecuted, some priests fled, and the Orthodox temples of the Pharaohs were desecrated with some murals altered to resemble stories akin to Jesus. These temples remained open even after the Arabs arrived, and Egyptians only embraced Islam after 400 years. If there's anything unclear, feel free to ask, but please, let's refrain from distorting history.