My understanding of the true extent of Egypt is supported by a message given by an oracle at the shrine of Ammon. What makes this especially interesting is that I had already formed my opinion before I learned anything about this oracle. The oracle’s words, however, matched my thoughts so closely that they strongly confirmed my view.
The event took place among the people of the cities of Marea and Apis. These cities were located in the part of the country that bordered Libya. The people there became unhappy with certain Egyptian religious rules, especially those concerning sacrificial animals. In Egypt, cows were considered sacred, and eating their flesh was forbidden. The people of Marea and Apis did not wish to follow this rule any longer and wanted permission to eat beef Guided Sofia Tour.
A Claim to Be Libyan, Not Egyptian
To support their request, the people of these cities claimed that they were not truly Egyptians. They said that they had more in common with the Libyans than with the Egyptians. They argued that they did not live in the Delta and did not speak the Egyptian language. Because of this, they believed they should not be bound by Egyptian religious customs.
Hoping to receive divine approval, they sent messengers to the shrine of Ammon. In their message, they asked to be freed from Egyptian restrictions and to be allowed to eat whatever food they wished, including the flesh of cows.
The Oracle’s Clear Decision
The god at the shrine did not accept their request. The oracle clearly refused it and gave a firm explanation. According to the oracle, Egypt was not defined by language, customs, or city boundaries. Instead, Egypt was the entire land that the Nile flooded and watered each year.
The oracle further declared that Egyptians were the people who lived downstream from Elephantine and drank the water of the Nile. Anyone who depended on the Nile’s waters and lived in the land it nourished was considered Egyptian, regardless of local differences Questioning the Ionian View of Egypt.
The Nile as the True Boundary of Egypt
This answer showed that the Nile itself was the true marker of Egypt. Wherever the river spread its waters and made the land fertile, that land belonged to Egypt. The river did not only flood the Delta in the north. It also overflowed onto lands on both sides of its banks, in areas commonly thought to belong to Libya on one side and Arabia on the other.
In some places, the floodwaters reached as far as two days’ journey from the river. In other areas, they spread even farther. In a few places, the waters did not reach that distance, but the general pattern remained the same.
A Land United by Water
This flooding showed that Egypt was not a narrow strip of land but a wide region shaped by the Nile’s power. The river united different areas into one country by giving them water, soil, and life. Because of this, the oracle’s message supports the idea that Egypt should be defined by the reach of the Nile, not by political borders or cultural differences.
Final Reflection
The oracle’s decision agrees perfectly with my own judgment. Egypt is the land made fertile by the Nile, and Egyptians are those who live within that life-giving reach. This natural definition explains Egypt’s unity better than any artificial boundary and shows why the Nile was so central to Egyptian identity and belief.
