geography of egypt the nile flooded every year predictable floodwaters with spring rains
Post on 04-Jan-2016
24 Views
Preview:
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
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
top related