Napoleonic scholarship framed Egypt entirely through its ancient European-connected past

Evidence

Placed between Africa and Asia, and communicating easily with Europe, Egypt occupies the center of the ancient continent. This country presents only great memories; it is the homeland of the arts and conserves innumerable monuments; its principal temples and the palaces inhabited by its kings still exist, even though its least ancient edifices had already been built by the time of the Trojan War. Homer, Lycurgus, Solon, Pythagoras, and Plato all went to Egypt to study the sciences, religion, and the laws. Alexander founded an opulent city there, which for a long time enjoyed commercial supremacy and which witnessed Pompey, Caesar, Mark Antony, and Augustus deciding between them the fate of Rome and that of the entire world. It is therefore proper for this country to attract the attention of illustrious princes who rule the destiny of nations. — Edward W. Said, Orientalism, 223

Categorization

• DEFINE: Fourier’s opening shows how the Orient is introduced purely as repositories of memory for Europe, an inventory of ancient contacts.
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Edward W. Said, Orientalism, 223
• XREF: connects to: Napoleon’s failed Egyptian invasion modeled scholarly exploitation for later empires