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THE   MODERN   EGYPTIANS.

The total population of Egypt proper was on June i,
1897, 9,734,405, of whom 112,526 were foreigners.

In a country where an increase in population always
means an increase in taxation, it is quite impossible to
obtain an accurate census. As far back as the time of
David'^ the idea of "numbering the people" has been
unpopular in the East.

It is exceedingly difficult to obtain an exact idea of what
the population of Egypt actually was in Pharaonic times, for
the inscriptions tell us nothing. Herodotus gives us no
information on this matter, but Diodorus tells us that it
amounted to 7,000,000 in ancient times. The priests
at Thebes informed Germanicus, a.d. 19, that in the times
of Rameses II. the country contained 700,0001 fighting
men; it will also be remembered that the Bible states that
the " children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth,
about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside
children. And a mixed multitude went up also with them."
Exodus xii. 37, 38. In the time of Vespasian 7,500,000
persons paid poll-tax; we may assume that about 500,000
were exempt, and therefore there must have been at least
8,000,000 of people in Egypt, without reckoning slaves.
(Mommsen, Provinces of Rome, Vol. 11., p. 258.) It is
probable, however, that the population of Egypt under the
rule of the Pharaohs has been greatly exaggerated, chiefly
because no accurate data were at hand whereby errors might
be corrected. During the occupation ofthe country by the
French in  1798-1801   it was said to be  2,460,200;   Sir

■'■ "And Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number
Israel."    i Chronicles xxi. i.
t ** Scptigenta milia aetate militari."    Tacitus, Annals, Bk. ii., 60.