Le syncrétisme religieux en Égypte dans l'Antiquité tardive : l'apport des papyrus iatromagiques grecs

Abstract

At a time when multiculturalism has become an important issue for contemporary societies, historians have developed a new interest in relation to the phenomena of intercultural contact and religious syncretism in Antiquity. The Greek magical papyri, produced between the 2nd century BCE and the 6th century CE, represent an ideal source in the study of cultural interactions and religious syncretism in Egypt, particularly in Late Antiquity (4th to 7th century CE). Iatromagical papyri specifically magical texts aimed to cure or prevent diseases have a double interest since they not only contain elements from different religions (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Judaism and Christianity), but also the rich medical knowledge of the various peoples who met in Egypt. By presenting a detailed review of vocabulary and medical knowledge, as well as case studies of documents containing various religious elements, this thesis demonstrates how the Greek iatromagical papyri reflect the different types of religious syncretism present in Egypt in Late Antiquity.