Creolization and Romanity: the continuities and changes of Roman Egypt.

Past scholarship has analyzed Roman Egypt through the process of Romanization, but my research evaluates the province through creolization instead. The process of creolization is complex but affords indigenous populations more agency than terms like romanization. The thesis addresses the Egyptian and Greek continuities in language, religion, and way of life to display the extent of creolization. Analysis of Roman Egypt through the post-colonial lens better represents the changes that took place and the intent of the Roman principate. Much of the research derives from papyrological and archaeological sources to create a more nuanced understanding of what Roman Egypt looked like and how the cultural change took place. In the end, it is discovered that numerous continuities existed, stemming from both Egyptian and Greek cultures; the continuities present display a lack of interest from the Roman perspective of changing the cultures of Egypt. Many Romans not only allowed the existing cultural practices to continue, but Romans took interest in the traditions and took part in several. The importance of this thesis stems from its refutation of past scholarship and past understandings of the province and Roman imperialism as a whole. Roman imperialism was far less idealistic and was instead motivated by pragmatic motivators