This series will focus on Theodore the General, the saint who was martyred during the Diocletian persecutions. He is also known as Theodore Stratelates, Theodore the Isfahsalar and Theodore of Shwtp. I, however, prefer to call him Theodore the Egyptian.
He earns the title “The Egyptian” from the fact that his father was an Egyptian from the town of Shwtp in Upper Egypt, near Asyut. His mother was Roman though. In this capacity, Theodore represented a double identity, uniting the Egyptians and the Romans in himself, but there is no doubt that he, and others, saw him as fundamentally Egyptian.
As Egyptian and Roman, he united the two races, and this is perhaps why he was so popular in Egypt while under the Byzantine rule. He continues to be popular with the Copts even today.
Despite many scholars consider him a factionary personality and deny his existence, I do believe he was a real figure. We shall go throughout all that and discuss everything to do with this great man and saint in a series of notes.
