Comparative Civilizations 12 Demise of Egyptian Civilization Class Notes Mrs. Lewis

1. Comparative Civilizations 12 Demise of Egyptian Civilization Class Notes Mrs. Lewis

2. Egyptian civilization reached its pinnacle during the New Kingdom era (1550BCE- 1069BCE). This was considered the Golden Age of Egypt.

3. During this period, there were several larger than life characters who ruled Egypt. The included the following: • Hatshepsut • Tuthmosis III- • Tutankhamun • Ramses II • Nectanebo- the lastpharoah

4. Hatshepsut- one of four female pharaohs • long and prosperous. She was successful in warfare early in her reign, but is generally considered to be a pharaoh who inaugurated a long peaceful era. • She re-established trade lost during a foreign occupation and brought great wealth to Egypt. • That wealth enabled Hatshepsut to initiate great and notable building projects- i.e Great Temple of Karnuk

6. Tutmosis III • he created the largest empire Egypt had ever seen • no fewer than seventeen campaigns were conducted, and he conquered from Niy in north Syria to the fourth waterfall of the Nile in Nubia. • After his years of campaigning were over, he established himself as a great builder pharaoh as well. • Tutmosis III was responsible for building over fifty temples in Egypt and building massive additions to Egypt's chief temple at Karnak. • New levels of artistic skills were reached during his reign, as well as unique architectural developments never seen before and never again after his reign. • Officially, Tutmosis III ruled Egypt for almost fifty-four years

7. Akhenaton- rebel king • Amonhotep IV change his name – worshiped Aton instead of Amon-Re. Moved capital from Thebes. • Married to Nefertiti .His son was Tut. • Monotheistic- believed in one god Amon—Re • plagues, pandemics.

9. Tutankhamun was only eleven years old when he became pharaoh, and reigned for approximately ten years. In historical terms, Tutankhamun's significance stems from his rejection of the radical religious innovations introduced by his predecessor Akhenaton and that his tomb in the Valley of the Kings was discovered by Carter almost completely intact -- the most complete ancient Egyptian tomb ever found. As Tutankhamun began his reign at such an early age, his vizier and eventual successor Ay was probably making most of the important political decisions during Tutankhamun's reign.

11. Early in his life, Ramses II embarked on numerous campaigns to return previously held territories back to Nubian hands and to secure Egypt's borders. He was also responsible for suppressing some Nubian revolts and carrying out a campaign in Libya. Although the famous Battle of Kadesh often dominates the scholarly view of Ramses II's military prowess and power, he nevertheless enjoyed more than a few outright victories over the enemies of Egypt.

12. Egypt’s Military Egyptians were the least warlike people in ancient times. They had to defend rather than invade territories. Egypt provided them with everything they needed. Hyksos invasion alerted them to the need of a strong army. The Army was highly trained. Wars were fought with great pomp and ceremony. They invoked the powers of gods. These war campaigns were terrifying to Egyptians because there was nothing more frightening than dying away from home and being buried in a foreign land.

13. The Demise of Ancient Egyptian Civilization Prosperity and stability could not last forever. • A series of weak leadership and Pharaohs created independent leaders and a rise in power of the priesthood. • Political weakness opened the door to rapidly evolving civilizations surrounding Egypt’s borders. • Influence and invasion from other civilizations such as Persians, Assyrians, Greeks and Romans • Shift from economic prosperity to poverty. Lavish lifestyles left economy bankrupt. • Mass exodus of Israelites out of Egypt- freed from bondage and free to worship one god.

15. Nectanebo was placed on the Egyptian throne by the Spartan king Agesilaus II, who helped him overthrow . After a reign of 17 years, he was defeated by the Persian king Artaxerxes III, and fled first to Memphis then into Upper Egypt, and finally into exile in Nubia, where he vanishes from history. With Nectanebo's flight, all organized resistance to the Persians collapsed, and Egypt once again was reduced to a part of the Persian Empire.

16. The decline of the Egyptian civilization resulted from the complex interplay of these factors including: • economic conditions, • weakening of leadership, • and warfare by other complex societies. • This lead to a slow decline and ended with Egypt becoming part of Roman Empire (after suicide deaths of Anthony and Cleopatra VII) in 30 BCE.

17. Hints for Unit test on Egypt. What you need to know: • Make sure that you have read and done chap. 2 questions that were assigned. • Know The Creator story and who the first Gods were • Name the three spiritual duplicities- ka/ba/akh what Ma’at is • Know some of the key Pharaohs ie , Hatsheptut, Tut, Ramses, Menes • What contributed to the demise of Egypt • Environmental factors that kept Egypt isolated • Mummification process. • M/C, T/F, fill in the blanks, short answers , point form. 40 marks.