🏛️ Heracleopolis Magna–Oxyrynchus
Greco-Roman archaeological site in the Fayoum region of Egypt
📌 Fast Facts
- Location: Fayoum Governorate, approximately 80 km southwest of Cairo
- Dual-named site: administrative and residential-commercial urban centers merged
- Peak occupation: Ptolemaic and Roman eras, particularly 2nd–3rd centuries CE
- Archaeological significance: Thousands of papyri documenting daily life and administration
Heracleopolis Magna–Oxyrynchus is a Greco-Roman archaeological site in the Fayoum depression of Egypt that represents a major provincial urban center spanning the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. The site comprises two interconnected districts: Heracleopolis Magna, functioning as an administrative capital, and Oxyrynchus, serving as a residential and commercial hub. As of 2026, the site remains largely unexcavated, with surface remains visible but extensive subsurface archaeology undocumented, and ...