In 2017, the first Egyptian–Greek gymnasium from the Hellenistic period was found in the ruins of Philoteris by the German Archaeological Institute (DAI). The structure had a hall for meetings, a dining hall, courtyard, 200-metre (660 ft) race track, and gardens in what was "an ideal layout for a center of Greek learning."[2] Contemporaneously, the gymnasium was only for males under 31; "women, slaves, freedmen, tradesmen, male prostitutes, drunkards and madmen were excluded." One of DAI's archaeological scholars in Egypt, Professor Cornelia Römer, told Deutsche Welle that "the gymnasium of [Philoteris] clearly shows the impact of Greek life in Egypt, not only in Alexandria, but also in the countryside".[1]
In the 21st century, the Egyptian settlement of Madinat Watfa was on the site of Philoteris' ruins,[1] 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Cairo.[2]
References
^ abc"First ancient Greek gymnasium found in Egypt". Deutsche Welle. 7 November 2017. Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2020. The German Archaeological Institute's mission to Egypt has found an ancient gymnasium that was used to train young Greek-speaking men in sports, literacy and philosophy. The group has been working at Watfa since 2010.
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