In early times Egypt is said to have had three provinces: Egypt proper, Thebais, and Libya. To these later times have added two: Augustamnica being taken from Egypt, and Pentapolis from the dryer part of Libya.

Now Thebais has these among cities that are especially famous: Hermopolis, Coptos and Antinoü,I.e. Antinoü(polis), also called Antinupolis (see xviii, 9, 1). Antinupolis was not actually founded by Hadrian, but he enbellished and renamed it. which Hadrian foundedI.e. Antinoü(polis), also called Antinupolis (see xviii, 9, 1). Antinupolis was not actually founded by Hadrian, but he enbellished and renamed it. in honour of his favourite Antinoiis; for hundred-gated ThebesCf. xvii. 4, 2. everyone knows.

In Augustamnica is the famous city of Pelusium, which Peleus, the father of Achilles, is said to have founded, being bidden by order of the gods to purify himself in the lake which washes the walls of that city, when after the murder of his brother, Phocus by name, he was hounded by the dread forms of the furies;All other writers say that Peleus was banished by his father Aeacus, and fled to Eurytus, son of Actor, who purified him; cf. Diod. Sic. iv. 72, 6. also Cassium,Also called Casium and containing a temple of Jupiter Casius. He was also worshipped in Syria; cf. 14, 4, above. where is the tomb of Pompey the Great, and Ostracine, and Rhinocorura.

In Pentapolis-Libya is Cyrene, an ancient city, but deserted, founded by the Spartan Battus,Cf. Hdt. iv. 150 ff.; Strabo, xvii. 3, 21. The founder is sometimes called Aristaeus (Just. xiii. 7, 1). and Ptolemais, and Arsinoe, also called Teuchira, and Darnis and Berenice, which two they call Hesperidae

But in dry Libya are Paraetonion, Chaerecla, Neapolis, and a few small towns.

Egypt itself, which from the time when it was joined with the Roman empire has been governed by prefects in place of kings,Because of its importance as a grain supply; cf. Suet., 35, 1; Tac., i. 11. The praefectus Aegypti ranked next to the praefectus praetorio in the equestrian cursus honorum. is adorned by the great cities of Athribis, Oxyrynchus, Thumis, and Memphis, to say nothing of many lesser towns.

But the crown of all cities is Alexandria, which is made famous by many splendid things, through the wisdom of its mighty founder and by the cleverness of the architect Dinocrates. The latter, when laying out its extensive and beautiful walls, for lack of lime, of which too little could at the time be found, sprinkled the whole line of its circuit with flour,Cf. Strabo, xvii. 1, 6 (at end); Plutarch, 26, 5 f. which chanced to be a sign that later the city would abound with a plentiful store of food.

There healthful breezes blow, the air is calm and mild, and as the accumulated experience of many ages has shown, there is almost no day on which the dwellers in that city do not see a cloudless sun.