SHORT HISTORY OF ANCIENT

EGYPT
By Tim Lambert
By 5,000 BC the people of Egypt had begun farming.
They also wove linen and made pottery. Later they
learned to use bronze. About 3,200 BC the Egyptians
invented writing. The first Egyptian in history was King
Menes aka Narmer who lived shortly before 3,100 BC.
At that time Egypt was divided into northern (lower)
Egypt and southern (upper Egypt). About 3118 Menes
managed to unite the two. He made Memphis his
capital. Ancient Egypt was a highly organized society.
The country was divided into 42 areas called nomes.
Each one was governed by nomarch. Farmers paid
part of their crops in taxes.
The first period of Egyptian history, which ended in
2181 BC is called the Old Kingdom. During it the
pharaohs built pyramids. The first pyramid, the step
pyramid was built by Zoser about 2665 BC. Others
were built by the following pharaohs Sneferu and
Khufu.
However central authority in Egypt eventually
weakened. After about 1281 BC Egypt split into parts
and there were civil wars between the rival areas. This
period of civil disorder is called the First Intermediate
Period and it lasted until 2055 BC. Finally, Mentuhotep
II succeeded in reuniting Egypt and he founded the
Middle Kingdom.
The Middle Kingdom lasted until 1650 BC. It was a
great period of art and literature in Egypt. Furthermore,
the pharaohs carried out successful military campaigns
and more pyramids were built. However, the Middle
Kingdom was followed by the Second Intermediate
Period. About 1650 Palestinian people called the
Hyksos seized power in northern Egypt. They ruled
from the city of Avaris. However native Egyptians
continued to rule southern Egypt and in 1550 BC they
drove out the Hyksos and reunited Egypt. So began the
New Kingdom. It lasted from 1550 to 1070 BC. During
this era, Egypt was rich and powerful once again. Egypt
controlled Nubia, the land to the south and invaded
Palestine and Syria. Meanwhile, great new temples
were built at Thebes and pharaohs were buried in the
Valley of the Kings. Then about 1364 BC, Akhenaten
became pharaoh. He worshiped only the sun god Aten.
However, his son Tutankhamen worshiped the old
gods.
The New Kingdom collapsed in 1070 and gave way to
another period of disunity. From this point, Egypt
declined and never recovered its former glory.
During the Third intermediate period Egypt split into two
halves, north and south. However, in 747 BC kings
from Nubia (the country south of Egypt) conquered
Egypt and restored unity. Yet in 525 BC the Persians
conquered Egypt. Then in 332, Alexander the Great
conquered it.
After Alexander's death his empire split into parts. A
Greek general called Ptolemy eventually took Egypt
and for about 300 years his Greek descendants ruled
Egypt. However, in 30 BC Egypt became a province of
the Roman Empire and ceased to be an independent
kingdom.
Meanwhile woman called Sobekneferu ruled Egypt
around 1800 BC. Later a woman named Hatshepsut
ruled Egypt c. 1479-1458 BC. Another woman, Twosret
ruled Egypt c. 1191-1189 BC.
However the real end of Ancient Egypt came with
Christianity. It reached Alexandria by 70 AD and spread
south by 180 AD. Christianity meant the end of the old
religion and so the end of Ancient Egyptian culture.
Many Egyptians believed that when it came to a death of their Pharaoh, they would have to bury the
Pharaoh deep inside the Pyramid

Religion
Religion plays a big role in the life of Egyptians, and it is intermingled with daily activities of
Muslims and Christians living in Egypt. You can see this clearly during Ramadan, Eids and
Christmas, where festive spirits are everywhere.

Mosques are around every corner, so walking down the streets of Egyptian cities, you can hear
the call to pray during the five prayer times per day.

Although Egyptians use the Western calendar, they refer to the Islamic calendar for Islamic
religious holidays, and Ramadan is the most important month in the year. During this month,
Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, focusing on praying and doing charity work. Streets and
homes are decorated to celebrate the occasion and special meals are prepared.

• 3,100 BC

- The first Egyptian king in history was King Menes aka Narmer.

• 1,540 BC

- 1st female pharaoh of Egypt was Hatu Shepsu. She ruled Egypt for 4 years.

• 332 BC

- Alexander the Great conquered Egypt and adapted their beliefs.

• 356 BC

- Cleopatra was the last ruler of Egypt before it was annexed as a province of Rome.
Cleopatra ruled Egypt after the death of Alexander the Great.

• 1805

- the start of modernization. Muhammad Ali is the pharaoh who modernized Egypt.
Hatshepsut- Her rule was relatively peaceful and she was able to
launch a building program that would see the construction of a great
temple at Deir el-Bahari at Luxor.

Alexander the Great- in the autumn of 332 bc he conquered Egypt, an

event that marked the beginning of the Greek period in Egyptian
history.

Cleopatra- Cleopatra is one of the best-known women in history,

famed for her supposed beauty and intellect, and her love affairs with
Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. She was a popular ruler among the
people of Egypt both because she embraced the Egyptian culture and
because the country was prosperous during her rule.
Zoser- he was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the 3rd dynasty during
the Old Kingdom and the founder of this epoch. He ruled Egypt for 19
years.
Muhammad Ali- founder of the dynasty that ruled Egypt from the
beginning of the 19th century to the middle of the 20th century.
Muhammad Ali's goal was for Egypt to leave the Ottoman Empire and
be ruled by his own hereditary dynasty, to do that he had to recognize
the Egyptian society.
Concubine- a woman who lives with a man but has lower status than
his wife or wives. In other words mistress.