So I've recently embarked on a new video game called Assassin's Creed: Origins, that has stimulated my historical interests. I played the original game, back in 2012 and really enjoy the historical settings of the franchise. The premise of this game is as the title suggests the origins of the assassin's cult and fittingly takes place at the origins of civilization, in Ancient Egypt. I am about half way thru the game and will later have a full recap of it once I am finished with it. For now however I want to dive deep into this historical context that has always interested me; that of Ancient Egypt.
I am quite aware that Ancient Egypt was the first major civilization in human history. Long before the Persian Dynasties took shape, or the conquests of the Greeks, or the rise of the mighty Roman Empire there were the Egyptians. It was Ancient Egypt who laid the foundation of society thru it's polytheistic religion, economics, mathematics, glorious architecture, and a class structure that thrived off of slavery. In this post I am going to capture a general timeline of the rise and fall of Ancient Egypt. I'd like to better understand the reign of pharaohs, the monumental buildings they constructed such as the Pyramids, and their unique beliefs regarding multiple deities and the afterlife.
The Rise of Ancient Egypt
Throughout history every great civilization has thrived from it's geographical surroundings and this was certainly the case for Egypt. While the bulk of Egypt is a desert, they have the Mediterranean Sea to their north, the Red Sea to their east, and the root to all their power flowed thru the Nile, the longest river in the world. It was thru the Nile that Egyptians were able to travel, trade, and establish a civilization that became one of the greatest in the pre-historic ages.
By approximately 5500 BC, tribes had begun to develop along the Nile River in Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. Some of the most notable of these tribes were the Badarian Culture who resided in Upper Egypt and introduced new agriculture techniques. They were later followed by the Naqada culture who introduced new tools to further evolve their farming systems. It was the Naqada culture that introduced the earliest forms of written language in the Hieroglyphics around 4000 BC.
The unification of Egypt into one kingdom happened quite gradually however the establishment of the city of Memphis in 3000 BC was a major turning point. The city was strategically developed by the war-king Narmer as a means to control his labor force as well as his rich deposit of agriculture from the delta of the Nile. The city essentially unified Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt into one kingdom, that eventually became the city of Cairo and the center of the Egyptian Old Kingdom.
The Age of Pyramids (Old Kingdom)
With the establishment of the city Memphis, came a new golden age of civilization brought on by technological advancements in architecture, agriculture, art, and administration. It was the Third Dynasty of Egyptian Kings that brought on this prosperous age of expansion that begun around approx 2686 BC. The first notable king of this age was Djoser and his loyal vizier, Imhotep, who brought about a wave of construction throughout the city, such as the monumental Step Pyramid completed in 2648 BC.
During this time, the independent ancient Egyptian states known as nomes fell under the rule of the King and were thus held to tax collection. The pharaoh was worshiped as a god who controlled the flow of the Nile River, the rising of the sun, and the production of agriculture. By the 4th Dynasty, the Old Kingdom began to reach it's true glory under the reign of Sneferu in 2613 BC. He commissioned three pyramids in Dahshur known as the Meidum Pyramid, the Bent Pyramid, and the Red Pyramid.
Sneferu's pyramids of Dahshur served as precursors to the Great Pyramids of Giza, commissioned by his son Khufu in 2589 BC. The project was continued by his son, Khafra who oversaw the completion of the 2nd pyramid as well as the Sphinx of Giza. The third pyramid was completed under the reign of King Menkaure in 2510 BC. The pyramids still stand to this day as ancient wonders of the world and the utmost symbol of Egyptian culture.
Many of these pyramids were built as holy shrines for the kings to pass over to the afterlife, and their tombs were loaded with rich treasure. However by the 5th dynasty a movement away from the construction of pyramids was replaced by the building of temples for the sun god Ra. Also during this time the Egyptian kingdom began to expand further south into the Nubian Dessert and the Sudan. Their trade interests evolved beyond the Red Sea with the discoveries of ebony, myrrh, frankincense, gold, and copper.
By the 6th Dynasty, the kings began to lose their god-like status and were slowly replaced by the authority of regional governors known as nomarchs. The long reign of Pepi II from 2278-2184 BC is often accredited with the eventual decline of the Old Kingdom, that brought on internal struggles and civil wars following his death. The final straw came with a major drought in 2200 BC, that caused widespread famine and strife for decades. This brought about an end to the Old Kingdom and a 140 year period of strife known as the First Intermediate Period.
The Middle Kingdom
By around 2055 BC, the Egyptian region experienced a resurgence of prosperity under the reign of the pharaoh Mentuhotep II. Mentuhotep II was able to bring an end to the years of famine and political division and reunited the region into one kingdom. This 11th Dynasty ruled from the Lower Egyptian region of Thebes and re-consolidated their power as a monarchy in which the pharaoh was once again viewed as a god. During this Period of Reunification the region became very militarized and the 12th Dynasty under the leadership of Amenemhat established great defensive fortifications. However Amenemhat's authoritative claim was heavily disputed and he was eventually assassinated in a conspiracy plot in 1962 BC. However his son, Senurset I retained control of the throne and furthered the region's defenses for his 46 year reign.
The height of the middle kingdom age came during the reign of the 12th dynasty, particularly the warrior king Sensuret III from 1878 to 1839 BC. He lead many military campaigns of which he often led from the field, and established a strong military and economic kingdom. This gave way to a revival of Egyptian craft work, arts, trade, and city development. It was during this time that the famous warrior police force known as the medjay were instituted to protect the pharoah's interests. Sensuret III reigned for 39 years, and his son Amenemhet III carried on his father's economic prosperity thru a booming age of resource development.
Amenemhet III brought in massive labor forces from the eastern lands to further the mining and building campaigns of the kingdom. After his long 45 year reign the kingdom had begun to quarrel over succession issues and lost much of it's power. Much of this was due to new contention from the Canaanite settlers, known as the Hyskos who began to settle in the Delta region of Egypt. The Egyptian kings were eventually forced to relocate to the southern area of Thebes, where they were contested by the Kushite and Nubian kingdoms. This essentially marked an end to the Middle Kingdom age, and a period of disarray and war known as the Second Intermediate Period which lasted from approx 1650-1550 BC.
The Age of Pharaohs (New Kingdom)
After nearly 100 years of territorial battle, the Egyptians centered in Thebes were finally able to drive out the Nubians from the south and defeat the Hyskos in the north. With these military victories, the pharaoh Ahmose I thus established the 18th dynasty and returned Egypt to it's former glory. He was able to secure his territory with new diplomatic relations with the Canaanites and Assyrians. His son Tuthmosis I, and his grandson Tuthmosis III waged further military campaigns to expand the kingdom into one of the largest empires Egypt had ever experienced. At this era the kings of Egypt were now officially referred to as "pharaohs".
During this golden age of Ancient Egypt new building initiatives were carried forth beginning with the queen pharaoh, Hatsheput in 1479 BC. Massive temple complex were built in the region of Karnak to glorify their achievements yet furthermore to worship the god Amun. In 1350 BC a drastic religious change was implemented by the pharaoh Akhenaten and his royal wife Nefertiti, which made Aten as the supreme deity over all. This sharp change in polytheistic tradition, known as the Amarna Period, was met with great distaste, and after Akhenaten's 20 year reign, his son Tutankhamun erase his father's radical beliefs and restored the ancient polytheistic religion.
In 1279 BC one of the most famous of all pharaohs ascended to the throne, Ramesses II, also known as Ramesses the Great and his famous royal wife Nefertari. Ramesses' claim to greatness was his 66 year reign that oversaw a boom of monumental construction, military conquests, and economic wealth. He led his forces against the Hittite Empire in the Battle of Kadesh in 1274, often considered one of the largest battles to it's date. While it was considered a tactical victory for Ramesses the conflict remained unsettled and thus a peace treaty was agreed upon.
However following Ramesses' reign many new invaders sought to challenge Egypt's glorious kingdom. They were able to repel many of the attacks, however their massive empire had enemies on all sides. There were Libyan tribes to the west, sea pirates from the Agean Sea, and the Assyrian Empire invading it's southern region of Canaan. By around 1069 BC, the Egyptian empire had lost much of it's southern territory to the Assyrian Empire, and this essentially brought about the Third Intermediate Period. From this point on the glory days of Egypt had passed and they were more-or-less vassal states of other empires.
Egypt under Persian and Macedonian Conquest
Egypt's prosperity declined further and further under Assyrian influence. By around 700 BC the Kushite Egyptians had begun a military campaign to drive out the Assyrians yet ultimately lost at the Sacking of Thebes in 663 BC. However ten years later in 653 BC, the Egyptian Saite king Psamtik I was able to ally with the Greeks to regain the northern regions and drive out the Assyrians. For a brief era Egypt was able to rebuild it's culture and economy however under Greek influence. However by 525 BC the Persian Empire invaded Egypt once again, led by the powerful Cambyses II. Following various revolts, Egypt eventually became a vassal state controlled by the Persians.
In 332 BC the Macedonian conqueror Alexander the Great was able to invade the Persian-occupied land of Egypt with minimal resistance. He was welcomed by the Egyptians as a hero and Alexander became inspired by the rich history and heritage of Egypt's land. He built the capital city of Alexandria as a center for learning and trade. The Library of Alexandria housed one of the largest collection of scrolls in the world. The Lighthouse of Alexandria became the monumental beacon of the city that welcomed in merchant ships and was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Under Greek control Egypt was able to thrive as a Ptolemaic Kingdom that honored it's old cultural traditions. New buildings and temples were constructed to honor Egypt's new age. However still the two cultures merged and co-existed with one another for some time, which gave way to Egyptian rebellions against the Greek influence. By around 200 BC, the Romans had become the new power of the Mediterranean region and began trade with Egypt. In order to stabilize their interests in the midst of internal conflict, Rome began sending forces into the region.
Cleopatra and the Roman Conquest
The civil conflict in Ptolemaic Egypt reached it's tipping point in 50 BC when there was a joint reign between Cleopatra and her brother Ptolemy XIII. Cleopatra is one of the most iconic of Egyptian rulers and also the most fascinating figures in history. Her seductive love affair with Julius Caesar and Marc Antony nearly ruined the Roman Empire and restored the Egyptian Kingdom to its prominence. I have written on this topic before, The Start of the Roman Empire, after watching the great 1963 film starring the stunning Elizabeth Taylor.
Caesar attempted to bring peace between the rival siblings, however he ultimately favored the much more seductive Cleopatra. The two secretly had a love affair, which produced a son named Caesarion heavily frowned upon by Roman officials. However before Cleopatra could fully take advantage of this new relationship, Caesar was assassinated by the Roman senate in 44 BC who feared his plans to become dictator. Cleopatra however found another strong ally in the Roman commander Marc Antony and she was able to seduce his love. The marriage between Marc Antony and Cleopatra was very controversial to many Roman officials, including Octavian who later declared war upon Egypt.
The Final War of the Roman Republic was a major turning point for the collapse of Egyptian antiquity and the rise of the Roman Empire. And at the center of it all was the enticing queen Cleopatra and her brave lover Marc Antony. However Cleopatra's story ended in tragedy, and following her defeat at the Battle of Actium the two committed suicide. Her son Ceasarion was executed shortly after by Octavian who established Egypt as a Roman Province in 30 BC. From this point on the Roman Empire ruled with a tight grip over Egypt until it's eventual collapse in the middle ages.
The Rise of Ancient Egypt
Throughout history every great civilization has thrived from it's geographical surroundings and this was certainly the case for Egypt. While the bulk of Egypt is a desert, they have the Mediterranean Sea to their north, the Red Sea to their east, and the root to all their power flowed thru the Nile, the longest river in the world. It was thru the Nile that Egyptians were able to travel, trade, and establish a civilization that became one of the greatest in the pre-historic ages.By approximately 5500 BC, tribes had begun to develop along the Nile River in Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. Some of the most notable of these tribes were the Badarian Culture who resided in Upper Egypt and introduced new agriculture techniques. They were later followed by the Naqada culture who introduced new tools to further evolve their farming systems. It was the Naqada culture that introduced the earliest forms of written language in the Hieroglyphics around 4000 BC.
The unification of Egypt into one kingdom happened quite gradually however the establishment of the city of Memphis in 3000 BC was a major turning point. The city was strategically developed by the war-king Narmer as a means to control his labor force as well as his rich deposit of agriculture from the delta of the Nile. The city essentially unified Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt into one kingdom, that eventually became the city of Cairo and the center of the Egyptian Old Kingdom.
The Age of Pyramids (Old Kingdom)
With the establishment of the city Memphis, came a new golden age of civilization brought on by technological advancements in architecture, agriculture, art, and administration. It was the Third Dynasty of Egyptian Kings that brought on this prosperous age of expansion that begun around approx 2686 BC. The first notable king of this age was Djoser and his loyal vizier, Imhotep, who brought about a wave of construction throughout the city, such as the monumental Step Pyramid completed in 2648 BC.During this time, the independent ancient Egyptian states known as nomes fell under the rule of the King and were thus held to tax collection. The pharaoh was worshiped as a god who controlled the flow of the Nile River, the rising of the sun, and the production of agriculture. By the 4th Dynasty, the Old Kingdom began to reach it's true glory under the reign of Sneferu in 2613 BC. He commissioned three pyramids in Dahshur known as the Meidum Pyramid, the Bent Pyramid, and the Red Pyramid.
Sneferu's pyramids of Dahshur served as precursors to the Great Pyramids of Giza, commissioned by his son Khufu in 2589 BC. The project was continued by his son, Khafra who oversaw the completion of the 2nd pyramid as well as the Sphinx of Giza. The third pyramid was completed under the reign of King Menkaure in 2510 BC. The pyramids still stand to this day as ancient wonders of the world and the utmost symbol of Egyptian culture.
By the 6th Dynasty, the kings began to lose their god-like status and were slowly replaced by the authority of regional governors known as nomarchs. The long reign of Pepi II from 2278-2184 BC is often accredited with the eventual decline of the Old Kingdom, that brought on internal struggles and civil wars following his death. The final straw came with a major drought in 2200 BC, that caused widespread famine and strife for decades. This brought about an end to the Old Kingdom and a 140 year period of strife known as the First Intermediate Period.
The Middle Kingdom
By around 2055 BC, the Egyptian region experienced a resurgence of prosperity under the reign of the pharaoh Mentuhotep II. Mentuhotep II was able to bring an end to the years of famine and political division and reunited the region into one kingdom. This 11th Dynasty ruled from the Lower Egyptian region of Thebes and re-consolidated their power as a monarchy in which the pharaoh was once again viewed as a god. During this Period of Reunification the region became very militarized and the 12th Dynasty under the leadership of Amenemhat established great defensive fortifications. However Amenemhat's authoritative claim was heavily disputed and he was eventually assassinated in a conspiracy plot in 1962 BC. However his son, Senurset I retained control of the throne and furthered the region's defenses for his 46 year reign.The height of the middle kingdom age came during the reign of the 12th dynasty, particularly the warrior king Sensuret III from 1878 to 1839 BC. He lead many military campaigns of which he often led from the field, and established a strong military and economic kingdom. This gave way to a revival of Egyptian craft work, arts, trade, and city development. It was during this time that the famous warrior police force known as the medjay were instituted to protect the pharoah's interests. Sensuret III reigned for 39 years, and his son Amenemhet III carried on his father's economic prosperity thru a booming age of resource development.
The Age of Pharaohs (New Kingdom)
After nearly 100 years of territorial battle, the Egyptians centered in Thebes were finally able to drive out the Nubians from the south and defeat the Hyskos in the north. With these military victories, the pharaoh Ahmose I thus established the 18th dynasty and returned Egypt to it's former glory. He was able to secure his territory with new diplomatic relations with the Canaanites and Assyrians. His son Tuthmosis I, and his grandson Tuthmosis III waged further military campaigns to expand the kingdom into one of the largest empires Egypt had ever experienced. At this era the kings of Egypt were now officially referred to as "pharaohs".During this golden age of Ancient Egypt new building initiatives were carried forth beginning with the queen pharaoh, Hatsheput in 1479 BC. Massive temple complex were built in the region of Karnak to glorify their achievements yet furthermore to worship the god Amun. In 1350 BC a drastic religious change was implemented by the pharaoh Akhenaten and his royal wife Nefertiti, which made Aten as the supreme deity over all. This sharp change in polytheistic tradition, known as the Amarna Period, was met with great distaste, and after Akhenaten's 20 year reign, his son Tutankhamun erase his father's radical beliefs and restored the ancient polytheistic religion.
In 1279 BC one of the most famous of all pharaohs ascended to the throne, Ramesses II, also known as Ramesses the Great and his famous royal wife Nefertari. Ramesses' claim to greatness was his 66 year reign that oversaw a boom of monumental construction, military conquests, and economic wealth. He led his forces against the Hittite Empire in the Battle of Kadesh in 1274, often considered one of the largest battles to it's date. While it was considered a tactical victory for Ramesses the conflict remained unsettled and thus a peace treaty was agreed upon.However following Ramesses' reign many new invaders sought to challenge Egypt's glorious kingdom. They were able to repel many of the attacks, however their massive empire had enemies on all sides. There were Libyan tribes to the west, sea pirates from the Agean Sea, and the Assyrian Empire invading it's southern region of Canaan. By around 1069 BC, the Egyptian empire had lost much of it's southern territory to the Assyrian Empire, and this essentially brought about the Third Intermediate Period. From this point on the glory days of Egypt had passed and they were more-or-less vassal states of other empires.
Egypt under Persian and Macedonian Conquest
Egypt's prosperity declined further and further under Assyrian influence. By around 700 BC the Kushite Egyptians had begun a military campaign to drive out the Assyrians yet ultimately lost at the Sacking of Thebes in 663 BC. However ten years later in 653 BC, the Egyptian Saite king Psamtik I was able to ally with the Greeks to regain the northern regions and drive out the Assyrians. For a brief era Egypt was able to rebuild it's culture and economy however under Greek influence. However by 525 BC the Persian Empire invaded Egypt once again, led by the powerful Cambyses II. Following various revolts, Egypt eventually became a vassal state controlled by the Persians.In 332 BC the Macedonian conqueror Alexander the Great was able to invade the Persian-occupied land of Egypt with minimal resistance. He was welcomed by the Egyptians as a hero and Alexander became inspired by the rich history and heritage of Egypt's land. He built the capital city of Alexandria as a center for learning and trade. The Library of Alexandria housed one of the largest collection of scrolls in the world. The Lighthouse of Alexandria became the monumental beacon of the city that welcomed in merchant ships and was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Under Greek control Egypt was able to thrive as a Ptolemaic Kingdom that honored it's old cultural traditions. New buildings and temples were constructed to honor Egypt's new age. However still the two cultures merged and co-existed with one another for some time, which gave way to Egyptian rebellions against the Greek influence. By around 200 BC, the Romans had become the new power of the Mediterranean region and began trade with Egypt. In order to stabilize their interests in the midst of internal conflict, Rome began sending forces into the region.Cleopatra and the Roman Conquest
The civil conflict in Ptolemaic Egypt reached it's tipping point in 50 BC when there was a joint reign between Cleopatra and her brother Ptolemy XIII. Cleopatra is one of the most iconic of Egyptian rulers and also the most fascinating figures in history. Her seductive love affair with Julius Caesar and Marc Antony nearly ruined the Roman Empire and restored the Egyptian Kingdom to its prominence. I have written on this topic before, The Start of the Roman Empire, after watching the great 1963 film starring the stunning Elizabeth Taylor.
Caesar attempted to bring peace between the rival siblings, however he ultimately favored the much more seductive Cleopatra. The two secretly had a love affair, which produced a son named Caesarion heavily frowned upon by Roman officials. However before Cleopatra could fully take advantage of this new relationship, Caesar was assassinated by the Roman senate in 44 BC who feared his plans to become dictator. Cleopatra however found another strong ally in the Roman commander Marc Antony and she was able to seduce his love. The marriage between Marc Antony and Cleopatra was very controversial to many Roman officials, including Octavian who later declared war upon Egypt.The Final War of the Roman Republic was a major turning point for the collapse of Egyptian antiquity and the rise of the Roman Empire. And at the center of it all was the enticing queen Cleopatra and her brave lover Marc Antony. However Cleopatra's story ended in tragedy, and following her defeat at the Battle of Actium the two committed suicide. Her son Ceasarion was executed shortly after by Octavian who established Egypt as a Roman Province in 30 BC. From this point on the Roman Empire ruled with a tight grip over Egypt until it's eventual collapse in the middle ages.
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