Maqaduniya
Maqaduniya (Arabic: مقدونية) is a region in Medieval Egypt comprising Fustat, Ain Shams, Giza and Memphis.[1]
Name
It is unknown if Egyptian Maqaduniya is related to Balkan region of the same name.
Yaqut al-Hamawi in his Kitāb Mu'jam al-Buldān says:
"Maqaduniya is the name of Misr in Ancient Greek."[2]
Paul Casanova connects Maqaduniya to one of the Ancient Egyptian names of Memphis – Makha-to-ui, "the balance of two lands". It could be also related to the name of Mokattam Hills which Casanova derives from a denomination of the compound Heliopolite deity (Hor)-em-akhet-Atum (Horus of the Horizon–Atum), the compound which is also present in one of the Sphinx's names – Harmachis (Coptic: ϩⲁⲣⲙⲁϣⲓ Harmashi).[3]
References
- ^ al-Maqdisī, Shams al-Dīn Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad ibn Abī Bakr. De Goeje (ed.). Ahsan al-Taqasim fi Ma'rafat al-Aqalim. Leiden: Brill. pp. 193–194.
- ^ al-Hamawi, Yaqut (1866–73). Wüstenfeld (ed.). Mu'jam al-Buldān (IV ed.). Leipzig. p. 602.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Casanova, Paul. "Les noms coptes du Caire et localités voisines". BIFAO. 1: 139–224.