Ancient Egypt: periodization of history

The history of Ancient Egypt lasted several millennia. During this time the state managed to disintegrate several times, to unite and change its cultural foundations. That is why the ancient Egyptian history has an established periodization, helping to get a general idea of the chronology of those long-standing events.

Prehistoric period

The civilization that arose on the banks of the Nile is almost the oldest on Earth. However, before it was formed, people lived in the northeast of Africa. These were the cultures of the Upper Paleolithic, which appeared 40 thousand years ago. The generally accepted periodization of the history of Ancient Egypt begins precisely from this point. The earliest archaeological cultures are Aterian and Hormusan. Related artifacts found are rare and fragmentary.

By the era of the Mesolithic are monuments of Halfan culture. Its traces were preserved not only in Egypt, but also in Nubia. In the Neolithic, carriers of Fayum culture A, who arrived in Africa from the Middle East, appeared. Remains of their settlements have been preserved, including the fortifications of El Omari and Merimde.

Many tribes attracted ancient Egypt. Periodization shows how often people changed here in prehistoric times. Egypt was a transit region - a border between Asia and Africa. In the late Neolithic, the Tasia, Badari, and Gerze archaeological cultures were formed there. The last of them was replaced by the Zero dynasty.

Dodinistichesky Egypt

About five thousand years before our era, the Prehistory Ancient Egypt was formed. Periodization of history shows that it was then that the aging of tribal relations began to degenerate. A society began to emerge, in which already there were already demarcated classes. There were slave-owning relations, and behind them - slave states.

No single Egypt existed yet. Consolidation took considerable time. It was promoted by the development of agriculture and the construction of settlements with fortified walls. The settled life of the inhabitants of Egypt. There were metal products: pins, needles, jewelry made of gold.

Presumably in 3200 BC there was a Zero dynasty. This term specialists denote a number of Egyptian rulers who ruled in Lower and Upper Egypt. They were not relatives, but were only contemporaries. It was during the Zero Dynasty that the process of uniting the country began.

Early Kingdom

With the emergence of the Early Kingdom began to rule the first pharaoh Menes, belonged to the I dynasty. He finally united the Lower and Upper Kingdoms into one Egypt. The capital of this ancient state was Memphis. At the same time, the construction of adobe tombs for rulers who turned out to be the predecessors of the famous pyramids began.

The first pharaohs fought with the Bedouins and organized campaigns in neighboring Nubia. Periodization and chronology of the history of Ancient Egypt says that to the era of the Early Kingdom are the most ancient scientific successes of the Egyptians (in the fields of astronomy and geometry). In the XXVIII century BC, sea trade with Levantine cities on the Mediterranean Sea is emerging.

The I and II dynasties belong to the Early Kingdom. In their era, written language appeared and the first chronicles appeared. There was polytheism - belief in many gods, personifying the forces of nature, life, death, etc. The state controlled irrigation works on the banks of the Nile.

Ancient Kingdom

Scientists refer the boundary between the Early and the Old Kingdoms to the XXVII century BC. E. The founder of the new state was Pharaoh Sanaht. The ancient kingdom includes the III-VI dynasty. During this period, the economic, cultural and military-political growth of the Egyptian civilization that was unprecedented for the then world took place.

There were pyramids, which came to replace the mastabam. Artisans, peasants and slaves were sent to build these monumental monuments of architecture. The state was strictly centralized and, having a power resource, mobilized the population at its own discretion. Ancient Egypt, the periodization of which was compiled by modern archaeologists and historians, under Pharaoh Pepi I conquered southern Syria. In the XXIV century BC. E. The priestly simplified writing was separated from the ordinary hieroglyphic. According to the chronicles, one of the pharaohs of the Ancient Kingdom of Pepi II ruled 94, which is a kind of historical record.

Fragility

After the fall of the Old Kingdom in Egypt, the era of fragmentation began. It belongs to the VII-X dynasty. At this time, the country plunged into anarchy. In fact, the pharaohs did not have any power and were only nominal figures. The periodization of the history of the state in ancient Egypt is such that during the era of fragmentation, the real influence was enjoyed by the nomarchs, each of whom ruled a particular city or province.

The collapse of the state led to the destruction of a unified system of irrigation canals, which led to devastation and the growing hunger. Numerous gangs robbed tombs and temples. Ancient Egypt, the periodization, the social and political structure of which continues to be researched by specialists from different countries, at that time suffered greatly from the raids of neighboring nomads.

Middle Kingdom

The period of fragmentation ended when two forces emerged, capable of reintegrating Egypt. In the struggle for primacy, the kingdoms of Heracleopolis and Thebes clashed. The conflict between them lasted several decades. Finally the Thebes were victorious, and the ruler of this city Mentuhotep II founded the XI dynasty.

The epoch that began in the 21st century BC was called the Middle Kingdom. This applies not only to the XI, but also to the XII dynasty. At this time, the state was weak for ancient despots centralization, which, however, did not prevent the Egyptian civilization from subduing the Middle East. From the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean to the banks of the Nile were supplied silver, copper, gold and other valuable goods. The middle kingdom was the richest state of its era. The periodization of the culture of Ancient Egypt says that it is during this period that the flowering of the national ancient Egyptian literature comes to its head (the most famous story is the "Tale of Sinuhe").

Decline

The period of new political fragmentation began in 1782 BC. E., And ended in 1570 BC. E. The country was divided into independent provinces. Then the Hyksos strangers invaded it. Periodization of the history of Ancient Egypt is an alternation of the epochs of prosperity and decline of the country. During the new decline, the state experienced a deep crisis. The rulers controlled only the Delta of the Nile and could not cope with the provinces that desired independence.

In the end, the title of the pharaohs was taken by the leaders of the Hyksos. To their rule belong the XV and XVI dynasties. The main center of resistance to foreigners was Thebes. Today their rulers are ranked among the 17th dynasty. It was they who expelled the Hyksos and rallied the country around Thebes. The then periodization of the history of Ancient Egypt, briefly, is a set of disparate segments, the details of which often remain unknown.

The new kingdom

The new kingdom existed in the 16th-11th centuries BC. This is a "classical" period. It is about him that has been preserved most of all information. In this era, including the young man Tutankhamun, the opening of the tomb of which became the greatest archeological event of the 20th century, was also in order.

The new kingdom left after itself one more powerful name. Pharaoh Akhenaten tried to reform the Egyptian religion. He abandoned the old pantheon and forced the country to pray to one god. The efforts of Akhenaten were in vain. Polytheism was soon revived.

In the New Kingdom (dynasty from the Eighteenth to the Twentieth) lived a fifth of the human population of the planet. The periodization of the art of Ancient Egypt refers to this era the largest number of monuments that have survived to this day. The new kingdom fell after power in the south of the country was seized by the priestly estate. The decay was preceded by the "Bronze Age catastrophe", when "the peoples of the sea" invaded Egypt in the 12th century BC, causing great damage to the country.

Split

The last period of Egyptian fragmentation continued in the XI-VI centuries BC. During this time, the dynasties of the Twenty-First through Twenty-Six were replaced. Because of civil strife, Egypt ceased to claim leadership in the Eastern Mediterranean. The state lost its last possessions in the Middle East and in Phenicia. The Libyan population settled in Lower Egypt. The leaders of these foreign tribes became the rulers of the nomas, were related to the Egyptian nobility.

At the peak of disunity, the country was divided into five weak kingdoms. The periodization of the history of Ancient Egypt consists of many periods, but it was precisely at that epoch that the greatest number of dynasties and internal wars had occurred. The fragmented country regularly became the target of Ethiopia's aggression in the south and Assyria in the north.

Later the kingdom

Historians unite the dynasty from XXVII to XXX in the Late period of Ancient Egypt. Its chronological framework: 525-332 years BC. The beginning of the Late Kingdom is the conquest of the Nile Valley by Persia. Northeast Africa was considered the sixth satrapy of the Achaemenid empire. The administrative center of the country was again Memphis.

When the war broke out between Persia and Greece, the Greeks invaded Egypt, hoping for an anti-Persian uprising of the local population, but the insurrection never happened. The last period of independence of the country belongs to the IV century BC. Pharaohs tried to defend their sovereignty, using the urgent problems of the Persians. Nevertheless, Artaxersk III again conquered Egypt. The second domination of the Persians lasted only twenty years.

Alexander the Great conquers Egypt

In the IV century BC Ancient Egypt, whose chronology and periodization of history is full of sharp turns, became part of the Macedonian state. If before the people from the banks of the Nile developed as an eastern civilization, now it has become part of a single Hellenized space.

Having conquered Persia, Alexander of Macedon began to spread the ancient Greek culture in the Middle East. In 332 BC, it was Egypt's turn, which was part of the defeated Achaemenid power. Alexander conquered the African country and proclaimed himself a pharaoh. In the delta of the Nile, he built a new port, which became one of the greatest cities of antiquity. Alexandria became famous for her library and lighthouse (one of the 7 wonders of the world). The same city became the burial place of the famous commander.

Ptolemaic period

The Ptolemaic period is the last chapter in the history of Ancient Egypt. It was named in honor of a dynasty that established its authority over the country after the premature departure from the life of Alexander the Great. His approximate (diadochi) divided the power of the great commander. One of them, Ptolemy, began to rule Egypt.

Although the country remained independent for three centuries, it was no longer an independent civilization. As already mentioned above, Egypt was strongly influenced by Hellenistic culture. Mixed everything - from languages to religion. Alexandria became the capital, from which the Ancient Egypt was ruled. Periodization of the history of this country says that during the heyday of the Ptolemies, their state belonged not only to the Nile Valley, but also to Palestine, Cyprus, part of Syria and Asia Minor.

Meanwhile, in the territory of modern Italy, a new great empire grew. Conquering the Western Mediterranean, the Roman Republic turned its gaze to the east. Consul Octavian Augustus declared war on Egypt, where the rules of Cleopatra. The country was conquered in 30 BC. Then the Roman Republic became an empire. Egypt was declared one of its provinces and finally lost its independence.