New Kingdom Egypt

HSC Ancient History - New Kingdom Egypt

Lower Egypt

The northern part of Egypt, named so because the Nile River delta was located in this region.

Upper Egypt

The southern part of Egypt, named so because the source of the Nile River was located in this region.

Reunification of Egypt

The process through which Upper and Lower Egypt were brought together under the rule of Menes, the king of Upper Egypt, who defeated the northern armies.

Neighbors of Egypt

Nubia in the south, Libya in the west, the Mediterranean Sea in the north, and Syria and Palestine in the northeast.

Relations with neighbors

Egypt had treaties with Syria and Palestine, but tensions existed between Egypt, Nubia, and Libya.

Hyksos

Foreign invaders who ruled over Lower Egypt while Egyptian rulers controlled Upper Egypt.

Reunification of Upper and Lower Egypt

Achieved through the introduction of new weaponry, military strategies, and bronze working, which allowed the rulers at Thebes to regain control and reunify Egypt.

Hyksos' influence on Egypt

They introduced new technologies, ideas, and connections, revolutionizing aspects of Egyptian culture and life, and allowing Egypt to technologically catch up with other societies.

Wars with the Hyksos

The Theban rulers waged war against the Hyksos to reclaim control of Egypt.

Role of Queens

Tetisheri, Ahhotep the Elder, and Ahmose-Nefertari played significant roles in consolidating the 18th Dynasty and had important titles and responsibilities within the kingdom.

Tetisheri

Mother of Seqenenre and grandmother of Ahmose and Ahmose-Nefertari, played a vital role in the establishment of the new dynasty and may have acted as a regent.

Ahhotep the Elder

Wife of Seqenenre and daughter of Tetisheri, held important titles and may have acted as co-regent and warrior.

Ahmose-Nefertari

Wife of Ahmose and daughter of Seqenenre, held important religious and economic positions, such as the "God's Wife of Amun" and "Mistress of Upper and Lower Egypt," influencing the state cult of Amun-Re.

Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus

A papyrus scroll from around 3000 BCE that provides a perspective on Egyptian medical practices and was preserved during the Hyksos' rule.

Ahhotep's role

She created a court of trusted individuals, worked with the law to punish dissenters, and brought peace between Upper and Lower Egypt, consolidating the 18th Dynasty.

Hyksos' capital

Avaris, where they established their rule in Egypt.

Primary sources on the Hyksos

Manetho, an Egyptian priest writing 1000 years later, and the Turin Canon, a papyrus scroll listing the names and reigns of Pharaohs.

Impact of the Hyksos

They introduced new technologies, trade connections, and cultural influences, leading to economic change, military advancements, and innovations in arts, agriculture, and healthcare.

Seqenenre

King of Thebes who initiated the war against the Hyksos after receiving a threatening letter from the Hyksos king.

Hippopotamus affair

A letter sent by the Hyksos king, Apophis, to Seqenenre, claiming to be disturbed by the noise of hippopotami in Thebes, which was a purposefully antagonistic comment.

Kamose

The last pharaoh of the 17th Theban dynasty who waged war against the Hyksos to push them out of Egypt.

Kamose's reasons for attack

He believed that foreign invaders were dividing and conquering Egypt and that he had a right to reclaim the land.

Kamose's attitude towards neighbors

He held a racist attitude towards the Hyksos, considering them inferior to the Egyptians.

Councillors' opposition to Kamose's plans

They opposed the attack because the portion of Egypt they controlled was prospering and they had established trade connections, including with the Hyksos.

Role of queens in the 18th Dynasty

They held significant titles and played important roles in the consolidation and ruling of Egypt, with their power and influence increasing over time.

Ahmose-Nefretiry

Queen who may have acted as regent for her son, Amenhotep I, after her husband's death.

Inclusion in building inscriptions

Queen Ahmose-Nefretiry's name appears in her husband's building inscriptions, indicating her significance as queen and involvement in royal duties.

Cult of Amun-Re

Ahmose-Nefretiry had great religious and economic influence in cementing the Cult of Amun-Re, which became one of the most powerful organizations in Egypt.

Deification

Ahmose-Nefretiry was the first queen to enjoy the status of being deified, becoming the focus of divine worship.

Amun Cult

The Amun Cult was one of the most powerful organizations in Egypt, with close ties to the pharaoh and his family, influencing religion, daily life, politics, and culture.

Oracles

The Amun Cult, with its prophetic god Amun-Re, delivered prophecies to pharaohs and priests, determining the actions of Egypt.

Divine Birth of the King

The concept of the divine birth of the king linked the birth of a child to a pharaoh to the gods, consolidating their power and securing their status as prince and later pharaoh.

Military Success and Amun-Re

Attributing military success to Amun-Re made the cult extremely powerful and led to its exemption from taxes and other benefits.

Amun Priesthood

The Amun priesthood performed ceremonies in the name of the pharaoh and the gods, attributing their successes to the cult and making its members influential.

God's Wife of Amun

The God's Wife of Amun served as the head priestess in the cult, providing a direct connection to the cult for the pharaoh and exercising power through this position.

Royal Women and Power

Holding the title of God's Wife of Amun allowed royal women to take credit for successes in Egypt and protected them, as actions against them would be seen as actions against the most powerful cult in Egypt.

Amun's Position in Egypt

Amun was associated with kingship as the "father" of the ruling monarch and credited with military successes, advising the king, and approving administrative decisions.

Festivals

Festivals like the Festival of Opet and the Beautiful Festival of the Valley were celebrated to honor Amun and his family, involving processions and offerings.

Building Programs

Various pharaohs, including Ahmose, Amenhotep I, Hatshepsut, Thutmose I, Thutmose II, Thutmose III, and Amenhotep II, engaged in building projects at locations like Abydos, Karnak, and the Valley of the Kings, honoring Amun and other gods.

Temple of Amun

The temple of Amun at Karnak was expanded and had various structures added to it by different pharaohs, including gateways, chapels, and barque sanctuaries.

Valley of the Kings

A burial site in ancient Egypt where pharaohs and nobles were buried.

Giza

A city in Egypt known for its ancient pyramids, including the Great Pyramid of Giza.

Barque chapel

A small shrine or chapel used for the ceremonial transport of a god's statue.

Sed festival pavilion

A structure used for the Sed festival, a celebration of the pharaoh's rejuvenation and continued rule.

Upper and Lower Egypt

The two regions of ancient Egypt, divided by the Nile River.

Serabit el-Khadim

An ancient Egyptian mining site in the Sinai Peninsula.

Peristyle court

An open courtyard surrounded by a colonnade.

Hathor Temple

A temple dedicated to the goddess Hathor, known for her association with love, music, and motherhood.

Ahmose

A pharaoh who expelled the Hyksos and reunified Egypt.

Amenhotep I

The first pharaoh of the New Kingdom to establish a deliberate policy of expansion.

Thutmose I

A warrior pharaoh who expanded the Egyptian Empire and redeveloped the Karnak temple complex.

Hatshepsut

A powerful female pharaoh who conducted extensive building programs and developed the ideology of kingship.

Thutmose III

A warrior pharaoh known as the "Greatest military leader" who carried out numerous military campaigns and expanded Egypt's borders.

Amenhotep II

A pharaoh known for his athletic abilities and extensive empire.

Thutmose IV

A pharaoh known for his diplomatic skills and creating a long period of peace with Mitanni.

Officials

Individuals who held important positions in the Egyptian government.

Rekhmire

Vizier of the south who served under Thutmose III and Amenhotep II and left detailed instructions from the king in his tomb inscription.

Neferperet

Chief treasurer and overseer of building works at Abydos under Ahmose, responsible for reopening the Tura quarry.

Paheri of Nekheb

A nomarch (governor) and scribe who performed duties similar to a vizier on a local level under Thutmose II.

Sennefer

Mayor of Thebes and high-ranking member of the Provincial Administration who worked with Amenhotep II on building projects in Thebes.

Hapuseneb

First Prophet of Amun and Chief of all Prophets in the South and the North, controlled all cults throughout Egypt and possibly supervised the building of Hatshepsut's mortuary temple and tomb.

Ahmose, son of Ebana

A decorated soldier and war hero who fought under Ahmose I, Amenhotep I, Thutmose I, and Thutmose II, and left an autobiography on the wall of his tomb.

Role of the Army

The army in the New Kingdom was a professional force that played a crucial role in expansion and defense.

Hyksos military technology

The Hyksos introduced more efficient bows, which enhanced the Egyptian army's strength in battle.

Composition and tactics of the early New Kingdom army

The army consisted of archers, infantry, chariotry, and navy, with archers breaking the enemy advance and infantry completing the slaughter.

Foot soldiers, marines, and chariotry

Foot soldiers were infantry who used short-range weapons, marines transported the king and military, and chariotry pursued fleeing soldiers.

Treatment of the enemy

The enemy was taken as slaves, given as prizes, or slaughtered.

Rewards

Soldiers were rewarded with golden jewelry, weapons, and administrative roles in local and foreign governments.

Relationship with the Pharaoh

Soldiers served as the pharaoh's personal guard and were loyal to him as both king and army leader.

Relations with Nubia, Syria-Palestine, and Mitanni

Egypt had deliberate policies of control and "Egyptianization" in Nubia, and formed alliances and engaged in warfare with Syria-Palestine and Mitanni.

Nubian tribes

Indigenous tribes from Nubia, known for their potential taxation and supply of exotic goods such as frankincense, myrrh, ebony, ivory, animal skins, ostrich feathers, and slaves.

Border Security

The need for Egypt to secure its borders, particularly with Nubia, to ensure a continuous supply of valuable goods and prevent rebellion from native tribes.

Egypt-Nubia vs Egypt-Syria-Palestine

The difference in relationships between Egypt and Nubia, which was focused on displays of strength and power, compared to Egypt and Syria-Palestine, which was motivated by the common threat of the Hittites and the need for diplomatic relations.

Syria-Palestine complexity

The complicated situation in Syria-Palestine, with multiple wealthy city-states and Mitanni shifting alliances, making it more challenging for Egypt to maintain control and defend against the Hittite threat.

Egypt-Mitanni relationship

The weakening of Mitanni by Thutmose III's invasions and wars, leading to an alliance between Egypt and Mitanni through the marriage of Amenhotep III to a Mitanni princess.

Threat from Mitanni

Mitanni's switching alliances and barrier between Egypt and the Hittites weakened Egypt's strength in the region and posed a threat of a major invasion from the combined forces.

Fuel for relations with Syria-Palestine

Trading interests and the valuable and fertile nature of Syria-Palestine, serving as a gateway to further East and North.

Fortresses along Egyptian/Palestinian border

Established to protect Egypt's Northeastern border, facilitate trade, and secure resources such as turquoise, gold, copper, silver, and cedar.

Evidence of political and economic interests

Cataloguing of royal treasure upon the defeat of the Hyksos, indicating the importance of economic gains in foreign policy.

Importance of Kadesh

Kadesh was a central and powerful trading city in Syria-Palestine, making its control crucial for Egyptian dominance in the region.

City-states in early New Kingdom

A web of alliances between weaker and more powerful cities, with both Mitanni and Egypt vying for control over the region.

Three stages of military policy towards Syria-Palestine

Border protection, expansionism, and diplomacy and empire maintenance.

Active pharaohs in Syria-Palestine

Thutmose III, who aimed for expansion; Amenhotep II, who continued expansion and sought diplomatic relations; and Thutmose IV, who married a Mitanni princess, bringing peace and maintaining Egypt's influence.

Primary sources for Thutmose III's campaigns

Annals, victory and commemorative stelas, inscriptions at Karnak and Napata.

Significance of Battle of Megiddo

Strategic success securing Egyptian control and dominance in Syria-Palestine, establishing Thutmose III as a Warrior Pharaoh.

Change in Egyptian foreign policy under Amenhotep II

Consolidation of Thutmose III's successes and establishment of diplomatic relations with Mitanni.

Egyptian imperialism vs sphere of influence

Egyptian imperialism involved military control and economic exploitation, while a sphere of influence implies control through diplomacy.

Reasons for expansion and wars of conquest

Creation of a sphere of influence, collection of taxes and resources, and strengthening the army.

Egyptian concept of divine kingship

The belief that the pharaoh was the rightful ruler decreed by god, with a predetermined role to fulfill.

Kemp's argument on conquest scenes

Inscriptions and scenes of conquest should be seen as religious statements supporting the divine kingship, rather than imperial statements.

Difficulty in understanding Egyptian imperialism

Limited primary sources that are either dramatic royal texts or poetic texts, lacking a description of the actual nature of control.

Features of Egyptian imperialism in Nubia

Military occupation, control, administration, economic exploitation, and imposition of Egyptian culture.

Features of Egyptian imperialism in Syria-Palestine

Partial control and administration, varied among different city-states.

Negative stereotypes of Nubians and Asiatics

Depicted as savages, backwards, uneducated, and murderous by the Egyptians.

Summary of Egyptian imperialism

Political features include military control and administration, ideological features include imposition of Egyptian culture, economic features include economic exploitation, and social features include construction of temples to match Egyptian society.

Maintenance of borders by Amenhotep II and Thutmose IV

Strengthening borders, campaigning in the Levant, temple building, and establishing peaceful diplomatic relations with Mitanni.

Roles of the pharaoh as a warrior

Leading soldiers into battle, attacking the enemy in a chariot, wearing war regalia, depicted larger than life-size, smiting the enemy, trampling enemies underfoot, and offering spoils of war to the god Amun.

Armant Stela of Thutmose III

A record of the king's military and sporting achievements, showcasing his mighty deeds.

Weapons and depiction of the pharaoh

Wearing the double crown, holding an elaborate pike or Egyptian bow, depicted larger than others, and riding in a chariot.

Pharaoh's image in relation to enemies

Depicted as overpowering and victorious, while enemies are shown as defeated and subjugated.