Ancient Egyptian Capitals
Ancient Egyptian Capitals
The land of the Ancient Egyptians
originally consisted of two parts which were called Upper and Lower
Egypt. Upper Egypt was the valley area in the South and Lower Egypt was
the delta area in the North. Upper and Lower Egypt each had their own
governments and rulers. Upper and Lower Egypt were eventually united in
3118BC.
Ancient Egyptian Capitals
- Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt consisted of a long, narrow strip of land which was at its
widest 13 miles wide and occupied both banks of the Nile River. Upper
Egypt stretched for over 750 miles from Lake Moeris to the the border
with Nubia. Upper Egypt was called Ta-shema meaning the Land of the
Reed. Upper Egypt was divided into 22 districts. The main cities of
Upper Egypt were as follows:
Ancient Egyptian Capitals
- Lower Egypt
Lower Egypt was the Nile Delta in the north of Egypt which was formed by
the seven branches of the river which flowed into the Mediterranean. The
Delta area was rich in arable land and was known as Ta-mehu meaning the
Land of the Papyrus Plant. Lower Egypt was divided into 20 districts.
The main cities of Lower Egypt were as follows:
-
Avaris
-
Tanis
-
Sais
-
Bubastis
-
Heliopolis
-
Memphis
Capitals of Upper &
Lower in the Old Kingdom and the First Intermediate Period -
Hierakonpolis & Thinis
During the time of the Old Kingdom and the First Intermediate Period
(1st–11th Dynasties) Lower Egypt was ruled from the capital at Pe in the
northwest Delta. Upper Egypt was ruled from two capitals which were
located at Nekhen (Hierakonpolis) or Thinis (near Abydos).
Ancient Egyptian Capitals
- Memphis
Memphis, in Lower Egypt, was established as the
capital of Egypt which founded around 3100 BC and
is the legendary city of Menes, the King who united
Upper and Lower Egypt. Menes founded the first
dynasty of the Old Kingdom. Memphis continued to be the capital of Egypt
but during the First
Intermediate Period (2181 BC - 2040 BC) and the
7th - 10th Egyptian Dynasties Egypt saw a breakdown of central
government. Following this period of unrest the Middle
Kingdom (2040 BC - 1782 BC) which included the
11th - 13th - Egyptian Dynasties saw a change in the
capitals.
Ancient Egyptian Capitals
- Thebes, Amarna, Memphis and Alexandria
The Pharaohs of the New Kingdom dynasties were based at Thebes.
A change in capitals occurred during the reign of the heretic king Akhenaten
(1351 -1337) who constructed a new
capital, Akhetaten ('Horizon of Aten'), at the site known today as
Amarna. The site of Akhetaten was halfway between Memphis and Thebes.
After Akhenaten's death, his son-in-law Tutankhaten abandoned the Aten
cult and the new capital and moved the Egyptian government back to
Memphis and Thebes. By the 25th Dynasty a line of Kushite kings based
in their capital at Napata. In 332BC Alexander the
Great occupied Egypt and his general, Ptolemy, became king and founded
the Ptolemaic dynasty. The city of Alexandria was founded and became the
capital.
List of Ancient Egyptian Capitals
The following list details the Ancient Egyptian capitals:
Ancient Egyptian Capitals
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