Printable version

EGYPT

Regional Studies ● atlasofworldhistory.com

Two Kingdoms [3000]. Two kingdoms arose along the Nile River, one in the north in the delta region and the other in the south along the river banks. Too little rain fell to support crops, but early summer rains usually caused the Nile River to overflow and made farming possible. Famines occurred in years when there was not enough flooding.

Hieroglyphic writing. Hieroglyphs [before 3000] were picture-symbols that represented objects and actions and syllabic sounds.

Egypt united [2850, Dynasties 1-2]. The river kingdom [under King Narmer] conquered the delta kingdom and built a new capital at Memphis. Each city had its own gods. The god of the sky [Horus, depicted as a hawk] was worshipped at Memphis.

Old Egypt [2650, Dynasties 3-4]. The kings grew rich and built expensive pyramids, temples, and monuments.

Great pyramids. The pyramids served as tombs of kings. The three largest pyramids, all built in the same location [2500], were named one of the 'Seven Wonders' of the ancient world.

Great Sphinx. The great sphinx [2500] has the body of a lion and the head of a man. Other sphinxes have ram or hawk heads to honor popular gods.

Decline [2450, Dynasties 5-6]. The kings used so many resources building pyramids and monuments that they began to depend on the support of the priests. Religious groups were wealthy because they owned farmland.

Divided [2315, Dynasties 7-10]. The last king of Old Egypt began to rule as a child and remained in power for more than 90 years. After his death regional wars divided Egypt and hurt its economy.

Reunited [2134, Dynasty 11]. The ruler of Thebes conquered other cities and reunited Egypt. The sun god [Amun], the city god of Thebes, became the most important god.

Middle Egypt [1991, Dynasty 12]. Swamps near the capital were drained and converted to farmland. Irrigation helped make this farmland more dependable than land along the river. Fewer famines occurred. The capital was moved closer to the new farmland. The rulers built a strong army and took part of Nubia [1887].

Weak [1785, Dynasties 13-14]. Regional wars divided Egypt. Prosperity declined.

North under Hyksos [1678, Dynasties 15-16]. The Hyksos, who came from Syria, conquered northern Egypt without a battle. The Egyptians disliked the Hyksos, partly because the Hyksos worshipped a storm god [Seth], instead of Egypt's sun god [Amun].

New Kingdom at Thebes [1570, Dynasties 17-18]. Thebes drove the Hyksos out of Egypt. This victory inspired Egypt to enlarge its army and to expand into Nubia, Palestine, and Syria. Kings built many temples and monuments and began to use the title, pharaoh.

Obelisk. The New Kingdom rulers created large obelisks to commemorate events and honor the sun god [1500]. Smaller obelisks had been used for more than 1000 years to mark burial places.

New Kingdom at Amarna [1379, Dynasty 18]. A pharaoh [Akhenaten] became more interested in religion than in running a kingdom. He imposed monotheism by replacing Egypt's many gods with a sun god [Aton] and built a new capital city [Amarna]. Syria broke away without a battle. His successor [Tutankhamun, 'King Tut', 1333/1324] restored the worship of the older gods and moved the capital back to Thebes.

New Kingdom at Tanis [1320]. Egypt recovered Palestine and southern Syria, but was unable to defeat the Hittites in northern Syria [1298, Qadesh].

Peoples of the Sea attack [1180, Dynasties 19-20]. Bands of raiders ['peoples of the sea'] moved across Greece, Asia Minor, and Syria destroying cities and causing a dark age. They attacked Egypt, but were driven away. Egypt was weakened, but did not fall into a dark age.

Egypt divided [1065, Dynasty 21]. Pharaohs continued to rule at Tanis. Priests formed a new capital at Thebes.

North African rulers [935, Dynasties 22, 23, 24]. Three centers of power emerged. North Africans seized northern Egypt [935]. Native Egyptians ruled at Thebes [820] and Sais [759].

Under Nubia [715, Dynasty 25]. Nubia invaded Egypt and established a capital at Thebes.

Under Assyria [671]. Assyria took northern Egypt [671] and then central Egypt [663, Thebes]. Nubia abandoned southern Egypt.

Saite Revival [655, Dynasty 26]. The Assyrians appointed the governor of the city of Sais as ruler of Egypt. He broke away from Assyria and encouraged a revival of Old Kingdom culture ['Saite Revival'].

Wars with Babylon [605]. After Egypt fought several wars with Babylon [605/587] a new leader [Amasis] seized power and ruled for 44 years.

Under Persia [525, Dynasty 27]. Persia defeated Egypt [525, under Cambyses]. The Persians demanded heavy taxes, but improved Egypt's economy. Persia helped the Egyptians complete a canal from the Nile River to the Red Sea. This made trade easier between ports in the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean.

Egypt Independent [404, Dynasties 28-30]. Egypt broke away from Persia [404].

Under Persia [343, Dynasty 31]. Persia recovered Egypt [343] and treated the Egyptians harshly.

Under Alexander [332]. Alexander the Great decided to free Egypt from the Persians. The Egyptians viewed him as a liberator from Persian oppression and allowed his army to enter their country without opposition. Alexander formed a new government, built a new capital [Alexandria], and then attacked Persia.

Ptolemy [323]. After Alexander's death [323] his generals divided the empire. Ptolemy ruled Egypt.

Wars with Seleucids [285]. Ptolemy's successors ruled at Alexandria for nearly 300 years. They wanted to expand into Syria and fought five wars with the Seleucids, who were also successors of Alexander. Egypt took some locations in Syria, but was unable to keep them.

Pharos Lighthouse. The lighthouse at Alexandria [275] used a large mirror to form a beam that could be seen far at sea. One of the 'seven wonders' of the ancient world, the lighthouse was destroyed by earthquakes [1303 and 1323].

Measuring the earth. A librarian in Alexandria [Eratostenes] learned that at noon on a certain day the sun was straight overhead because its light fell to the bottom of a well. On the same day the sun was not directly overhead at Alexandria and cast a shadow. By comparing the angle of the shadow and the distance to the well, he calculated the earth's diameter with remarkable accuracy, an outstanding accomplishment in mathematics [240].

Rosetta Stone. An inscription [196] on a stone was repeated using three forms of writing: Egyptian hieroglyphics, Egyptian script [demotic], and Greek. The stone, found near the town of Rosetta [1799] enabled a scholar to read hieroglyphics whose meaning had been forgotten [Champollion, 1822].

Greek Influence [195]. Ptolemy's successors continued to rule at Alexandria. Greeks, not native Egyptians, they were more concerned about local Greek affairs, than national Egyptian needs. Their Greek culture continued to influence Egypt.

Under Rome [48]. Cleopatra, the last Ptolemy to rule Egypt, tried to increase Egypt's power by helping one Roman general [Antony] defeat another [Octavius]. Cleopatra committed suicide after the general she supported lost [31, Actium]. Rome took control of Egypt [30].

Under East Rome [359]. Rome grew weaker. Egypt became part of East Rome [395] and then Byzantium.

Muslim Rule [640]. Arab Muslims conquered Egypt [640]. Their successors, the Sunni Umayyads [661/750] and Sunni Abbasids [750/862], continued to control Egypt.

Tulinids [870]. The Abbasid leader appointed a Mamluke military officer as governor of Egypt. Mamlukes were Turkic slaves who were given an education and a position as an army officer. Egypt became an independent Muslim state by not paying taxes to the Abbasid caliph [868/892, Tulunids]. Tulinid Egypt gained control of Syria [878].

Under Abbasids [905]. The Sunni Abbasid ruler at Bagdhad recovered Egypt [905].

Ikshidids [935]. Under the Sunni Ikshidids, Egypt broke away from the Abbasids [935/969]. The leader of a Syrian city took Egypt's Syrian possessions [946], but was unable to conquer Egypt [950]. Makuria, a successor to Nubia, attacked southern Egypt [950].

Under Fatimids [969]. The Shia Fatimids expanded from Tunisia into Egypt [969] and moved their capital to Cairo. They established a House of Knowledge at Cairo, which became a center of learning in the Muslim World.

Copies permitted for students [non-commercial use]. Please email corrections and additions to suggestions@atlasofworldhistory.com