In the decades since the death of Cyprian in the mid third century the advance of Christianity had quickened. In some regions Christians made up a significant minority of the populace, and across the empire Christians were growing in number and influence. By the beginning of the fourth century there were more than two hundred bishops in Latin-speaking North Africa, and in Egypt Christianity had put down roots not only in the Greek-speaking city of Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast but up the Nile River among the native Coptic-speaking people.
