Department of Ancient History

Welcome to AHPG 896 Coptic I - Sahidic, the first of the two introductory Coptic units and the first of four courses in Coptic Language offered by the Department of Ancient History at Macquarie University. The unit is an introduction to the Coptic script and language. Coptic is the last stage of the Ancient Egyptian language, which replaces hieroglyphic writing (or the cursive forms of the hieroglyphs) with an alphabet script. Sahidic is the most important regional form (or dialect) of Coptic for large part of the first millennium CE, a Pan-Egyptian written dialect which boasts a rich literature, both original and translated. There are no pre-requisites for this unit, which will be offered annually in the first semester of each year.

This unit, together with AHPG 897 (Coptic II-Sahidic, to be offered annually in the second semester), will enable students to read and understand texts in Sahidic Coptic. Sahidic Coptic was the dominant form of the Egyptian-Coptic language from the 3rd/4th to the 10th century. It began to be superseded by Bohairic as the standard literary dialect in the 9th century. Many of the immensely important contributions of the Egyptian church to the history of Christianity are preserved in texts written in Sahidic, both as original compositions and as translations from the Greek. A complete translation of the Bible into Sahidic Coptic existed probably as early as 350 CE. The numerous literary texts originally produced in Sahidic Coptic include, among others, the works of the great monastic fathers of the 4th and 5th centuries, Pachomius and his successors Theodore and Horsiese and Shenoute and his successor Besa. Important translations of non-biblical religious writings from the Greek were produced in large quantities, among which such essential texts as the Life of St. Anthony by Athanasius, patriarch of Alexandria (328-373). In Sahidic, we also have numerous lives of martyr and ascetic saints and sermons by the church fathers of the 6th and later centuries. Thousands of texts from everyday life such as letters, accounts, contracts, or lists on papyrus, ostraca (limestone and ceramic sherds) or wood give us fascinating glimpses into the daily concerns of monastic communities and laypeople.

The foundations laid in this course will enormously facilitate learning the other dialects of the Coptic language (such as Bohairic, still of vital importance today as a liturgical language of the Coptic church, Akhmimic, Lycopolitan, Mesokemic, or Fayumic, in all of which we have Bible manuscripts and other important texts). After having learnt Sahidic Coptic, all other dialects will be easily mastered in a few weeks. Sahidic Coptic is therefore a pre-requisite to advanced courses in Coptic.