Page 35 - STOLEN LEGACY By George G. M. James

The immigration of Greeks to Egypt for the purpose of their education, began as a result of the
Persian invasion (525 B.C.), and continued until the Greeks gained possession of that land and
access to the Royal Library, through the conquest of Alexander the Great. Alexandria was
converted into a Greek city, a centre of research and the capital of the newly created Greek
empire, under the rule of Ptolemies. Egyptian culture survived and flourished, under the name
and control of the Greeks, until the edicts of Theodosius in the 4th century A.D., and that of
Justinian in the 6th century A.D., which closed the Mystery Temples and Schools, as elsewhere
mentioned. (Ancient Egypt by John Kendrick Bk. II p. 55; Sandford's Mediterranean World p.
562; 570).

Concerning the fact that Egypt was the greatest education centre of the ancient world which was
also visited by the Greeks, reference must again be made to Plato in the Timaeus who tells us
that Greek aspirants to wisdom visited Egypt for initiation, and that the priests of Sais used to
refer to them as children in the Mysteries.

As regards the visit of Greek students to Egypt for the purpose of their education, the following
are mentioned simply to establish the fact that Egypt was regarded as the educational centre of
the ancient world and that like the Jews, the Greeks also visited Egypt and received their
education. (1) It is said that during the reign of Amasis, Thales who is said to have been born
about 585 B.C., visited Egypt and was initiated by the Egyptian Priests into the Mystery System
and science of the Egyptians. We are also told that during his residence in Egypt, he learnt
astronomy, land surveying, mensuration, engineering and Egyptian Theology. (See Thales in
Blackwell's source book of Philosophy; Zeller's Hist. of Phil.; Diogenes Laertius and Kendrick's
Ancient Egypt).

(2) It is said that Pythagoras, a native of Samos, travelled frequently to Egypt for the purpose of
his education. Like every aspirant, he had to secure the consent and favour of the Priests, and we
are informed by Diogenes that a friendship existed between Polycrates of Samos and Amasis
King of Egypt, that Polycrates gave Pythagoras letters of introduction to the King, who secured
for him an introduction to the Priests; first to the Priest of Heliopolis, then to the Priest of
Memphis, and lastly to the Priests of Thebes, to each of whom Pythagoras gave a silver goblet.
(Herodotus Bk. III 124; Diogenes VIII 3; Pliny N. H., 36, 9; Antipho recorded by Porphyry).

We are also further informed through Herodotus, Jablonsk and Pliny, that after severe trials,
including circumcision, had been imposed upon him by the Egyptian Priests, he was finally
initiated into all their secrets. That he learnt the doctrine of metempsychosis; of which there was
no trace before in the Greek religion; that his knowledge of medicine and strict system of dietetic
rules, distinguished him as a product of Egypt, where medicine had attained its highest
perfection; and that his attainments in geometry corresponded with the ascertained fact that
Egypt was the birth place of that Science.

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Stolen Legacy: Greek Philosophy is Stolen Egyptian Philosophy by George G. M. James
The Journal of Pan African Studies 2009 eBook