Ancient Egypt History

Egypt lies in northeast Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, the Sinai Peninsula and the Red Sea. Around 3000 BC, Egypt emerged from the twilight of prehistory as one country, united under the single rule of a divine king. Before that, it is generally assumed that the country was divided in two parts: the North or Lower-Egypt or the Nile-Delta, and the South, between the Delta and the first cataract, Upper-Egypt. The king is portrayed wearing the royal nemes headcloth, the royal beard and the double crown, symbolizing his rule over Upper and Lower Egypt. His mission is to united the Lands of Egypt and bring spiritual unity to the people. The pharaohs worshipped the gods. Most of the Pharaohs were men. In the 18th Dynasty Queen Hatshesut came into power, and again at the end of the 19th Dynasty, Queen Tausert ruled Egypt for two years. The exact lineage of the pharaohs in many cases, remains unknown. Most married within their families to keep the bloodlines pure. Pharaohs had many wives and many concubines. There generally was a main wife. Pharaohs came to rule at very young ages. Many were murdered, their exact fates unknown. Their favorite pastime - from the time they ascended the throne - was the building of huge burial monuments or pyramids - some of which are found in the valley of the Kings on the West bank of the Nile. In the Late Kingdom, chaos ruled, and Egypt fell to the Persians who remained in power until the Greco-Roman Period. This was the time of the Macedonian Kings and the Ptolemaic Dynasty which concluded with the last Pharaoh, the famous Cleopatra VII. She committed suicide on August 12, 30 BC at the age of 39 thus ending the are of the dynasties. The Roman Era would not take control of Egypt destroying much of the sacred monuments created through the centuries. It was as if one cycle of time was ending (BC) as another was about to emerge (AD). The face of reality, religion, and the world at large would never be the same Paleolithic Period Early Dynastic Old Kingdom First Intermediate Period Middle Kingdom Second Intermediate Period New Kingdom Third Intermediate Period Late Period Ptolemaic Dynasty Roman Period

Paleolithic Period Lower Paleolithic Middle Paleolithic Upper Paleolithic Epipaleolithic Period

Early Dynastic Predynastic (5500 - 3100 BC) 1st Dynasty (2920 - 2770 BC) 2nd Dynasty (2770 - 2650 BC)

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Old Kingdom 3rd Dynasty (2650 - 2575 BC) 4th Dynasty (2575 - 2467 BC) 5th Dynasty (2465 - 2323 BC) 6th Dynasty (2323 - 2152 BC)

Middle Kingdom 11th Dynasty (1986 - 1937 BC) 12th Dynasty (1937 - 1759 BC)

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New Kingdom 18th Dynasty (1539 - 1295 BC) 19th Dynasty (1295 - 1186 BC) 20th Dynasty (1186 - 1069 BC)

Third Intermediate Period 21st Dynasty (1070 - 945 BC) 22nd Dynasty (945 - 712 BC) 23rd Dynasty (828 - 725 BC) 24th Dynasty (725 - 715 BC) 25th Dynasty (712 - 657 BC)

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Late Period 26th Dynasty (664 - 525 BC) 27th Dynasty (525 - 404 BC) 28th Dynasty (404 - 399 BC) 29th Dynasty (399 - 380 BC) 30th Dynasty (380 - 343 BC) 31st Dynasty (343 - 332 BC)

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