Ancient Egypt Final

Hittite

One of the main powers in the early 18th dyn. Their empire, centered in Anatolia, rivaled Egypt in power, leading to both conflict and eventual cooperation. The most significant interaction was the establishment of the Egyptian-Hittite peace treaty (Ramesses II and Hattusili III). One of the greatest powers during the New Kingdom

Babylonia

One of the main powers in the early 18th dyn (Club of Great Powers). Major trading hub in Mesopotamia

Assyria

One of the main powers in the early 18th dyn (Club of Great Powers). Initially conquered Egypt in 671 BC, with their king Esarhaddon taking Memphis, a major Egyptian city.

Mittani

One of the main powers in the early 18th dyn (Club of Great Powers). Had been enemies with Egypt during the early 18th Dynasty, fighting for territories in Syria. During the reign of Amenhotep II, however, a diplomatic marriage secured a good relationship between polities

Kingdom of Kush

Just south of the 3rd cataract, had its capital located at Kerma. By the year 1600 (Second Intermediate Period) the Kingdom of Kush had full control over the Nubian Nile Valley south of Egypt. In early 18th dyn, King Thutmose I defeats this kingdom and destroys Kerma in Nubia.

Mycenaean World

At the periphery of the great states in the New Kingdom. The presence of Minoan-style frescoes at Avaris—coinciding with depictions of Minoans in Theban tombs—suggests that Egypt had close ties with the Aegean world during this period, whether through trade or diplomatic exchanges.

Punt

Early New Kingdom Egyptians were in contact Punt. They reached Punt by seagoing boat. On the walls at Deir el‐Bahri Queen Hatshepsut represented an expedition to Punt.

Thutmose I

Chosen as successor after King Amenhotep I

Establishes family control over Egyptian throne for 175 years

Defeats the Kingdom of Kush and destroys Kerma in Nubia

Campaigns in Syria as far as the Euphrates River

Fathers Thutmose II and Hatshepsut with wives Mutnofret and Ahmose respectively

Thutmose III

The infant king whose mother Hatshepsut out-maneuvered for a seat on the throne. Known as the “Napoleon” of Egypt: battle of Megiddo. After being on the throne for 20 years or so persecuted Hatshepsut’s names and images.

Ahmose son of Ibana

Describes his long career in a tomb inscription at el‐Kab which relays many different military campaigns. In his tomb he recounts how the kings rewarded his valor with gifts of gold, fields, and slaves, and how he constantly rose in rank. Promoted from warrior of to ruler to crew commander

Club of Great Powers

The major empires that dominated the New Kingdom. Members exchanged diplomatic messages, gifts, and brides. They engaged in wars but also concluded peace treaties and alliances.

Akhetaten (Amarna)

The capital city established by Akhenaten during the Amarna Period. Literally meaning "Horizon of the Aten", was built to honor Akhenaten's new religious ideology centered on the worship of the sun god Aten.

Hatshepsut

Has depictions as both male and female, transitioned masculine presentation during the later part of her rule. Built a mortuary temple at Deir el Bahri which describes her Punt expedition. Disappeared from the records, Thutmose III has her image destroyed/erased

Amenhotep III

Started the 18th dynasty, wealth and prosperity in his reign. Turned Thebes into a festival site—Opet festival and sed-festical. Showed himself more like a god by wearing the sun disk. Father of Akhenaten.

Akhenaten

Son of Amenhotep III and Tiye. Religious reform → atenism, moved capital from Thebes to Amarna in year 5 and changed his name to Akhenaten. New art style that is more intimate and focuses on everyday life, the king is displayed in a more androgynous form.

Amun

An ancient Egyptian god primarily associated with the sun and air, and also the god of creation and the king of the gods. Most prominent god of Egypt. Often depicted as a human male with a tall, plumed crown, but could also be shown as a ram or a human with a ram's head

Aten

sun disk, no human/animal headed form and no statue. Sole focus of official attention in the reign of Akhenaten. Aten cult expressed in hymn to Aten.

Atenism → god as pharaoh, pharaoh as god, Nefertiti central in ideology, persecution of other dieties

Ramses II

Long reign (67 years). Monumentality—massive building activity all over Egypt and Nubia. Set up numerous colossal statues. Most famous are the Abu Simbel temples (temples of him as a god).

New capital in the city of Piramesse in the Eastern Delta Region

Led many militar campaigns in Syria-Palestine where opponent now was Hittite Empire—Battle of Qadesh

Piramesse

New capital of Ramses II in Eastern Delta, near Avaris. Very large city and remembered in Bible as Ramsses. In contrast to Armana, this city was not presented as a new beginning. Its location helped Ramses II exert control over trade routes and militar expeditions in the region

Battle of Qadesh

1275 BCE. Battle between Ramses II and Muwatali II, one of the largest chariot battles every known. Described in two separate literary accounts—the Bulletin and the Poem. Many pictorial representation as well.

Both sides claimed they won the battle. In reality, the Egyptians seemed to lose control over the area of Qadesh, and the Hittites gained the upper hand in Syria

Peace Treaty Ramses II-Hattusili III

1259 BCE. Known from an Egyptian version carved on the walls of several temples and a Hittite version from several cuneiform tablets. First preserved treaty of equals.

Reason for treaty: Hittities - disappearance of Mitanni caused fear and possibly internal difficulties

Egyptians- pressure from groups from Libya and perhaps Syria-Palestine.

Egypt and Hitti became close allies, Ramses II married a Hittite princess 13 years after the treaty

Bay

Syrian descent. Royal Butler of Saptah who clearly ran the government as chief treasurer of the entire land. Portrayed himself together with the king, involved in international affair and one of his letters has been found in Ugarut where he represents Egypt officially.

Allowed to build a tomb in King’s Valley but left unfinished and later reused.

At some point was assassinated by Saptah

Ramses III

Last greay king of New Kingdom Egypt but still indications of conflict in coutrt.

Harem conspiracy late in his reign that a minor queen unsuccessfully plotted to kill him.

CT scans of his mummy showed that he was murdered

Striked in Deir-El-Medina due to lack of rations

Sea Peoples

Accounts of attacks by Sea People in both reign of Merneptah (Karnak inscription) and Ramses III (Medinet Habu)

Scholars have tried to determine who they are based on names and representations

Idea of sudden attack is false. Some names of sea people already in 1275 BCE. They tried to immigrate into Egypt from across the sea

Today we see them as a cause of the collapse of New Kingdom and Late Bronze Age

Papyrus Harris I

Decline of royal status at the end of New Kingdom

Details donation Ramses III made to gods and those of Thebes received the greatest share. Shows a massive transfer of property from palace to temples, especially the Amun temple of Thebes

Late Bronze Age

A period of societal decline/collapse in the Mediterranean region during 12th century BCE. Also known as late Bronze age collapse. The “invasion” of Sea Peoples is seen as one of the major causes

Deir el-Medina

Workmen and craftsman village in New Kingdom for Valley of the Kings. Western Thebes

Accounts of non-royal daily lives that also gives us insight about the changing political climate of NK (e.g. tomb robbery papyrus, strike papyrus show the disintegration of the provider state—lack of ration, breakdown of order)

Western Thebes

Where the mortuary temples of New Kingdom kings are (Deir el-Bahri, Ramesseum, Mediner Habu) as well as the Valley of the Kings and Deir el-Medina

Deir el-Bahri

Mortuary temple built during the reign of Hatshepsut during the 18th Dynasty of Egypt. Located opposite the city of Luxor.

Delta

Kush

Libyan

Assyrian

Nubians

Piy

Kushite ruler who started the Kushite Dynasty 25.

In 728 BCE undertook long campaign to take the enture of Egypt. Victory stela in Gebel Barkal. Went back to Napata afterwards. Buried in a pyramid style tomb with mix of Egyptian and Nubian practices

God’s wife of Amun

Old office in Thebes, gains importance during the 3rd intermediate period and Late Period

Represented on monuments in scenes previously reserved for kings

Holder is always daughter of political ruler, acting as a mediator between the god Amun and the pharaoh

Persia

Multi-ethnic empire. Adopted writing systems of the areas they encountered during their conquests. Persia, under Cambyses II, defeated Egypt in 525 BC. Egyptians rebelled against Persian rule multiple times, leading to periods of independence.

Alexander the Great's conquest of Egypt in 332 BC ended Persian rule in the region, marking a transition to Greek and later Roman influence.

Greece

Roman Empire

Ptolemies

In 305 BC the Ptolemies established Greek dynasty that will last until 30 BC. Concept of Hellenism, merger of Near Eastern/Egyptian and Greek cultural traditions. Rulers (including famous Cleopatra VII) represent themselves in both Egyptian and Greek ways

Cambyses

Alexander

Alexander the Great conquered Egypt in 332 BC, and his rule marked a shift from Persian control. He was welcomed by many Egyptians as a liberator, and his conquest led to the founding of Alexandria, a major Hellenistic city. Alexander's legacy in Egypt included the introduction of Greek administration and the eventual establishment of the Ptolemaic Dynasty, a Macedonian dynasty that ruled Egypt for centuries. 

Cleopatra VII

Last member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, Queen Cleopatra VII managed to revive Egypt’s fortunes briefly, but saw the kingdom lose its independence to Rome. became romantically involved with Roman military leaders Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, until her death in 30 B.C.

Meroe

Capital of the Kingdom of Meroe. Between 5th and 6th cataracts. Meroe have pyramids like those at Napata, with funerary temple and (sometimes) pylon. The culture there shows a merger of Nubian and Egyptian gods and merger of Nubian and Egyptian ideas of royalty. Nubian scripts: A monumental one for temple and tomb inscriptions based on hieroglyphs but with 23 signs only and a cursive one for practical documents based on Demotic.

Fayyum

Ptolemies develop Fayyum, which becomes a new nome. Co-existence and interaction on local level during Ptolemaic period: We get information on the rural situation from abundant papyri finds, e.g., at Tebtunis in the Fayyum. Shows the close supervision of matters by the Ptolemaic state.

Isis

Goddess who was preferred by Greeks and Romans and popularity rose during this time. Continuation of Egyptian customs while Greeks and Romans ruled the country. Temple of Isis at Philae is dedicated to Isis, Osiris, and Horus.

Serapis

God created in Ptolemaic Egypt, a blend of Osiris and Apis represented in Greek fashion. He was the patron god of Alexandria and was worshipped throughout Egypt and later beyond, especially in the Roman world.

Apedemak

Meroitic god. A god of war. Shows a merger of Nubian and Egyptian gods. Shown as a lion headed god (and sometimes, for example on the wall relief we see in class, have three lion heads)

Manetho

A third-century BC Egyptian priest and historian who wrote a history of Egypt in Greek

Augustus

defeated Antony and Cleopatra (also known as Octavian). Dismantled the Ptolemaic monarchy and annexed the country as his personal estate, to be governed by a prefect

Theodosius

Emperor who closed down temples and forbade the teaching of hieroglyphic writing, which was probably the final step in a long decline of Egypt’s ancient traditions

Demotic

Coptic