Ancient Egypt: Old and Middle Kingdoms I.Overview: A.Land and Peoples 1.Protected & Isolated by barriers 2.Regular, predictable flooding enriches soil 3.Resources: stone, metals (some gold) 4.Probably 3 major ethnic groups B.Hieroglyphic Writing (did not change much over time) 1.Public inscriptions stylized & repetitive in content 2.Many public inscriptions propaganda 3.Many public inscriptions re-carved by later kings C.Educational system makes for social mobility 1.Gives access to Civil Service meritocracy D.Nomes (40+) 1.May derive from earlier regional "city-states" 2.Local administration often in hands of "Nomarchs" E.Religion 1.Hundreds of God/desses 2.Ma'at: "right order" 3.Osiris, God of Corn & Resurrection (read Budge) F.Kingship ("Pharaoh" properly used only of New Kingdom) 1.King: incarnation of God Horus, child of Osiris & Isis 2.King has personal name & Horus name 3.Kingship transmitted through female line G.Art for Eternity: pyramids, tombs, mummies 1.Human sacrifice in Early Dynastic & Old Kingdom 2.Pyramids developed out of small mound atop grave 3.The Sphinx of Giza may be Pre-Dynastic in origin 4.Tombs & Tomb Art insure afterlife for King & Court II.Old Kingdom, 3100 - 2200 A.Peaceful, Stable, foreign enemies kept at bay 1.Sinai garrisoned, mines worked B.Narmer / Menes unites Upper & Lower Egypt C.The Sun God, Re is the most prominent God D.Pyramids (63 third to sixth dynasty "Royal" pyramids) 1.Step Pyramid of Netjerykhet Djosher at Saqqara a.Designed by the architect Imhotep 2.Three "Great Pyramids" of Giza a.Medjedu Khufu (Cheops) (1)2,500,000 2 ton blocks, 481' tall b.Userib Kaphre (Cephren) (1)Also built the Sphinx, probably c.Kaykhet Menkaure (Mycerinus) (1)Pyramid cased in granite III.First Intermediate Period, 2200 - 2050 A.Central Authority Breaks Down (invasion by Naram-Sin?) B.Small states centered on Nomes (still kings, but powerless) C."Feudal" organization based on local aristocracies IV.Middle Kingdom, 2050 - 1800 A.Capital at Waset (Thebes), then Memphis & the Fayyum 1.Nebhepetre Mentuhotpe reunifies Egypt (11th dyn) 2.Seostris I expands into Nubia, Libya, Syria (12th dyn) 3.Seostris III continues expansion (1878-1840) 4.Yet Nomarchs & Priesthoods remain powerful B.Art & Architecture 1.Some 12th dynasty pyramids, but mostly cliff tombs 2.Much Temple Building (Abydos & Karnak) 3.Artistic changes: faces of kings careworn & weary C.Literature 1.Tale of Sinhue occurs under Seostris I 2.Good old days of Sneferu vs. bad old days of Khufu 3.Much Magical, Mythological, & Wisdom literature D.Religion 1.Amen-Re becomes popular as Sun God 2.Osiris becomes popular as God of Resurrection a.Cult of the afterlife spreads throughout Egypt b.Afterlife now open to all, not just King & Court c."Democratization of the afterlife" 3.Crocodile God Sobk patron god of 12th & 13th dynasties V.Second Intermediate Period, 1800 - 1570 A.Hyksos invade & occupy Delta & Gaza B.Also pressure/invasions from Libya & Nubia C.13th - 17th Dynasties continue at Thebes 1.Tributary to Hyksos 2.Gradually regain regional independence Ancient Egypt: New Kingdom, 1570 - 1085 I.New Kingdom: Overview & Early History A.17th Dynasty (Thebes) drives out Hyksos c. 1567 1.Sekenenre killed in battle with Hyksos 2.Kamose defeats the Hyksos in battle 3.Ahmose completes expulsion of Hyksos B.Eqypt adopts Hyksos weapons & tactics 1.Horse & Chariot warfare 2.Maintain large standing armies C.Aggressive Egyptian Conquests to Secure Borders 1.Palestine, S. Syria, Nubia, E. Libya 2.Even greater importance of Sun God (Re) 3.Egypt never isolated again D.Major building programs 1.Monuments to Pharaohs (Abu Simbel) 2.Massive temple complexes (Luxor) 3.New Pharonic cities (Amarna) II.18th Dynasty, the Empire begins A.Amenhotep I (1546-1525), invades Libya & Nubia B.Thutmose I (1525-1508), continues expansion C.Thutmose II (1508-1504), continues expansion D.Queen Hatshepsut (1504-1482) 1.Peaceful rule, Egypt gathers its strength 2.Widespread trade & exploration E.Thutmhose III (1482-1450) 1.Egyptian Napoleon 2.Conquests in Syria-Palestine, Nubia, Libya F.Amenhotep II (1450-1425) 1.Continues expansion G.Thuthmose IV (1425-1412) 1.Watchful peace in the Empire, war in Syria 2.Marries a Mitannian priincess 3.Restores Sphinx after experiencing Theophany H.Amenhotep III (1412-1375) 1.Marries a commoner, Queen Tiy (African) 2.Major building campaigns a.Luxor, Mortuary temple at Thebes b.His architect was the famous sage Amenhotep c.Colossi of Memnon, at Thebes 3.Punitive war against Libya I.Amenhotep IV / Akhnaton (1375-1366) 1.Co-regent with Amenhotep III, 1387-1375 a.Son of Amenhotep & Tiy (half African) b.Mystical temperment c.Unconcerned with administration 2.Renounces Amen worship, emphasizes Aton, the Sun a.Aton worship was in some ways monotheistic b.Takes the name Akhnaton, servant of Aton c.One poem resembles one of the Psalms 3.Builds new capital at Amarna 4.Neglects Egypt, angers priesthoods a.Ultimately isolated & alone at Amarna b.Abandons his wife, marries his daughter 5.Subject of an opera by Philip Glass J.Tutankhamen (1366-1357) 1.Eight years old at accession 2.Restores Amen worship 3.Relocates capital to Thebes K.Eye (1357-1353) 1.Vizier under Akhnaten, Co-regent of Tutankhamen 2.Widespread unrest in Egypt, priests of Amen withold their good will from Tut and Eye L.Horemheb (1353-1319) 1.Commander-in-chief of the Army under Akhnaten, Tut, Eye 2.Administrative experience in Syria, Nubia 3.Never tainted by Atonism 4.Seizes the throne, at the head of his army, with the support of the priests of Amen and Horus 5.Considered to be legitimate successor of Amenhotep III 6.Purges the memory & monuments of Akhnaton, Tut, Eye 7.Reestablishes strong central government in Egypt 8.Chooses the able general Ramesses as co-regent and heir III.Nineteenth Dynasty, the Empire in Decline A.Ramesses I (1319-1318) B.Seti I (1318-1299) 1.Begins reconquest of Syria from Hittites 2.Moves capital to Tanis, in the eastern Delta 3.Building program at Karnak, begins Hypostyle Hall C.Ramesses II (1299-1232) 1.Battle of Kadesh against Hittites (a draw) 2.After years a warfare, Ramesses makes a nonagressiion pact with the Hittites 3.Builds Abu Simbel & other boastful monuments D.Later 19th Dynasty (1232-1200) 1.Merenptah - Sea Peoples invade c. 1227 2.Multiple usurpers & political chaos as Empire fades IV.Twentieth Dynasty, Short-Term Recovery A.Sethnakht (1200-1198) 1.Restores order B.Ramesses III (1198-1167) 1.Repells Libyans, defeats Sea Peoples 2.Spends lavishly on monuments 3.Priesthood enriches itself (again!) 4.Widespread unrest, revolts & worker strikes 5.Ramesses assassinated in palace conspiracy C.Later 20th Dynasty (1167-1085) 1.Ramesses IV - XI weak, dominated by Priests of Amen 2.Dynasty overthrown by High Priest of Amen, Hrihor Ancient Egypt: Late Dynastic to Roman Conquest I.Late Dynastic, 1085 - 663 A.Gradual Decline & Fragmentation after 1085 B.Struggles between competing dynasties (1085-712) 1.Twenty-First Dynasty (1085-945) 2.Twenty-Second to Twenty-Fourth Dynasties (945-712) a.Sheshonk I sacks Temple of Jerusalem in fifth year of king Rehoboam of Judah C.Twenty-Fifth Dynasty (712-670) 1.Nubian Dynasty re-unites Egypt from Napata 2.Pianki 3.Shabaka 4.Shabataka 5.Taharka D.Egypt Conquered by Assyria (670) II.Twenty-Sixth Dynasty, Saite Renaissance (663-525) A.Psametik I (663-609) 1.Expells Assyrians 2.Unifies Upper & Lower Egypt 3.Artistic & Cultural renaissance 4.Makes heavy use of Greek mercenaries B.Necho (609-594) C.Psametik II (594-598) D.Apries (588-569) E.Amasis (569-526) F.Psametik III (525) III.Egypt Conquered by Persia (525) A.Cambyses brutalizes Egypt B.Xerxes brutalizes Egypt C.Twenty-Seventh to Thirtieth Dynasties 1.Local kings under Persian domination 2.Athens tries to liberate Egypt from Persia, fails IV.Egypt Conquered by Alexander (332) A.Priests of Zeus-Ammon welcome Alexander as a liberator, proclaim him to be an incarnation of Amen-Re, and legitimate successor to the ancient Kings of Egypt V.Ptolemaic Egypt, 305-30 B.C. A.Thirty-First Dynasty (Macedonian Kings & Queens) 1.Ptolemy I Soter (305-282) a.Builds temple to Serapis at Alexandria b.Serapis worship spreads throughout Mediterranean 2.Ptolemy II Philadelphus (282-246) a.Powerful Queen Arsinoe b.Builds Library at Alexandria c.Commissions Septuagint translation of the Bible ? d.Isis/Osiris worship spreads throughout Mediterranean, both in Egyptian form and as a Hellensitic Mystery Religion 3.Ptolemy III Euergetes I (246-222) 4.Ptolemy IV Philopator (221-205) 5.Ptolemy V Epiphanes (204-180) 6.Ptolemy VI Philometor (180-145) a.Cleopatra II wife/sister 7.Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator (145) 8.Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II (145-116) 9.Cleopatra III & Ptolemy IX Soter (116-107) 10.Cleopatra III & Ptolemy X Alexander I (107-101) 11.Ptolemy X Alexander I & Cleopatra Berenice (101-88) 12.Return of Ptolemy IX (88-81) 13.Cleopatra Berenice & Ptolemy XI Alexander II (80) 14.Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysios Auletes (80-58) 15.Berenice IV (58-55) 16.Ptolemy XII returns (55-51) B.The Age of Cleopatra VII (51-30) 1.Cleopatra VII learns the Egyptian language, restores the temples, the irrigation canals, styles herself Pharaoh in Egyptian and Greek inscriptions 2.Cleopatra VII & Ptolemy XIII (51-47) 3.Cleopatra VII & Ptolemy XIV (47-44) a.Roman intervention under Julius Caesar b.Egyptian military largely destroyed c.Library at Alexandria burned 4.Cleopatra VII & Ptolemy XV Caesarion (44-30) a.Cleopatra rules with Marcus Antonius from late 40's until their death in 30 B.C. b.They try to reestablish Egypt's independence, as well as its dominance of the East c.Library at Alexandria rebuilt, stocked with books from Great Library at Pergamon d.They struggle against Augustus to preserve Egyptian independence, ultimately fail C.Egypt Conquered by Rome (30) 1.Some emperors claim title of Pharaoh (Tiberius) 2.Alexandria repeatedly brutalized 3.Egyptian population reduced to near-slavery by Rome