EARLY EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION - NEW KINGDOM

EARLY EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION - NEW KINGDOM
NEW KINGDOM: (1580- 1085 B.C.)

EARLY EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION - New Kingdom

AHMOSE I – drove out the Hyksos; 18^th dynasty; reestablished Thebes

QUEEN HATSHEPSUT – first woman ruler in world history; able ruler

-         married THUTMOSE III (the son of her deceased husband by concubine)

-         able ruler; built gorgeous temples and obelisks in Karnak, Der-el-Bahri, & Luxor

THUTMOSE III – greatest pharaoh

-         ordered erasure of Hatshepsut’s inscriptions in the monuments and temples

-         made Egyptian a world power; expanded nation’s economy; patronized literature

AMENHOTEP IV – introduced monotheism; worship ATON – creator of all things 

-         changed his name to AKHENATON (pleasing to Aton)

-         built his capital in Tel-el Amarna (Akhenaton)

-         Queen Nefertiti and daughters helped him in public offerings to Aton

-         gentlest and noblest pharaoh but neglect affairs of the state

-         died at 30

TUTANKHAMEN – son-in-law of Akhenaton

-         moved the capital back to Thebes; revived worship of pagan gods

RAMESES II – conquered the Jews and brought many of them as captives into Egypt (Exodus 1: 11 – 14:13)

-         age of Empire

-         the pharaohs created an empire w/c extended far beyond the Nile River Valley up into Western Asia because other pharaohs led Egyptian armies to victory over Syria, Phoenicia & Palestine

-         enriched Egypt & the capital Thebes became a city of statues, temples, & palaces

-         1100 BC Egypt’s power began to decline because of (1) quarrels among its leaders, (2) rebellion among its conquered people, (3) costly battles w/ foreign enemies

-         PERIOD OF DECADENCE – the country was beset by civil war & a series of foreign invasions

·        332 BC – Alexander the Great overthrew the last dynasty and annexed Egypt to his Empire

·        Cleopatra – the last descendant of the pharaohs

·        30 BC – became the province of the Roman Empire

Religion

-         concerned with life after death

-         Polytheism – worship of many gods

-         Monotheism – worship of only one god; introduced by Pharaoh Amenhotep IV

Social Classes

1)  Pharaohs

2)  Nobles/Priests

a.  Priests – religious ceremonies

b.  Court nobles – advised the pharaoh & carried out his order

c.   Landed nobles – managed great estates; served as royal army

-         live in palatial homes w/ luxurious furnishings & elaborate gardens

3)  Merchants/Professionals

-         skilled artisans; traders

-         teachers, artists, doctors, nurses, scribes

4)  Slaves/Freemen – great number of Egyptian belonged

·        slaves – war captives; loyal and able slaves were given freedom

·        freemen – worked in farms, irrigation system, roads & building projects; possible to rise to higher ranks