Egypt | The Pyramids & Upper Nile

Ancient Egypt Timeline

The Egyptian civilization began along the Nile River Delta (known as "Lower Egypt") approximately 5,500 years, with the reign of king Naqada II during the Predynastic Period in 3050 BC. From 2950 BC to the end of Pharaonic Egypt at the close of the Greco-Roman Period in 395 AD, there were a total of thirty-one dynasties, spanning an incredible 3,345 years!

The first known pharaoh of Egypt was king Na'rmer who reined in 3000 BC during the "Predynastic period," but the first actual Egyptian "dynasty" began with king Menes in 2850 BC. King Menes ushered in the "Early Dynastic Period" (1st-3rd Dynasties, from 2850-2575 BC), and the remaining twenty-eight Egyptian dynasties were divided into eight sub-groups.

It was during the Early Dynastic Period that Memphis (near modern Cairo) was established as the capital of the Egyptian state. Throughout the Early Dynastic Period and "Old Kingdom period" (4th-8th Dynasties, from 2575-2134 BC), Egypt consolidated its power around the Memphite region until the long reign of king Pepy II (2246-2152) brought a decline to the state's power, and a temporary close to a unified Egypt.

It was during the "Old Kingdom" that pyramid building proliferated, culminating in the construction of the two great pyramids at Giza - the first being built by the 4th Dynasty king Khufu, and the second smaller pyramid built by his son Khephren. There were several attempts to duplicate the grander of the Giza pyramids, notably the stepped pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara, but each attempt failed and the era of pyramids ended with the reign of the 13th dynasty king Khendjer.

During the "1st Intermediate Period" (9th-11th Dynasties, 2134-2040 BC), Egypt had two capitals: Herakleopolis in the north (lower Egypt), and Thebes to the south (Upper Egypt).

A divided Egypt continued through the "Middle Kingdom" (11th-14th Dynasties, 2040-1640 BC), and "2nd Intermediate Period" (15th-17th Dynasties, 1630-1520 BC), but the nation was reunified under the Theban king 'Ahmose, beginning the "New Kingdom" (18th-20th Dynasties, 1539-1075 BC).

The Egyptian kingdom now extended from the Nile Delta (modern Alexandria) to the unnavigable cataract region (modern Aswan) of the Nile in Nubia.

It was during the New Kingdom that some of Egypt's most significant and enduring monuments were constructed by such notable pharaohs as Tuthmosis I, Queen Hatshepsut, Amenophis IV (renamed Akhenaten, and father to Tut-ankhamun) and his queen Nefertiti, Seti I (Sethos I), and the most prolific builder of all pharaohs Ramesses II.

Egypt began to decline toward the end of the "3rd Intermediate Period" (21st-25th Dynasties, 1075-715 BC) and "Late Period" (20th-30th Dynasties, 715-332 BC), and by the the "Greco-Roman Period" Egypt was ruled by foreign pharaohs from Macedonia, the Ptolemies from Greece, and finally the Romans in 395 AD.