Michael Tunnicliffe Egypt and the Byzantine World
In 395 the Roman Empire split into two, with Egypt firmly part of the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire Christianity was now the official religion and as the last pagan temples were closed churches and monasteries rose in their place. But in the 5th and 6th centuries Egyptian personalities would be at the heart of the controversies that rocked the Byzantine world. Eventually a distinctive form of Egyptian Christianity would emerge in the form of the Coptic Church. Then in the mid-7th century the new religion of Islam erupted onto the scene and Egypt was ripe for conquest. This presentation will give an overview of these, often neglected 250 years.
Michael Tunnicliffe studied Theology at Birmingham and Cambridge and completed the Certificate in Egyptology at Manchester. He is a member of MAES and served on the Committee for 6 years. He teaches a variety of courses face to face in the North West and by Zoom for a number of Adult Education providers.
