Hermopolis

Hermopolis
Ϣⲙⲟⲩⲛ
	Basilica of Hermopolis
	Shown within Egypt
Alternative name	الأشمونين
Location	El Ashmunein, Minya Governorate, Egypt
Region	Upper Egypt
Coordinates	27°46′53″N 30°48′14″E / 27.78139°N 30.80389°E
Type	Settlement
Site notes
Condition	In ruins

Hermopolis^[1] (Ancient Greek: Ἑρμούπολις Hermoúpolis "the City of Hermes", also Hermopolis Magna, Ἑρμοῦ πόλις μεγάλη Hermoû pólis megálẽ,^[2] Ancient Egyptian: ḫmnw χaˈmaːnaw, Egyptological pronunciation: "Khemenu"; Coptic: Ϣⲙⲟⲩⲛ Shmun, and thus Arabic: الأشمونين, romanized: al-Ashmunayn, lit. 'The Two Shmun') was a major city in antiquity, located near the boundary between Lower and Upper Egypt. Its name is derived from the Ogdoad, eight associated deities residing in Hermopolis.

A provincial capital since the Old Kingdom of Egypt, Hermopolis developed into a major city of Roman Egypt, and an early Christian center from the third century. It was abandoned after the Muslim conquest of Egypt but was restored as both a Latin Catholic (meanwhile suppressed) and a Coptic Orthodox titular see.

Its remains are located near the modern town of el-Ashmunein (from the Coptic name^[3]) in Mallawi, Minya Governorate, Egypt.

^ (Ammianus Marcellinus, II 16)
^ "Great Hermopolis", for distinction with Lesser Hermopolis, e.g. Stephanus of Byzantium s.v. Ἑρμοῦ πόλις; Ptolemy IV 5. § 60. Antonine Itinerary pp. 154f.
^ Cite error: The named reference Coptic was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[1] (Ammianus Marcellinus, II 16)

[2] "Great Hermopolis", for distinction with Lesser Hermopolis, e.g. Stephanus of Byzantium s.v. Ἑρμοῦ πόλις; Ptolemy IV 5. § 60. Antonine Itinerary pp. 154f.

[Coptic-3] Cite error: The named reference Coptic was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[1]

[2]

[3]