Great ancient civilization, the richest land on earth at the time of Julius Caesar, Egypt under Alexander the Great passed into Egypt under the Caesars - although so important, and so profitable, a source of gold and grain for the Roman Empire that the Emperor kept it as his personal province, not permitting the Senate to oversee or risk its riches.

Egypt was brought into the Roman empire by the defeat of Mark Antony and Cleopatra by Octavian (Augustus) following the Battle of Actium in 31 BC, and the suicides of the lovers soon thereafter, in Egypt. When Antony ruled the eastern half of the Empire, Egypt's independence was still assured - but Octavian took no chances that this risk country could again be turned against Rome.

And so Egypt was annexed as a Roman province. Roman senators in fact needing permission by the emperor even to set foot in it.

One of the "Fayum" Portraits
of a Romano-Egyptian girl