The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt

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The next generation only got worse as Euegetes and Cleopatras III’s children fought for ultimate power. Simultaneously, the cult of Amun had regained its wealth and now once again rivalled the Pharaoh in political and economic influence. Further concentration of arable land in the hands of the temples disenfranchised farmers. Egyptologists estimate that at one point, the cults owned 30 percent of Egypt’s land. When the Persians disastrously lost against the Greeks in the battle of Marathon thoughts of independence arose in Egypt once more. King Xerxes, the third monarch during the dynasty, had a major challenge in stopping a rebellion in Egypt, and his successor Artaxerxes I had to do the same.

Modern loose interpretation at the The Pharaonic Village in Cairo of a Battle scene from the Great Kadesh reliefs of Ramses II on the Walls of the Ramesseum. While Ramses III had been able to save Egypt from collapse during the upheaval of the Sea Peoples when other empires were foundering during the Late Bronze Age, the damage caused by the invasions took their toll on Egypt. When Ramses III was murdered, King Amenmesse seceded from the empire, splitting Egypt into two. Mykerinos, Khafra’s son, took the throne about 2532 BCE and started construction of the third pyramid in Giza. However, he died before it was finished and his successor, Shepseskaf, had to finish it. Because of this most kings stopped want to build these gigantic monuments, focusing more on smaller ones.The most tantalizing recent discovery, however, was made when scientists made a high-resolution study of dust deposition from Kajemarum Oasis in north-eastern Nigeria. The study conclusively revealed that a pronounced shift in atmospheric circulation occurred in around 2150 BC. This data indicates that an abrupt, short-lived event of cold climate led to less rainfall and a reduction of water flow in a vast area extending from Tibet to Italy. This had catastrophic effects on such early state societies as the Egyptian Old Kingdom. The prehistory of Egypt spans from early human settlements to the beginning of the Early Dynastic Period of Egypt (c. 3100 BCE), which started with the first Pharoah Narmer (also known as Menes). It is equivalent to the Neolithic period, and is divided into cultural periods, named after locations where Egyptian settlements were found. The Late Paleolithic Economically, the Empire was struggling. The war had drained Egypt’s once-overflowing treasury while political and social dislocation impacted trade relations. Moreover, the cumulative effect of countless raids by the Sea Peoples on other states in the region resulted in economic and social dislocation on a regional scale. Climate Change Factors

Under the reign of Akhenaten, the capital was moved from Thebes to a new city, Akhetaten, designed and built by the king and dedicated to his personal god. The temples in all the cities and towns were closed and religious festivals abolished except those venerating his god, the Aten. The Egyptian economy relied heavily on religious practices as the temples were the centers of the community and employed a large staff.

To consolidate power she married her younger brothers Ptolemy XII and Ptolemy XIV. However, thanks to Ptolemy XII she soon lost power. But when the newly established Roman dictator Gaius Julius Caesar won his civil war against Pompey the Great in 47 BCE the tides turned once more. Christianity began to spread through Egypt and with it the Greek alphabet – both transforming key features of the ancient culture that we know and recognize today. Adopting a new religion, where the old religion had been a major cultural force in the Egyptian empire, led to the end of practices such as mummification, that the ancient Egyptians were well known for. Akhenaten's successor was Tutankhamun (1336-1327 BCE) who was in the process of restoring Egypt to its former status when he died young. His work was completed by Horemheb (1320-1295 BCE) who erased Akhenaten's name from history and destroyed his city. Horemheb succeeded in restoring Egypt but it was nowhere near the strength it had been prior to Akhenaten's reign. The first dynasty probably lasted about 200 years and died out circa 2,890 BCE. The following dynasty’s seven kings ruled from that point until 2,686 BCE.

Despite this, while what they built might be seen as beautiful by most people, their biggest accomplishment was about death. The third dynasty started the tradition of building pyramids as graves.The twentieth dynasty was founded by Sethnakht. He was succeeded by Ramesses III, who ruled for over 30-years and have been seen as the last major Pharaoh. The last two decades of his rule was peaceful and filled with architecture being built. Except for the last few years, which saw strikes, rebellions, and crisis. Nothing too major — yet.

In this landmark volume, one of the world’s most renowned Egyptologists tells the epic story of this great civilization, from its birth as the first nation-state to its absorption into the Roman Empire. Drawing upon forty years of archaeological research, award-winning scholar Toby Wilkinson takes us inside a tribal society with a pre-monetary economy and decadent, divine kings who ruled with all-too-recognizable human emotions. Here are the legendary leaders: Akhenaten, the “heretic king,” who with his wife Nefertiti brought about a revolution with a bold new religion; Tutankhamun, whose dazzling tomb would remain hidden for three millennia; and eleven pharaohs called Ramesses, the last of whom presided over the militarism, lawlessness, and corruption that caused a political and societal decline. Filled with new information and unique interpretations, The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt is a riveting and revelatory work of wild drama, bold spectacle, unforgettable characters, and sweeping history. Thutmose III should not be remembered for this one action, however, as he proved himself an able and efficient ruler and a brilliant military leader. Historians have often referred to him as the “Napoleon of Egypt” for his success in battle as he fought 17 campaigns in 20 years and, unlike Napoleon, he was victorious in all of them. He also encouraged and extended trade and was a man of culture who helped preserve Egypt's history. Dr Toby Wilkinson joined the International Strategy Office in July 2011, working with the Pro Vice Chancellor (Jennifer Barnes) to support the schools, faculties and departments in their international engagements, and to develop the University's international strategy, particularly with regard to research collaborations and relationships with the EU, US, India and China. Prior to this, Dr Wilkinson was the Development Director at Clare College as well as Chairman of Cambridge Colleges Development Group. Mentuhotep III and Mentuhotep IV succeeded the king. It is believed that Amenemhet I took power over IV in a bloody coup and founded the twelfth dynasty around 1985 BCE. Ramses III ruled Egypt for 31 years and is widely considered the last of the “great” pharaohs. His reign coincided with one of the most turbulent and challenging periods in ancient Mediterranean history, known as the invasion of the “Sea Peoples.”At the end of this week I’m leaving on a long planned trip to Egypt, one that will take me from the Great Pyramid at Giza in the north to the temple of Abu Simbel in the south, from Lower Egypt to Upper Egypt. And just to confuse you the former is the north and the latter the south! It’s the ancient Egyptian view of the world, you see, all upside down. But it’s the history of ancient Egypt that I really wanted to get close to. I know ‘bleeding chunks’ already; I imagine most people know something, even if it’s only smatterings about Tutankhamen, buried treasure and mummies curses! What I needed, though, was a decent overview, one that would take me through the whole spectrum of Egyptian history, which is precisely why I alighted on The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt by Toby Wilkinson.