Ancient Egypt

© 2000 Wadsworth / Thomson Learning

Standard Divisions of Egyptian Political History:  Early Dynastic Period (1-2)=3100-2700 BC  Old Kingdom (3-6)=2700-2200 BC – Great Pyramid built by Khufu, circa 2540 BC  1 st Intermediate Period (7-10)=2200-2050 BC  Middle Kingdom (11-12)=2050-1652 BC  2 nd Intermediate Period (13-17)=1652-1567 BC – Hyksos domination  New Kingdom (18-20)=1567-1085 BC – Imperial expansion into Palestine  Post Empire (21-31)=1085-30 BC – Cleopatra=last ruler

Egyptian Society  King considered divine (son of Re), but power actually limited – Pharaoh (“palace”) came to be king’s title – Principle of

Ma’at

: spiritual necessity of truth, justice, right order & harmony – Vizier = chief steward who ran bureaucracy – 22 provinces (

nomes

) in Upper Egypt & 20 in Lower Egypt, ruled by governors  3 classes: – Nobles & priests – Merchants & artisans – serfs

Egyptian Worker’s House

Family Life Hatshepsut’s Temple  Monogamy was general rule, unless wife was childless (except for Pharaoh)  Women had equal legal rights, but denied education  At least 1 female Pharaoh: Hatshepsut

Egyptian Religion Anubis Opening the Mouth  Myth of Osiris’ death & resurrection was basis for belief in afterlife  Heart weighed against feather of

ma’at

 Mummification preserved body so spirit (

ka

) could continue life  Pyramids = royal tombs

Great Pyramid of Giza

Hieroglyphics

New Kingdom  Amenhotep III (1412 1375 BC) – empire reaches its height  Amenhotep IV/Akhenaten (1364-1347 BC) tried to introduce monotheism  Tutankhamen (1347-1338 BC) restored traditional religion  Ramses II (1279-1213 BC) reconquered Palestine