Editing Maat (section)

===Law===
[[File:Maat-E 4436-IMG 7942-white.jpg|thumb|Statue of Maat, adorned with the ostrich feather of truth]]
There is little surviving literature that describes the practice of ancient Egyptian law. Maat was the spirit in which justice was applied rather than the detailed legalistic exposition of rules. Maat represented the normal and basic values that formed the backdrop for the application of justice that had to be carried out in the spirit of truth and fairness. From the [[Fifth Dynasty of Egypt|Fifth Dynasty]] (c. 2510–2370 BCE) onwards, the [[vizier]] responsible for justice was called the ''Priest of Maat'' and in later periods judges wore images of Maat.{{sfnp|Morenz|1973|pp=117–125}}

Later scholars and philosophers also would embody concepts from the [[Sebayt]], a native [[wisdom literature]]. These spiritual texts dealt with common social or professional situations, and how each was best to be resolved or addressed in the spirit of Maat. It was very practical advice, and highly case-based, so few specific and general rules could be derived from them.{{sfnp|Murphy|1969}}

During the [[Ptolemaic Kingdom|Greek period in Egyptian history]], Greek law existed alongside Egyptian law. The Egyptian law preserved the rights of women, who were allowed to act independently of men and own substantial personal property, and in time, this influenced the more restrictive conventions of the Greeks and Romans.{{sfnp|Powell|1995|p=303}} When the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] took control of Egypt, the Roman legal system, which existed throughout the [[Roman Empire]], was imposed in Egypt.