ANCIENT
EGYPT
Ancient
Egypt - the Archaic Period and Old Kingdom :
Egypt
is one of the oldest countries in the world. Mesopotamia was a region
separated into independent city-states. Mesopotamia was only united
by warfare as an empire. The people of Egypt were united, and accepted
the rule of one person, called pharaoh. Pharaoh is a Greek word
that means "great house."
Herodotus,
an ancient Greek historian, visited Egypt and called it, "The
Gift of the Nile." Without the Nile and its annual flooding,
which deposited silt on the banks of the river, Egypt would be nothing
more than a desert, unable to maintain a civilization.
The
Archaic Period (3100-2649 BC) :
![](map-of-ancient-egypt.jpg)
Upper
and Lower Egypt
During the earliest history of Egypt, called the Archaic Period,
Egypt was separated into two lands: Upper and Lower Egypt, each
with its own king. This can be confusing when we look at a map,
because Lower Egypt is at the top of the map, while Upper Egypt
is at the bottom. This is because the Nile River flows from the
high land in the south to the low land in the north. The Nile is
one of the few rivers to flow north, the other that comes to mind
is our own Genesee River.
We
have very few records from the Archaic period, but one account tells
of a king of Upper Egypt named Menes. Menes sent an army down the
Nile and defeated the king of Lower Egypt in battle. In this way
Menes united the two kingdoms. Unification means the joining together
of two separate parts, in the case, the two kingdoms.
Menes,
sometimes known as Narmer, became the first pharaoh. He set up his
new capital of the united Egypt in the city of Memphis in Lower
Egypt. The city of Memphis, Tennessee is named after Memphis, Egypt.
During the Archaic Period the Egyptians developed a system of writing
we call Hieroglyphics. Hieroglyphics come from Greek words meaning
"sacred writings."
The
Old Kingdom (2649-2150 BC) - The Time of Pyramid Building :
Kingdom
periods in ancient Egyptian history were times when the people of
Lower and Upper Egypt were unified under the rule of a single pharaoh.
Kingdoms were also periods when Egypt reached peaks in achievements.
During kingdoms it was not uncommon for one family to rule for many
years. The rule was passed on from father to son and then to grandson,
this is called a dynasty. A dynasty is a succession of rulers from
the same family. Dynasties Three through Six made up the rulers
of the Old Kingdom.
Ancient
Egyptians believed in many gods and goddesses, they also believed
in life after death. The Egyptians believed that, when they died,
their spirit needed to recognize their body in the after-life. Most
Egyptians were buried in pits in the desert sands, in this way the
body was naturally dried and mummified. In pit burials, the body
would be recognized by the spirit.
![](300px-mastaba_schematics_svg.jpg)
The
mudbrick mastaba acts as a marker, the burial chambers are below
ground
Important Egyptians were buried in a mastaba. Mastaba is an Arabic
word that means "bench of mud." A Mastaba is a bench-like
structure made from mudbrick, marking the grave site, with a crypt
underneath to hold the body and materials needed for the after-life.
Bodies buried within crypts were cut off from the dry desert air.
These bodies needed artificial mummification. Egyptians devised
a means of drying and preserving bodies before burial, otherwise
the body would decompose within the crypt.
One
of the pharaohs of the Old Kingdom was Pharaoh Djoser. Djoser ruled
from about 2630-2611 BC. Djoser belonged to the family that ruled
in Dynasty III (Three), in other words, the third family to rule
as pharaohs. Djoser wanted his tomb to be the grandest ever built
in Egypt. Djoser wanted something different from the mastaba burials
of former pharaohs. Djoser's architect, named Imhotep, came up with
a grand idea. Imhotep decided to stack one mastaba on top of another,
with each additional story of the tomb slightly smaller than the
last. Unlike mastabas of the past, Imhotep used stone for his construction.
This structure became Egypt's first Pyramid, called the Step-Pyramid
(located at Sakkara, see map above), because of its shape. It resembles
a Mesopotamian ziggurat, and some people believe Imhotep got his
idea from the Sumerians, but unlike Sumerian ziggurats, Imhotep's
structure was made from stone. Imhotep created Djoser's burial chamber
below the ground of the Step-Pyramid.
![](inhotep.jpg)
Imhotep
shows pharaoh Djoser plans for the Step-Pyramid, a stone structure
that stacked one mastaba on top of another
The Old Kingdom was the time when the Egyptians build most of their
pyramids. Pharaohs would commission the building of these great
monuments so that they would be ready for the pharaoh's after-life.
Pyramid comes from a Greek word that means "wheat cakes."
When Alexander the Great, a Greek-speaker, came to Egypt with his
army, his soldiers marvelled at the sight of the pyramids. They
called them pyramis, because they resembled the same shape as the
pyramis, a pointy-topped wheat cake baked in their homeland.
After
Djoser, Pharaoh Snefru (reign 2575-2551) of Dynasty IV (Four) was
the next great pyramid builder. Snefru commissioned the building
of not one, but three pyramids. The first is called the Maidum pyramid,
it is named for its location in Egypt. Snefru abandoned this pyramid
after the outside casing fell off of the pyramid. The Maidum pyramid
was the first to have an above-ground burial chamber.
Next,
Snefru built the Bent Pyramid. The Bent Pyramid is named for its
shape. The Pyramid started with a steep angle and about half-way
to the top, it was built with a less severe angle, giving it a bent
shape. Snefru must have been disappointed with this pyramid, because
he set out to build another.
Snefru's
final attempt was his best effort. Many consider the Red Pyramid
(Shining Pyramid), built by Snefru, to be the perfect pyramid. It
is not Egypt's largest, but it certainly is very pleasing to the
eye.
The
last pyramid builder from the Old Kingdom we will study is Pharaoh
Khufu. Khufu (reign 2551-2528) of Dynasty IV (Four), also known
as Cheops, created the largest pyramid in Egypt, called the Great
Pyramid. The Great Pyramid, along with the pyramids of Khufu's son,
and grandson, still stand in Giza, just outside of the modern Egyptian
city of Cairo.
After
all of their efforts, pharaohs realized that pyramids were too expensive
and time-consuming to build, they also gave tomb-robbers an exact
location of the pharaohs burial along with his treasures. All of
these pyramids have been robbed through the ages.
![](pyramidworkers.jpg)
Farmers
harvest fields of grain as pyramids glisten in the background
![](2.jpg)
Canopic
Jars
![](1.jpg)
Riverboat
Model
![](3.jpg)
Sailboat
Model
Ancient
Egyptian History -The Middle Kingdom :
The
First Intermediate Period (2150-1975 BC) :
An
intermediate period in ancient Egyptian history is a time when no
one person or family ruled all of Egypt. Intermediate means to come
in-between, in this case, between two kingdoms. During the first
Intermediate Period, two families fought for control of Egypt. During
this time, Egyptian scribes write about a time when there were,
"70 kings in 70 days." This may seem to be an exaggeration,
however, it tells of a time of unrest and a lack of continuous leadership.
The
Middle Kingdom (1975-1640 BC) :
![](4.jpg)
The
Faiyum is an oasis located west of the Nile in Lower Egypt
Mentuhotep II is considered the founder of the Middle Kingdom. Mentuhotep
II was part of Dynasty XI (11), which ruled Upper Egypt from the
city of Thebes. He defeated the last of the rulers of the Dynasty
X, who ruled Lower Egypt, and re-unified all of Egypt. Mentuhotep
II wore the Double Crown of Egypt, which represented the unification
of Upper and Lower Egypt. Thebes, a city in Upper Egypt, became
the capital city of the pharaohs of the Middle Kingdom.
The
Middle Kingdom was a time of achievements for the ancient Egyptians.
Art took on new styles and techniques, like the block style, where
art was produced from large blocks of stone. Irrigation projects
at the Faiyum, a large oasis on the west bank of the Nile in Lower
Egypt, increased harvests. An oasis is a fresh water source in a
desert. The Faiyum is not actually an oasis, because, though it
is in the desert, its water comes directly from the Nile.
![](img3.jpg)
The
Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor
Egyptians used writing before the Middle Kingdom for record keeping
and honoring the gods and goddesses. In the Middle Kingdom, Egyptians
used writing to tell stories. One of the most famous stories from
this period is the Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor. The story is
about a ship's captain who has returned from an unsuccessful trading
mission. One of his crew tells the captain a personal experience
of being the only survivor of a previous sea voyage and shipwreck.
He tells the captain to feel lucky that he is alive and that he
will see his wife and children. The captain however is worried about
facing the pharaoh after his unsuccessful voyage.
Second
Intermediate Period 1640-1550 BC :
The
Second Intermediate Period was a time, once again, when Upper and
Lower Egypt were divided. This time, however, Lower Egypt was invaded
and ruled by a group of people from Western Asia known as the Hyksos.
Hyksos in Egyptian means "rulers from a foreign land."
The
Egyptians always felt safe from foreign invasions, so safe, that
they never placed walls around their cities. Egypt always relied
on its natural walls: the deserts to the east and west, and the
cataracts, or waterfalls, in the Nile to the south. These natural
defenses kept armies and navies from invading.
In
addition, Egypt's army was not equipped with bronze weapons, relying
instead on copper weapons. Egyptian soldiers wore no armor. Again,
with no need to fear foreign invasion, why should pharaoh up-grade
his weapons and army? After all, Egypt had had very little contact
with outside people.
![](imagescaq4rvjq.jpg)
The
Hyksos invade Lower Egypt, with chariots, horses and bronze weapons
All of this changed when the Hyksos, most likely a multi-ethnic
group from Western Asia, stormed through the Sinai Desert on swift
war chariots. We are not sure why the Hyksos left their lands and
invaded Egypt. One theory is that there was crop failure and famine
in their lands. The Egyptians had never seen war chariots. Horses
were not common in Egypt. With their superior bronze weapons, and
powerful composite bows, the Hyksos quickly conquered Lower Egypt.
The
Hyksos established their capital in a city called Avaris, on the
east bank of the Nile delta. For about one hundred years the Hyksos
ruled Lower Egypt, but the Hyksos were unable to keep control in
Upper Egypt. In Upper Egypt, rulers from the city of Thebes revolted
against Hyksos rule, and drove the Hyksos out of Lower Egypt. The
Hyksos people spoke Semitic languages. During this time, the Hebrews,
also Semitic, migrated to Lower Egypt, and were welcome by the Hyksos.
![](map_hyksos.gif)
The
Hyksos Kingdom, notice the cataracts to the south on the Nile River
During the Second Intermediate period, both the Hyksos and the Egyptians
took on the ways of each other's culture. This a called assimilation.
The Hyksos kings called themselves pharaohs and wore the double
crown of Egypt. The Hyksos began to write in hieroglyphics and worship
Egyptian gods.
Meanwhile,
to the south in Upper Egypt, the rulers of Thebes studied and copied
the superior weapons of the Hyksos, captured and bred horses, and
readied themselves for the day they would take back Lower Egypt.
The
Hyksos had a lasting effect on the Egyptians. Egypt improved its
army and weapons, they bred horses and added war chariots. The Hyksos
also introduced new musical instruments to the Egyptians, like the
tambourine and oboe.
When
they were ready, Kamose, of Thebes, sailed down the Nile with an
army and attacked the Hyksos. unfortunately, Kamose was killed in
battle. Kamose's next-in-command and brother, named Ahmose, finally
drove the Hyksos out of Egypt. We will learn more about Ahmose,
in the next chapter on the New Kingdom.
The
New Kingdom 1550-1100 BC (Part One) :
Dynasty
XVIII (18) :
As
we learned in the last chapter, Kamose of Thebes began the revolt
against Hyksos rule. Kamose sent an army down the Nile to attack
the Hyksos in Lower Egypt. Though he was killed in battle, his brother,
Ahmose, drove the Hyksos across the desert and out of Egypt. Ahmose
is considered the founder of the New kingdom, as Egypt, once again,
was united under the rule of one king. Ahmose is also the first
king of Dynasty XVIII (18).
Time
of the Warrior Pharaohs :
![](500px-egypt_1450_bc_svg.png)
Tuthmosis
I was the first pharaoh to reach the Euphrates River, which he interestingly
named "The River that runs backwards"
The New Kingdom of Egypt was the time of the warrior pharaohs. After
the Hyksos invasion, Egyptians realized that the desert borders
no longer offered protection. The pharaohs of the New Kingdom were
determined to protect their land at any cost. The pharaohs of the
New Kingdom modernized their armies. The capital of Egypt was moved
to Thebes in Upper Egypt, far away from possible attacks from the
northeast. Pharaohs of this time period went on the offensive, attacking
areas outside of Egypt. When pharaohs went to war, they wore the
blue crown into battle. The idea behind the Egyptian empire was
to create a buffer zone of people who had to pay tribute to the
pharaoh. This buffer zone lay in between Egypt and other powerful
people like the Hittites and Assyrians. With the buffer zone, enemy
armies would first have to march into the buffer zone (also known
as a march) before they reached Egypt. In this chapter, we will
learn about two of these warrior pharaohs, and their military conquests.
Valley
of the Kings :
Another
aspect of the New Kingdom was a change in the way that pharaohs
in this period were buried. As you remember from earlier chapters,
pharaohs had been buried under, or within, pyramids. These monuments
proved costly and offered little protection against grave robbers.
In fact, pyramids encouraged robbers by showing the location of
the pharaoh's burial. During the New Kingdom, pharaohs were buried
on the west side of the Nile, across from the city of Thebes. These
cliffs provided excellent camouflage, making it more difficult for
thieves to find the pharaoh's burial. This area became known as
the Valley of the Kings.
Hatshepsut,
the Queen who became King :
![](18familytree.gif)
Dynasty
Eighteen
Hatshepsut was the daughter of pharaoh Tuthmosis I, a warrior pharaoh
who conquered Nubia, a land to the south of Egypt, and attacked
Syria (see map on this page). When Tuthmosis I died, the throne
passed to his son, Tuthmosis II, who married his half-sister, Hatshepsut.
This was very common in royal Egyptian marriages. The pharaoh had
one royal wife, and many minor wives, this assured at least one
son to carry on the family dynasty. Hatshepsut was the daughter
of the royal wife, Tuthmosis II was the son of a minor wife.
Unlike
his father, Tuthmosis II was a weak king, who suffered from sickness
and disease. Surprisingly, he had a son from a minor wife, and a
daughter by Hatshepsut, his royal wife. Tuthmosis II died when his
son was very young, it was the job of Hatshepsut, the boy's aunt,
to act as regent. It was not unusual for a woman to rule Egypt as
a regent, as many had done in the past. What makes Hatshepsut an
interesting personality is that just before Tuthmosis III was old
enough to rule on his own, Hatshepsut declared herself pharaoh,
or king of the land around 1503 BC.
![](imagescaxtsbez.jpg)
Deir
el Bahari
Hatshepsut wore the clothes of the pharaoh, and even attached the
pharaoh's false beard to her chin. A possible explanation is that
Hatshepsut enjoyed ruling Egypt as a regent, and did not want to
lose control and step down. Hatshepsut's reign was successful. She
increased trade with areas south of Egypt, like Punt, a kingdom
rich in resources. Hatshepsut's building projects were some of the
most impressive in Egypt, including Deir el Bahari, Hatshepsut's
mortuary temple. Although Hatshepsut was not a warrior pharaoh,
there is some evidence that she led armies on a war chariot. Since
she was successful, the Egyptian people accepted her continuing
reign. Tuthmosis III would have to wait to become pharaoh.
![](hatbeard.jpg)
A
likeness of Hatshepsut wearing the pharaonic beard
Hatshepsut was one of the most successful pharaohs of Egypt. Under
her reign, Egypt enjoyed a period of peace and prosperity. When
Hatshepsut died, her nephew, Tuthmosis III, took the throne.
Tuthmosis
III :
Like
his grandfather, Tuthmosis III was a warrior pharaoh. During the
reign of Hatshepsut, many of the kings in the buffer zone refused
to pay their annual tribute. Tuthmosis III set out with an army
to force these kings to pay again. Two of these kings were the king
of Kadesh and the king of Megiddo. These kings, along with others,
decided to pay tribute to the Hittites to the north, and not the
Egyptians. Megiddo was an important city in Canaan at the crossroads
of important trade routes. Tuthmosis set out from Egypt to attack
Megiddo, where armies of those who refused to pay him tribute had
assembled.
The
Battle of Megiddo, 1479 BC :
The
Battle of Megiddo is one of the first battles to have an eye-witness
account. Pharaoh Tuthmosis III brought along a scribe to write down
the events of the battle. These writings have survived to this day,
and so, we can read from this primary source of the battle.
![](megiddo1.jpg)
Map
of Megiddo and roads
One of the interesting parts of the battle was the route Pharaoh
Tuthmosis III decided to take to Megiddo, where the enemy armies
waited. There were three ways to get to Megiddo, an area covered
with mountains. One route was the north road, the other the south
road. Both of these roads were heavily guarded by the king of Megiddo
with large armies. The other route was a narrow mountain pass, only
wide enough for soldiers walking in single file. The Egyptians would
have to carry their war chariots, and lead the horses through this
dangerous pass.
The
route Tuthmosis III chose tells us something about his personality.
He told his army that he would lead them through the narrow mountain
pass, called the Aruna Pass. This was not only dangerous to walk,
but the Egyptians could easily be ambushed from the steep sides
of the pass.
Tuthmosis
III surprised the enemy by taking the Aruna Pass, he would have
had a complete and swift victory, had his soldiers not stopped in
the enemy camp to steal the values left behind. This gave the enemy
army time to enter the city and and close the gates. Tuthmosis waited
out a months-long siege, until finally the kings in the city surrendered.
Tuthmosis III gathered many valuables from the city and brought
them back to Egypt. Tuthmosis III was particularly proud of this
victory and bragged about his accomplishment.
Akhenaten,
the Pharaoh who practiced Monotheism :
Pharaoh
Akhenaten's reign began around 1379 BC. Akhenaten's royal wife was
Nefertiti, whom he loved very dearly. Poems from Akhenaten to Nefertiti
have survived, and reveal how much he loved her.
![](aten_disk.jpg)
Amarna
Art showing Akhenaten, Neretiti, and the Aten
Akhenaten is sometimes called the world's first individual. When
he became pharaoh, his royal name became Amenhotep IV. In this name,
you can see the god Amen (Amun) mentioned. Amun was the most important
god during the New Kingdom. Akehanten's father was pharaoh Amenhotep
III. Amenhotep IV felt that the Aten, the sun-disc god, was the
most important god, he changed his name to Akhenaten (one who worships
the Aten). Thebes was a city with temples to many gods and goddesses,
especially Amun. Akhenaten built a new city north of Thebes with
art and temples dedicated only to Aten. The city was called Akhentaten
(The city of Aten); many of his followers joined him in Akhentaten,
however, most Egyptians were uncomfortable with Akhenaten's new
religion. They were not willing to give up the other gods and goddesses.
Akhenaten
also developed a new style of art. Amarna Art, shows Akhenaten and
his family in relaxed poses. There are family portraits of pharaoh
and his family that have survived. Before Akhenaten, art was only
used to glorify the gods, or to brag about pharaoh's military accomplishments.
Pharaoh was always seen as muscular and strong, but this is not
the case in Amarna Art, though the Aten is always clearly present.
Tutankhamun
- the Boy King :
King
Tut
Pharaoh Tutankhamun (King Tut) succeeded Akhenaten, he was the son
of Akhenaten. Originally known as Tutanhkaten (living image of Aten),
he changed his name to Tutankhamun, and brought back the Amum as
chief god, along with the other gods and goddesses. The short-lived
religion of his father, Akhenaten, came to an end. Thebes was once
again the capital of ancient Egypt.
Tut
died at around age 19. He was buried in the Valley of the Kings.
In 1922, Howard Carter, and English archaeologist, discovered Tut's
tomb and its treasures. Though thousands of years had passed, robbers
did not find the tomb, though evidence showed they had come close.
Tut's death mask has become one of the most recognized artifacts
from this king who ruled almost 3,500 years ago.
The
New Kingdom - Part Two and the Age of Decline :
In this chapter, we will learn about two pharaohs, one from Dynasty
XIX (19) and the other from Dynasty XX (20). These two men were
the last great leaders of ancient Egypt. After the rule of these
kings, Egypt went into an age of decline. The country was attacked
and conquered by various people, until finally, Egypt became part
of the Roman Empire.
Ramses II (the Great) Pharaoh of Dynasty XIX (19) :
![](326px-maler_der_grabkammer_der_nefertari_004.jpg)
A fresco of Nefertari on the walls of her tomb, built by
her husband Ramses II
Ramses II, also known as the Great, is one of the most talked about
pharaohs of ancient Egypt. Ramses II reigned for 67 years, lived
to an incredible age of almost 100 years, and had almost one hundred
children. Many of his sons predeceased their father, never having
the chance to rule themselves. Ramses II had many wives, but his
favorite, and most famous, was Nefertari. When Nefertari died, Ramses
II had a beautiful burial chamber made for her, complete with frescoes
on the walls and ceiling.
In the tradition of the warrior pharaohs, Ramses II is known for
his military campaigns. Ramses II built a new capital on the east
bank of the Nile delta called Pi-Ramesses (House of Ramses' great
victories). From this capital, Ramses built war equipment, and was
within striking distance of Syria, where he had many battles, the
most famous being the Battle of Kadesh.
Ramses II battles the Hittites at Kadesh (Qadesh) 1279
BC) :
The Battle of Kadesh was fought on war chariots, it was most likely
the largest chariot battle of all time. Kadesh was an important
city at the border of the Egyptian and Hittite Empires. We have
talked about the Hittites before. The Hittites were iron-makers,
who had raided the city of Babylon in the 1500s BC. Now they had
a mighty empire and there was tension between the two empires at
the border city of Kadesh, which had just changed its loyalty from
Egypt to the Hittites.
![](480px-hitt_egypt_perseus.png)
On this map you can see Kadesh (Qadesh) along with Pi-Ramesses,
the new capital of Ramses II. Hattusa was the capital of the Hittite
Empire (red area)
Ramses II set out with three divisions of chariots to Kadesh. This
was an interesting battle, in that the Hittites crossed the Orontes
River into Egyptian territory and came upon one division of Egyptian
chariots by complete surprise. There was much confusion in the battle
as the Egyptians continued on to their camp, with the Hittite chariots
in pursuit. The Hittites attacked the Egyptian camp. Ramses II was
lucky to escape the camp alive, with his two pet lions. The Hittites,
rather than pursuing the fleeing Egyptians, stayed to rob any items
left behind in the Egyptian camp. This was a mistake. The third
Egyptian chariot division, which had not fought, attacked the Hittites
and chased them back over the Orontes River. The river was deeper
at this crossing, and many Hittites drowned in the river.
Ramses II boasted back home about his great victory over the Hittites,
when in fact, there was no clear winner to this battle; both sides
suffered heavy causalities, and no territory was lost or gained
by either side. These details meant nothing to Ramses II, he did
everything possible to inflate his big ego.
One important moment in history to come from this battle was a peace
treaty signed by both Ramses II and the Hittite king. It was written
both in cuneiform, and hieroglyphics. The treaty has survived to
this day, and a replica of the cuneiform version was donated to
the United Nations, a modern peace-keeping organization, by the
people of Turkey, the modern country where the Hittites once lived.
The Hittites and Egyptians pledged to assist one another, as both
empires feared the rising power of the Assyrians. As part of the
treaty, Ramses II agreed to marry the Hittite princess. This made
the Egyptian people angry with their leader. The Egyptians had a
high opinion of themselves and looked down on other people. Was
an Egyptian woman not good enough for Ramses, that he should marry
this foreigner?
Ramses, the Builder :
Four
colossal statues of Ramses II flank the opening of the temple of
Abu Simbel in Nubia
Ramses II built the new city of Pi-Ramesses, and monuments and temples
all along the Nile. Two of his greatest building achievements were
the Ramesseum, a mortuary temple (a temple located near a tomb)
on the west bank of the Nile, across from Thebes, and Abu Simbel,
a temple carved into the rock cliffs in Nubia, an area Ramses II
had conquered and added to Egypt's Empire south of the first cataract.
Abu Simbel took about 20 years to build, and features four colossal
statues of Ramses II. The building was meant to impress the newly
conquered Nubians and show the power of the religion of the Egyptians.
Ramses II might have been a great builder, but it was at the expense
of the Egyptian people. Ramses II placed so much time and effort
on these buildings that roads and irrigation canals fell into disrepair.
Ramses did much for himself, but little for his people.
Ramses II, Pharaoh during the time of Moses? :
Moses
and Aaron approach pharaoh demanding that he let their people, the
Hebrews, return to their homeland in Canaan
As you remember from the chapter on the Second Intermediate Period,
the Hebrews were welcome in Egypt during the rule of the Hyksos.
This changed when Egypt drove out the Hyksos during the start of
the New Kingdom. Hebrews remaining in Egypt were placed into slavery.
Many historians believe that Ramses II was pharaoh when Moses, the
Hebrew leader, struggled with the pharaoh to allow the Hebrews to
leave Egypt and return to their homeland. This struggle, and eventual
victory, is celebrated by the Jewish people during Passover.
Ramses III Dynasty XX (20) Pharaoh :
Ramses III was the last of the great Egyptian pharaohs. During his
reign, Ramses III had to deal with a crisis, Egypt was attacked
by the land and sea by a group of people known as the Sea Peoples.
There are many theories as to who these people actually were, and
we will go into this topic further when studying ancient Greece.
The movement of the Sea Peoples into other lands suggests that they
were refugees, looking for a new place to settle.
A great battle took place on the Nile around 1185 BC. Ramses III
wore his blue warrior crown and watched the battle on his chariot
along the shore. The Sea Peoples' boats were meant to travel by
sea, but they were no match for the more nimble Egyptian boats,
designed to travel by river. The Sea Peoples' navy was destroyed
and the army could not advance into Egypt.
![](seapeoples.jpg)
This painting comes from looking at a carving in the walls
of an ancient Egyptian building, showing the battle between the
Sea-peoples and the Egyptians on the Nile
The Sea Peoples settled in Canaan, taking this part of the Egyptian
Empire as their own. They are known in the Torah and Bible as the
Philistines. Egypt's empire and power was diminishing. The Hittites
were not so lucky, their empire was totally destroyed by the Sea
peoples' invasion.
The Egyptian Age of Decline (1100-30 BC) :
Nubia
was the land south of the first cataract
Pharaoh Ramses III was the last great leader of Egypt. After Ramses
III, Egypt went into an age of decline. Sometime after 1100 BC,
Egypt split into two Kingdoms. In 728 BC, the Nubians, a people
the Egyptians had once partially conquered, attacked Egypt from
the south and conquered the Egyptians. King Piye (pronounced "pie")
of Nubia began Dynasty XXV (25), the first of a family of Nubian
rulers. The Nubians had taken on the culture and religion of the
Egyptians, so it was natural for these Nubian rulers to call themselves
pharaoh. In fact, there were more pyramids built in Nubia, than
there were in Egypt.
In 671 BC, the Assyrians, under the command of Sennacherib's son,
attacked the Nile Delta. Egypt was crumbling, unable to stop these
foreign invasions. In 525 BC, the Persians, from Asia, conquered
Egypt. You may remember from an earlier chapter that they also conquered
Babylon, ending the Neo-Babylonian Empire. We will learn more about
the Persians when we study ancient Greece.
Finally, in 332 BC, Egypt was freed from Persian rule by Alexander
the Great, a Greek-speaking, Macedonian king who came to Egypt as
he attacked the vast Persian Empire. The Egyptians welcomed Alexander
as their ruler, as he respected Egyptian customs. Alexander placed
the Double Crown on his head and proclaimed himself pharaoh.
After Alexander died, one of his generals, named Ptolemy became
pharaoh Ptolemy I in 305 BC. This began the last dynasty of Greek-speaking
pharaohs known as the Ptolemaic Dynasty. It was during this time
in 196 BC, that the Rosetta Stone was carved. The last ruler of
the Ptolemaic Dynasty was Cleopatra VII, who died in 30 BC. Egypt
became part of the Roman Empire after her death. We will learn more
about Alexander and Cleopatra in chapters on Greece and Rome.
![](ramses2sphinx.jpg)
Ramses
II Sphinx
![](ramses2sphinxfrontview.jpg)
Ramses
II Sphinx (Front View)
![](ramses2sphinxbackview.jpg)
Ramses
II Sphinx
Source
:
https://www.penfield.edu/webpages/
jgiotto/onlinetextbook.cfm?
subpage=1617939