Abstract :
The first part of this paper discussed a large collection of documents from
Upper Egypt illustrative of society and economy in the time of Muʿāwiya.
Here, further papyri, of pagarchs of Arsinoe, present supplementary information
about grain production, taxation, great estates, the postal service and
the role of the church in the local economy. Information about Fust˙
āt˙
and
Alexandria depends on literary sources and archaeology. Fust˙
āt˙
,which started
as a camp, became more organized and controlled under Muʿāwiya’s governors
when the main shipyard was moved there. Alexandria, despite romantic
descriptions, was at least partly ruined. Like Fust˙
āt˙
, it was the seat of amajor
garrison. Taken together, the evidence fromEgypt shows much administrative
continuity from Byzantine times, but with important new taxes and requisitions
and a tighter central control. It suggests thatMuʿāwiya ran a sophisticated
and effective state.
