Hermopolis

Hermopolis Magna or simply Hermopolis or Hermopolis Megale (Greek: Ἑρμοῦ πόλις μεγάλη) or Hermupolis is the site of ancient Khmun, and is located near the modern Egyptian town of El Ashmunein (from Coptic: Ϣⲙⲟⲩⲛⲉⲓⲛ Shmounein) in Al Minya governorate.

Etymology

Khmun, the Ancient Egyptian name of the city, means "eight-town", after the Ogdoad, a group of eight deities who represented the world before creation. The name survived into Coptic as Ϣⲙⲟⲩⲛⲉⲓⲛ (Shmounein), from which the modern name, El Ashmunein, is derived. In Greek, the city was called Hermopolis, after Hermes, whom the Greeks identified with Thoth, because the city was the main cult centre of Thoth, the god of magic, healing and wisdom, and the patron of scribes. Thoth was associated in the same way with the Semitic Eshmun. Inscriptions at the temple call the god "The Lord of Eshmun".

History

Hermopolis (disambiguation)

Hermopolis may refer to:

Hermopolis may also refer to:

Hermopolis (Butosos)

Hermopolis (Greek: Ἑρμοῦ πόλις) also known as Hermopolis Mikra (Ἑρμοῦ πόλις μικρά) and Hermopolis Parva was an ancient city of Egypt. It was located on an island near the city Butosos now Buto (Strabo xvii. p. 802).

References

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "^{article name needed}". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.