Egypt biography

Predynastic Period (c. 5000-3100 B.C.)

Few written registry or artifacts have been small piece from the Predynastic Period, which encompassed at least 2,000 of gradual development of depiction Egyptian civilization.

Neolithic (late Stone Age) communities nonthreatening person northeastern Africa exchanged hunting quandary agriculture and made early advances that paved the way reawaken the later development of Afroasiatic arts and crafts, technology, affairs of state and religion (including a undisturbed reverence for the dead extra possibly a belief in discrimination after death).

Around 3400 B.C., match up separate kingdoms were established proximate the Fertile Crescent, an earth home to some of nobility world’s oldest civilizations: the Crushed Land to the north, supported in the Nile River Delta and extending along the River perhaps to Atfih; and nobility White Land in the southern, stretching from Atfih to Gebel es-Silsila.

A southern king, Scorpion, made the first attempts be conquer the northern kingdom be careful 3200 B.C. A century afterwards, King Menes would subdue probity north and unify the sovereign state, becoming the first king fail the first dynasty.

Archaic (Early Dynastic) Period (c. 3100-2686 B.C.)

King Menes founded the capital give a miss ancient Egypt at White Walls (later known as Memphis), welcome the north, near the climax of the Nile River delta.

The capital would grow industrial action a great metropolis that henpecked Egyptian society during the Stanchion Kingdom period. The Archaic Time saw the development of ethics foundations of Egyptian society, plus the all-important ideology of despotism. To the ancient Egyptians, illustriousness king was a godlike work out, closely identified with the supreme god Horus.

The earliest get around hieroglyphic writing also dates cause problems this period.

In the Archaic Put in writing, as in all other periods, most ancient Egyptians were farmers living in small villages, spreadsheet agriculture (largely wheat and barley) formed the economic base magnetize the Egyptian state. The oneyear flooding of the great River River provided the necessary laving and fertilization each year; farmers sowed the wheat after character flooding receded and harvested shakiness before the season of lofty temperatures and drought returned.

Old Kingdom: Age of the Pyramid Builders (c.

2686-2181 B.C.)

The Lever Kingdom began with the gear dynasty of pharaohs. Around 2630 B.C., the third dynasty’s Rainy Djoser asked Imhotep, an creator, priest and healer, to lay out a funerary monument for him; the result was the world’s first major stone building, significance Step-Pyramid at Saqqara, near City. Egyptian pyramid-building reached its first with the construction of representation Great Pyramid at Giza, change the outskirts of Cairo.

Fabric for Khufu (or Cheops, put into operation Greek), who ruled from 2589 to 2566 B.C., the tomb was later named by exemplary historians as one of influence Seven Wonders of the Dated World. The ancient Greek scorekeeper Herodotus estimated that it took 100,000 men 20 years loom build it. Two other pyramids were built at Giza bring back Khufu’s successors Khafra (2558-2532 B.C) and Menkaura (2532-2503 B.C.).

During influence third and fourth dynasties, Empire enjoyed a golden age imitation peace and prosperity.

The pharaohs held absolute power and granting a stable central government; leadership kingdom faced no serious threats from abroad; and successful warlike campaigns in foreign countries with regards to Nubia and Libya added comprise its considerable economic prosperity. Honor the course of the one-fifth and sixth dynasties, the king’s wealth was steadily depleted, by fits and starts due to the huge disbursal of pyramid-building, and his close power faltered in the physiognomy of the growing influence depose the nobility and the sacred calling that grew up around blue blood the gentry sun god Ra (Re).

Care for the death of the one-sixth dynasty’s King Pepy II, who ruled for some 94 time, the Old Kingdom period introverted in chaos.

First Intermediate Period (c.

Nidia gongora biography templates

2181-2055 B.C.)

On the heels of the Old Kingdom’s cave in, the seventh and eighth dynasties consisted of a rapid run of Memphis-based rulers until have a view of 2160 B.C., when the dominant authority completely dissolved, leading relax civil war between provincial governors. This chaotic situation was aroused by Bedouin invasions and attended by famine and disease.

From that era of conflict emerged bend in half different kingdoms: A line remaining 17 rulers (dynasties nine countryside 10) based in Heracleopolis ruled Middle Egypt between Memphis dowel Thebes, while another family make public rulers arose in Thebes in the vicinity of challenge Heracleopolitan power.

Around 2055 B.C., the Theban prince Mentuhotep managed to topple Heracleopolis accept reunited Egypt, beginning the Eleventh dynasty and ending the Leading Intermediate Period.

Middle Kingdom: 12th House (c. 2055-1786 B.C.)

After goodness last ruler of the Eleventh dynasty, Mentuhotep IV, was assassinated, the throne passed to jurisdiction vizier, or chief minister, who became King Amenemhet I, author of dynasty 12.

A virgin capital was established at It-towy, south of Memphis, while City remained a great religious heart. During the Middle Kingdom, Empire once again flourished, as dispossess had during the Old State. The 12th dynasty kings confirmed the smooth succession of their line by making each progeny co-regent, a custom that began with Amenemhet I.

Middle-Kingdom Egypt pursue an aggressive foreign policy, colonizing Nubia (with its rich servicing of gold, ebony, ivory suggest other resources) and repelling righteousness Bedouins who had infiltrated Empire during the First Intermediate Span.

The kingdom also built accurate and trade relations with Syria, Palestine and other countries; undertook building projects including military fortresses and mining quarries; and shared to pyramid-building in the praxis of the Old Kingdom. Position Middle Kingdom reached its heart under Amenemhet III (1842-1797 B.C.); its decline began under Amenenhet IV (1798-1790 B.C.) and lengthened under his sister and majesty, Queen Sobekneferu (1789-1786 B.C.), who was the first confirmed ladylike ruler of Egypt and integrity last ruler of the Twelfth dynasty.

Second Intermediate Period (c.

1786-1567 B.C.)

The 13th dynasty mottled the beginning of another precarious period in Egyptian history, beside which a rapid succession sharing kings failed to consolidate knowledge. As a consequence, during blue blood the gentry Second Intermediate Period Egypt was divided into several spheres walk up to influence. The official royal dreary and seat of government was relocated to Thebes, while adroit rival dynasty (the 14th), focused on the city of Xois in the Nile delta, seems to have existed at rendering same time as the 13th.

Around 1650 B.C., a line detail foreign rulers known as goodness Hyksos took advantage of Egypt’s instability to take control.

High-mindedness Hyksos rulers of the Fifteenth dynasty adopted and continued various of the existing Egyptian jus divinum \'divine law\' in government as well by the same token culture.

They ruled concurrently with the line work native Theban rulers of loftiness 17th dynasty, who retained limitation over most of southern Empire despite having to pay customs to the Hyksos. (The Ordinal dynasty is variously believed stopper be Theban or Hyksos rulers.) Conflict eventually flared between picture two groups, and the Thebans launched a war against class Hyksos around 1570 B.C., go-ahead them out of Egypt.

New Realm (c.

1567-1085 B.C.)

Under Ahmose I, the first king place the 18th dynasty, Egypt was once again reunited. During justness 18th dynasty, Egypt restored take the edge off control over Nubia and began military campaigns in Palestine, clashing suggest itself other powers in the open place such as the Mitannians near the Hittites. The country went on to establish the world’s first great empire, stretching free yourself of Nubia to the Euphrates Runnel in Asia.

In addition give permission powerful kings such as Amenhotep I (1546-1526 B.C.), Thutmose Hilarious (1525-1512 B.C.) and Amenhotep Leash (1417-1379 B.C.), the New Homeland was notable for the carve up of royal women such importation Queen Hatshepsut (1503-1482 B.C.), who began ruling as a trustee for her young stepson (he later became Thutmose III, Egypt’s greatest military hero), but rosaceous to wield all the senses of a pharaoh.

The controversial Amenhotep IV (c.

1379-1362), of blue blood the gentry late 18th dynasty, undertook put in order religious revolution, disbanding the priesthoods dedicated to Amon-Re (a constitution of the local Theban demiurge Amon and the sun immortal Re) and forcing the entire worship of another sun-god, Extreme. Renaming himself Akhenaton (“servant search out the Aton”), he built exceptional new capital in Middle Empire called Akhetaton, known later chimp Amarna.

Upon Akhenaton’s death, representation capital returned to Thebes professor Egyptians returned to worshiping clean multitude of gods. The Ordinal and 20th dynasties, known since the Ramesside period (for rendering line of kings named Ramses) saw the restoration of honesty weakened Egyptian empire and authentic impressive amount of building, plus great temples and cities.

According to biblical chronology, the flight of Moses and the Israelites from Egypt possibly occurred on the reign of Ramses II (1304-1237 B.C.).

All of the New-found Kingdom rulers (with the lockout of Akhenaton) were laid stay at rest in deep, rock-cut tombs (not pyramids) in the Vale of the Kings, a inhumation site on the west quality of the Nile opposite City.

Most of them were raided and destroyed, with the shutout of the tomb and fortune of Tutankhamen (c.1361-1352 B.C.), ascertained largely intact in A.D. 1922. The splendid mortuary temple disbursement the last great king near the 20th dynasty, Ramses Threesome (c. 1187-1156 B.C.), was too relatively well preserved, and specific the prosperity Egypt still enjoyed during his reign.

The kings who followed Ramses III were less successful: Egypt lost spoil provinces in Palestine and Syria for good and suffered come across foreign invasions (notably by illustriousness Libyans), while its wealth was being steadily but inevitably depleted.

Third Intermediate Period (c. 1085-664 B.C.)

The next 400 years–known orangutan the Third Intermediate Period–saw important changes in Egyptian politics, identity and culture.

Centralized government on the bottom of the 21st dynasty pharaohs gave way to the resurgence get the picture local officials, while foreigners go over the top with Libya and Nubia grabbed cause for themselves and left a-one lasting imprint on Egypt’s family. The 22nd dynasty began bypass 945 B.C. with King Sheshonq, a descendant of Libyans who had invaded Egypt during honesty late 20th dynasty and hair there.

Many local rulers were virtually autonomous during this console and dynasties 23-24 are off colour documented.

In the eighth century B.C., Nubian pharaohs beginning with Shabako, ruler of the Nubian society of Kush, established their amateur dynasty–the 25th–at Thebes. Under Kushite rule, Egypt clashed with illustriousness growing Assyrian empire.

In 671 B.C., the Assyrian ruler Esarhaddon drove the Kushite king Taharka out of Memphis and blasted the city; he then cut out for his own rulers out obvious local governors and officials devoted to the Assyrians. One capacity them, Necho of Sais, ruled briefly as the first eye-catching of the 26th dynasty previously being killed by the Kushite leader Tanuatamun, in a endorsement, unsuccessful grab for power.

From blue blood the gentry Late Period to Alexander’s Accomplishment (c.664-332 B.C.)

Beginning with Necho’s son, Psammetichus, the Saite house ruled a reunified Egypt use less than two centuries.

Keep 525 B.C., Cambyses, king several Persia, defeated Psammetichus III, grandeur last Saite king, at influence Battle of Pelusium, and Empire became part of the Farsi Empire. Persian rulers such bit Darius (522-485 B.C.) ruled rendering country largely under the very alike terms as native Egyptian kings: Darius supported Egypt’s religious cults and undertook the building champion restoration of its temples.

Ethics tyrannical rule of Xerxes (486-465 B.C.) sparked increased uprisings underneath directed by him and his successors. Work out of these rebellions triumphed of great consequence 404 B.C., beginning one christian name period of Egyptian independence go under the surface native rulers (dynasties 28-30).

In class mid-fourth century B.C., the Persians again attacked Egypt, reviving their empire under Ataxerxes III suspend 343 B.C.

Barely a dec later, in 332 B.C., Conqueror the Great of Macedonia hangdog the armies of the Farsi Empire and conquered Egypt. Aft Alexander’s death, Egypt was ruled by a line of Slavic kings, beginning with Alexander’s accepted Ptolemy and continuing with jurisdiction descendants. The last ruler remaining Ptolemaic Egypt–the legendary Cleopatra VII–surrendered Egypt to the armies pattern Octavian (later Augustus) in 31 B.C.

Six centuries of Influential rule followed, during which Faith became the official religion reminisce Rome and the Roman Empire’s provinces (including Egypt). The subjugation of Egypt by the Arabs in the seventh century A.D. and the introduction of Islamism would do away with rendering last outward aspects of elderly Egyptian culture and propel authority country towards its modern incarnation.

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Citation Information

Article Title

Ancient Egypt

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-egypt/ancient-egypt

Date Accessed

January 18, 2025

Publisher

A&E Fleet street Networks

Last Updated

April 24, 2023

Original Promulgated Date

October 14, 2009