relian the general Domitianus was put to
death for aiming at a change. We learn, however, from the coins that he
reigned for part of a first and a second year in Egypt; but the subject
of his reign is not without its difficulties, as we find Alexandrian
coins of Domitianus with Latin inscriptions, and dated in the third year
of his reign. The Latin language had not at this time been used on the
coins of Alexandria; and he could not have held Alexandria for any
one whole year, as the series of Aurelian's coins is not broken. It is
possible that the Latin coins of Domitianus may belong to a second and
later usurper of the same name.

Aurelian had reigned in Rome from the death of Claudius; and,
notwithstanding the four rebels to whom we have given the title of
sovereigns of Egypt, money was coined in Alexandria in his name during
each of those years. His coinage, however, reminds us of the troubled
and fallen state of the country; and from this time forward copper, or,
rather, brass, is the only metal used.

Aurelian left Probus in the command of the Egyptian army, and that
general's skill and activity found full employment in driving back the
barbarians who pressed upon the province on each of the three sides on
which it was open to attack.

[Illustration: 165.jpg COIN OF DOMITIANUS WITH LATIN INSCRIPTION]

His first battles were against the Africans and Marmaridae, who were
in arms on the side of Cyrene, and he next took the field against the
Palmyrenes and Saracens, who still claimed Egypt in the name of the
family of Zenobia. He employed the leisure of his soldiers in many
useful works; in repairing bridges, temples, and porticoes, and more
particularly in widening the trenches and keeping open the canals, and
in such other works as were of use in raising and forwarding the yearly
supply of grain to Rome. Aurelian increased the amount of the Egyptian
tribute, which was paid in glass, paper, linen, hemp, and grain; the
latter he increased by one-twelfth part, and he placed a larger number
of ships on the voyage to make the supply certain.

The Christians were well treated during this reign, and their patriarch
Nero so far took courage as to build the Church of St. Mary in
Alexandria. This was probably the first church that was built in Egypt
for the public service of Christianity, which for two hundred years had
been preached in private rooms, and very often in secret. The service
was in Greek, as, indeed, it was