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Ancient Egypt
Early Egypt
• Sedentary agriculture began as early
as ~8000 BCE.
• Due to scarcity of water, irrigation
was very important.
• Water was withheld as punishment
• By 3000 BCE mathematics and the
calendar had been developed to keep
track of seasons.
Early Egypt
• By 3000 BCE, a pictogram form of
writing, hieroglyphics had been
developed.
• Organized religion emerged. Chief
gods included:
– Ra-God of Sun
– Osiris-God of Earth, Fertilizing Water,
Death
– Set(h)-God of Desert, Warfare,
Foreigners.
Old Kingdom
• The Old Kingdom was a period from
2700 to 2200 BCE
• King Menes was credited with uniting
upper and lower Egypt into one
nation.
• He became the first pharaoh, though
pharaoh was not a term the Egyptians
used.
Old Kingdom
• The pharaohs were considered divine
rulers and made the world function.
– They had the responsibility of making
sure the sun rose.
– They threw a note into the Nile
demanding that it flood every year.
– They ceremonially plowed the first earth
of the season ensuring a good harvest.
Old Kingdom
• During the Old Kingdom there was a
strong belief in the afterlife.
• However, the afterlife was reserved
for pharaohs, their families, and their
servants.
• Pyramids, especially the great
pyramids of Khufu, Kafre, and
Menkaure were built as tombs for the
Pharaohs.
Old Kingdom
• Toward the end of the Old Kingdom,
the power of the Pharaoh decreased.
• There was a rise of the priest class and
a larger bureaucracy.
• Pharaohs gave away land and
hereditary titles.
• This decentralized power.
Middle Kingdom
• The Middle Kingdom was a period
from 2050 to 1750 BCE
• Strong pharaohs restored classic
culture.
• Laws were codified, not from the
word of the pharaohs.
• There were more public works such as
dams and reclamation projects.
Foreign Invasion
• Egypt was controlled by foreigners
known as the Hyksos from 1750 to
1550 BCE.
• The Hyksos used chariots, horses, and
armor to defeat the Egyptians.
• The Hebrews came with the Hyksos to
Egypt.
New Kingdom
• The New Kingdom was a period from
1550 to 1100 BCE.
• Strong pharaohs such as Ramses (?)
expelled the Hyksos.
• It was during this time that the
Hebrews were enslaved.
• The divinity of the pharaohs was
reduced to a symbolic divinity.
And Beyond…
• After the New Kingdom, Egypt was
conquered many times.
• First by the Assyrians, then the
Persians, then the Greeks.
• After Egypt was conquered by
Alexander the Great, the Ptolemies
ruled Egypt.
• Cleopatra was the last Ptolemy who
lost power when the Romans
conquered Egypt in 30 BCE.
Dif. Than Meso.
• Egypt was more predictable than
Mesopotamia.
• Egypt was isolated geographically.
• Egyptian culture based on the
regularity of the Nile.
• Religion was more predictable and
focused on the after life.
To Remember
• Egyptian culture based on
maintenance.
• Pharaoh supreme in Old Kingdom
• Rise of priest reduced power of the
pharaoh.
• After Middle Kingdoms, many
invaders; only military pharaohs
successful.