Philadelphia

Welcome to the ancient city of Philadelphia, located on the eastern edge of the Faiyum Oasis. Founded in the 3rd century BCE by Ptolemy II Philadelphus, this city was part of a massive land reclamation project designed to settle…

We are approaching the site of the main temple of Philadelphia, which was dedicated to the syncretic goddess Isis-Aphrodite. This deity is a perfect example of the cultural blending that occurred during the Ptolemaic period. …

As we walk through what were once the residential quarters of Philadelphia, notice the remnants of the grid system. The streets were laid out at right angles, creating a sense of order and hierarchy. …

We now move to the necropolis, the 'City of the Dead,' located just outside the residential area. This is the source of the world-famous Philadelphia mummy portraits. …

Philadelphia is also the find-spot of one of the most important archaeological archives in the world: the Zenon Papyri. Zenon was the estate manager for Apollonius, the finance minister (dioiketes) of Ptolemy II. …

To the west of the city, we can see the traces of the ancient irrigation systems that made Philadelphia possible. The Ptolemies were masters of hydraulic engineering, diverting water from the Nile into the Faiyum depression…

In 2023, archaeologists discovered a beautifully preserved statue of Isis-Aphrodite within the city ruins. This find has renewed international interest in Philadelphia, showcasing the high quality of provincial art in the Faiyum. …

As we conclude our journey through the ancient city of Philadelphia, look out over the ruins that were once a thriving multicultural metropolis. We have walked the grid of a planned city, explored the temple where Greece and…