Geography of Egypt• The Nile flooded every year

– Predictable floodwaters with spring rains– Left rich, black silt

• Narrow band of fertile soil • Became home of Egyptian civilization

Geography and Early Egypt• The Nile

– Most important physical feature in Egypt– 4,000 miles long; flows through the Sahara Desert

• Without the Nile’s waters, no one could live there.

• Nile afforded protection itself

• Flowed through cataracts to the south

• Currents and waterfalls made sailing impossible

• Not an easy invasion route

Cataracts• Egypt’s most fertile soil in

Nile Delta

• Silt deposits at mouth of river

• Black Land of rich arable soil

• Red Land unlivable but afforded protection

Delta

Geographical Features

Unification• Two kingdoms unified around 3100 BC• Upper Egypt ruler Menes conquered north

– Founded capital city of Memphis– Adopted both symbols, the snake and the vulture

• First of 31 dynasties

Two Kingdoms• First farming villages as early as 5000 BC• Northern Kingdom, Lower Egypt

– Mild climate; cobra goddess worshipped• Southern Kingdom, Upper Egypt

– Warmer climate; prayed to a vulture goddess

Background to the New Kingdom

Middle Kingdom fell when Egypt was invaded by the Hyksos, who conquered Lower Egypt

Hyksos ruled almost 100 years•Not harsh, but resented

•Defeated by nobles from Thebes who became new rulers of Egypt

First permanent army• Traditional foot soldiers

• Archers and charioteers

• Adopted weapons from Hyksos

Securing Egypt

• Egypt could not rely on geography for protection

• Desert and sea not enough

• Had to build powerful military

Created an empire• Egypt to rule beyond Nile Valley

• Headed south into Nubia

• Also campaigns east into Asia

The New Kingdom

Kamose

• Last Pharaoh of the Seventeenth Dynasty, whose rule during the second intermediate period had been confined to Thebes.

• Led revolt against the Hyksos

• Ruled for 3 - 5 years prior to death and his brother Ahmose becoming pharaoh

Ahmose I (1550 - 1525 BC)

• Founder of the 18th dynasty

• Expelled the Hyksos

• Recaptured Nubian controlled territories

• Administration and order

Thutmose I• Ruled in early 15th century BC

• Expanded Egyptian control into the Levant

• Greatly expanded Temple of Karnak at Luxor

• Buried in Valley of the Kings

Monotheism in Egypt• Amenhotep IV, 1353

– Worshipped only one god, Aten

– Banned worship of all other gods

• Built temple to Aten at Akhetaten

• The next pharaoh restored worship of traditional gods

The Reign of Hatshepsut • Hatshepsut best known for encouraging trade

• Only woman pharaoh

– Wanted to be treated like any other pharaoh

– Dressed like a man, statues of her as a man

Egypt expanded empire• Fought campaigns in Nubia and Syria• A new foe around 1250 BC• Hittites invaded from Mesopotamia

Ramses’ rule• Reign marked with extravagant splendor• Built more temples and monuments than other pharaohs• Many political and artistic achievements

Confrontation with Hittites• Ramses the Great led army• Accounts of battle vary, but two armies signed truce• Ramses married Hittite princess and conflict ended

Ramses the Great

Egypt’s Decline

• Ramses’ successors faced challenges to authority

• Major invasions of Egypt

– Sea Peoples devastated empires

– Ended Hittite Empire, weakened Egypt’s control of Syria

• Egypt broke into small states

– Many foreign rulers over next 700 years

– Libyans, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks

– Finally fell to Rome