The civilization of ancient Egypt existed almost three thousand years, after leaving to descendants majestic monuments and fairytale treasures. Egypt became cradle by the second (after [shumerskoy]) great civilization in the world history. It was conceived in the valley of the Nile by several centuries of later than the [shumerskoy] civilization in Mesopotamia, which had an undoubted effect on the early development of ancient Egypt.
Gift of the Nile
One Greek historian rightfully named Egypt “the gift of the Nile”. People here always settled on the narrow strips of the earth on both banks of the river, which carries its waters through hundreds of kilometers of desert to the delta, where, after being divided into the set of ducts, it falls into the Mediterranean.
Sources
Waters of the Nile yearly rose and were lowered, leaving in the floodlands the layer of fertile silt and making it possible to build complex irrigating systems. This made ancient Egypt the richest granary, which fed the population of the country and that produced the enormous surpluses of the foodstuffs, on which was founded on complex public system and construction projects unprecedented on the spread. The documentary history of ancient Egypt begins approximately since 3000. B.C., when the tsar of upper (South) Egypt [Menes], or [Narmer], united country, after subjugating lower Egypt (delta). It is remarkable, that this union remained inviolable to thousands years (if we do not consider the short periods of disturbance), and [Menes] became the founder of the first of 33 Egyptian dynasties. Last dynasty interrupted in 30 g. B.C., when Cleopatra put an end to herself, after allowing to bite herself poisonous asp.
To be dismantled at the history of ancient Egypt more easily in all, after dividing it into three fundamental periods of prolonged stability - are more ancient, the average and new reigns, isolated from each other by the I and II intermediate periods, when traditional order in the country was disrupted by Civil Wars and strange invasions. Different historians call the different dates of beginning and end of each period, and the majority of datings until 2000. B.C. it is very approximate.
The epoch the first two dynasties (3000-2600 B.C.) is called the early reign, which preceded ancient reign. But many intransient features of Egyptian civilization were already inherent even in those distant times. Already then tsar was divine essence, although by everything the known title “pharaoh” (verbatim “great house”) entered into the use only in the times of new reign. Complex according to the structure Egyptian religion paid enormous attention to the other world life, and Egyptians invented many methods of the mummification of their rested tsars in order to ensure with them worthy existence in the beyond peace. The castes of priests and officials arose and were affirmed in the same period.
Ancient reign
In the epoch of ancient reign (2600-2150 B.C.) Egypt reached the apex of stability and self-insulation, haughty without noting the surrounding peace. Almost immediately began the erection of the rock monuments, from which were most widely known immense tsarist tombs - pyramid. Famous “stepped pyramid” in [Sakkare], on the proximity with the ancient capital by Memphis, was elevated for the tsar OF THE III dynasty [Dzhosera] on the project of his adviser [Imkhotepa]. This [polulegendarnyy] wise man and first architect, known to us on the name, more lately became the Egyptian god of doctoring. The largest pyramid was built in [Gize] for pharaoh Cheops ([Khufu]). The pyramids, accurately oriented along the sides of light, were built on the basis of the simplest technologies. Their erection was, in the essence, the triumph of the organization of labor on scales unprecedented earlier.
Toward the end the epoch of ancient reign yc[ililos] the influence of large aristocracy, central authority was feeble. During the I intermediate period (2150-1950 B.C.) Egypt was cleft by several quarrelling dynasties, and pyramids other tombs underwent plunder.
Average reign
The unity of Egypt was restored in the epoch of average reign (1950-1785 B.C.), and its capital was transferred from that locating scarcely higher of the delta of Memphis into [Fivy], that in upper Egypt. The Valley of the Kings located near became the place of the burial of many rulers, and in two regions [Fiv] - To [karnake] and Luxor - one after others they grew excellent temples and majestic monuments.
By that time religion it acquired the very highly developed forms, after revealing the possibility of the other world life not only for the tsars, but - with the proper preparation - and for any Egyptian. Probably, precisely, by this is explained new custom to place in the burials the wooden figurines of soldiers, craftsmen or servants, so that they would accompany Mr. in the other world peace. These figurines (to [ushebti]) in many respects helped us to present the daily life of ancient Egyptians.
The late period of average reign is noted by the administration of strong and lucky pharaoh's. They pacified aristocracy, they carried out major irrigational projects and extended the dominion of Egypt to the south, after subjugating Nubia. However, with the offensive OF THE II intermediate period (1785-1570 B.C.) the country again entered into the strip of discords and decline, and by the apex of all misfortunes became the seizure of the delta of the Nile by Asian nomads, [giksosami].
New reign
New reign (1570-1075 B.C.) was last great epoch in the history of Egyptian civilization. It gave to the country of its most famous representatives. For ancient Egypt this still there was the epoch of continuous conflicts with the Near East - at first as the Great Power, and it is nearer toward the end already as the victim. As push to this in the big enough measure served [giksosy]. Egyptians adopted in them the new methods of waging of war (in particular, combat chariots) and, after banishing hateful strangers, they pushed aside them to the limits of Palestine and Syria, after converting Egypt into the great empire, whose dimensions [kolebalis] in the different time.
All these events gave the special atmosphere to new reign. For example, more than attention began to give to the glorification of pharaoh as terrestrial conqueror and less - his blessed by tradition godly means. Judging by the written sources, political life acquired more complex nature. The number of most salient personalities of new reign includes the tsarina They [khatshepsut], who was depicted with all tsarist attributes, up to the false beard attached to the chin! The number of energetic rulers enlarged the boundaries of Egyptian empire to the fertile curve of the Euphrates. The apex of its might and prosperity Egypt reached with the pharaoh- soldier To [tutmose] OF THE III (1479-1426 B.C.). But from the correspondence Of [amenkhotepa] BY III (1390-1353 B.C.) with its successor [Amenkhotepom] IV, which was preserved on the clay tables in [Amarne], we learn about the wide diplomatic ties of ancient Egypt with the rulers of entire eastern Mediterranean and Near East.
United god - ancient [Egipeta]
However, the administration Of [amenkhotepa] IV (1353-1336 B.C.) entered into the history by the unprecedented religious revolution, which carried out pharaoh himself. [Amenkhotep] precipitated the innumerable army of Egyptian gods, without having spared even powerful of the [Amona]- Ra, whose name it was included in the name of pharaoh. To Egyptians was [veleno] worship to united god in the means of solar disk or it was ate. In the commemoration this pharaoh it replaced its previous name to [Ekhnaton] and established in [Amarne] the new capital.
The concealed sense of these events remains obscure to this day, and if some historians extol [Ekhnatona] as the first ruler, who founded the cult of united omnipotent god (mono-theism), then others condemn it as intolerant fanatic. The husband of pharaoh To [nefertiti], apparently, actively participated in this revolution, which was achieved by forces of omnipotent official caste and became famous by countless inscriptions and monuments. The religious authority Of [ekhnatona] was so it was great, that about the open resistance there was no speech, but in the society coals of dissatisfaction rotted.
Possibly, serious loss to the prestige Of [ekhnatona] inflicted its neglect of the matters of empire. Thus far it was occupied by questions of religion, allies and satellites gears of Egypt one after others fell under the pressure of the enemies. One way or another, soon after death of the pharaoh of his revolution arrived end, and its name caused such hatred, which was crossed out of all lists of the rulers of ancient Egypt of those days. Inscriptions were effaced, and monuments were destroyed in order to forever destroy memory about the Ger.
Tutankhamen
All this was done on behalf the sons-in-law Of [ekhnatona], pharaoh- boy Of [tutankhatona]. Tsarist court returned to [Fivy], and pharaoh, after removing from the name the prefix “Of [aton]”, entered into the history as Tutankhamen.
After ascending the throne by the boy of years of ten and [protsarstvovav] only several years (1332-1323 B.C.), Tutankhamen would hardly become the outstanding public figure in the Egyptian history, if not one chance. It was devoted to the earth in the Valley of the Kings, where its small tomb proved to be that filled up by the layer of the crushed stone, taken out with the building of the tomb of later pharaoh. As a result all known graves pharaoh's were ransacked, and Tutankhamen's tomb remained almost untouched. After three thousand years, in 1922, it was discovered by British archaeologist by Howard Carter and proved to be upward well-packed by treasures.
the Pharaoh- warriors
Egypt deeply [uvyazshiy] in the Near Eastern wars again became great empire with the pharaoh- soldiers of the network of the I (1290-1279 B.C.) and [Ramzese] OF THE II (1279-1213 B.C.). [Ramzes] carried out immense construction projects, after completing column hall in [Karnake] and rock temples of Abu -[Simbela]. Its boastful inscriptions and colossal sculptures eloquently speak about infinite megalomania.
However, the wars Of [ramzesa] wasted the forces of Egypt, and soon after its death began the period of long sunset. Final stage began in the X century B.C., when domestic dynasties began to alternate by c with strange - Libyan, [nubiyskoy], and 660- X of [g].[g]. - Assyrian. By the last effort of imperial will Egypt subjugated Syria, but only then, in order to in 605. to B.C. suffer crushing defeat about Babylon with [Karkhemishe] and to be deprived of all Near Eastern possessions.
Final decline
In 525. Egypt became the part of the Persian empire. Then the country conquered Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.). His successor became one of his military leaders - Ptolemy, whose dynasty of rule up to 30 g. B.C. Ptolemy remained Greeks on the language and the culture, and this period was noted by the gradual [ellinizatsiey] of Egypt.
The end of the independence of Egypt arrived with death of Cleopatra, and although some Egyptian cults had noticeably an effect on the religious fermentation of [pozdnerimskogo] peace, the old Egyptian civilization gradually of [ugasla], and for the change by it the Greco- Roman culture was alien
