Roman obelisks and pyramids in the provinces

[Eleatic Guest]

After the Romans conquered Egypt, the Egyptians quickly replied in kind and began to conquer Rome culturally to some extent. The growing Rome craze for all things Egyptian already led Augustus to transport the first obelisks from the Nile to the Tiber, and the impressive Cestius Pyramid dates to that period, too. Later, Roman emperors such as Domitian commissioned new obelisks, so that Rome can boast today of five Roman obelisks.

Now I wonder did this craze for Egypt did in any way also reach the provinces? At least from the architectural perspective, the erection of obelisks and the building of pyramids was not followed up outside Rome, wasn't it? I am tempted to say that the no-nonsense provincial folk was pretty much unimpressed by the décadence of the capital.

[Jona Lendering]

Two quick answers:

(1)
Rome had more than five obelisks - I think the grand number is about 20.

(2)
Constantinople had an obelisk. Vienne imitated one.

Nevertheless, I guess you're right. This oddity remained limited to the urbs ipsa.

[Epictetus]

I think some aspects of Egyptian culture spread in the provinces, particularly the cult of Isis. Pliny mentions a Temple of Isis being damaged by fire in Nicomedia (letter XLII). The hero of the Golden Ass finds spiritual (and physical!) peace with Isis. Plutarch wrote about the goddess.

[Eleatic Guest]

Rome had more than five obelisks - I think the grand number is about 20.

I looked it up and the exact number of ancient obelisks in the city as of 2011 is 13: eight ancient Egyptian and five obelisks from the Roman period. The one in Constantinople is also Pharaonic and arrived in the city via Rome, I believe.

Didn't knew the one in Vienne which seems to be a curious border case between obelisk and pyramid.

Pliny mentions a Temple of Isis being damaged by fire in Nicomedia (letter XLII).

How would such temples look like, more Greek or Egyptian in style?

[Epictetus]

Good point - architecturally the temples may have looked very Greek. Here's a Temple of Isis on Delos.