Egypt: Middle and New Kingdoms

Middle Kingdom2050 B.C. to 1650 B.C.

Began when a family of ruling nobles in Thebes emerged victorious in its struggles with the rulers of other cities, seized control of the entire kingdom, and established a powerful central government in Thebes.

Trade and warfare brought Egypt into contact with other civilizations.

The realm conquered the African kingdom of Nubia and traded with Asian neighbors in the east.

New Ideas, custom, and technologies spread.

Thebes

Thebes was sacked by the Assyrians in 661 B.C., an event referred to in the Bible (Nahum 3.8–10), where the city is called No Amon [Amon city].

The Romans sacked it in 29 B.C., and by 20 B.C. a Greek visitor to the site reported only a few scattered villages.

The temples and tombs that have survived, including the tombs of Tutankhamen and of Ramses II's sons, are among the most splendid in the world, and the site has been the scene of much important archaeological work.

Hyksos

Hyksos: “foreigners”Weak rulers and internal strife allowed Semitic invaders called the Hyksos to conquer Egypt.

Occupied Egypt for 100 yearsNative Egyptians rulers banded together to drive out the Hyksos.

New Kingdom1570 B.C. to 1080 B.C.

Hyksos driven from EgyptFemale ruler, Queen Hatshepsut, encouraged trade

Powerful ruler Ramses II creates empire

Ramses II

Ramses II

• Great Building projects, as well as successful military campaigns

• Created major projects to include:

The Great Rock Temple at Abu Simbel in Nubia

The Temple at Karnak

The Rameseum

The Temple at Luxorin Thebes

The Luxorin Las Vegas

Ramses II

• All this construction required massive labor and resulted in an increase in slavery.

• Ramses II was probably the pharaoh who dealt with Moses and released the Hebrew slaves in the Old Testament

New Kingdom (cont.)

Peace treaty between Egyptians and HittitesFirst such document known to have survived

After Ramses II, Egypt’s power declinesAssyrians and Persians invade Egypt followed by Greek and Roman armies

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