Egypt

As we already said, Egypt has a prolific history marked by the rule of many dynasties and important events. For around 3,000 years, ancient Egypt was the most powerful civilization in the Mediterranean world. And we have many documents and records, along with grandiose architectural remains to witness the high power of the Egyptian civilization. 

And because the history dates back thousands of years, it is divided into several historical periods, each of which is characteristic of a distinct dynasty or important event. Here is a brief overview of them all:

Predynastic Period (c. 5000-3100 B.C.)

Not much is found from the predynastic period, but it is known that this is the time from the earliest human settlement to around 3100 B.C. This includes the Neolithic period (late Stone Age), marked by the people’s custom of exchanging goods in order to survive. Most archeological finds from this period were along the river Nile, as this was where the predynastic people lived and worked.

Archaic (Early Dynastic) Period (c. 3100-2686 B.C.)

This was during the reign of King Menes when he established the capital of Ancient Egypt (Memphis) in the north of the country. This city later grew into a predominating metropolis that distributed power over the whole Egyptian society.

People were mainly concerned with farming and agriculture, which formed the country’s economic base. They learned how to use the river Nile to maximize crop production and establish better living conditions.

Old Kingdom: Age of the Pyramid Builders (c. 2686-2181 B.C.)

This period is best known for building the Pyramids, the first being the Step-Pyramid at Saqqara, near Memphis. This custom peaked with the establishment of the Great Pyramid at Giza, which has remained a major tourist attraction to this day. By the end of this time, the king’s wealth started to decrease, which encouraged the growth of the nobility’s influence.

First Intermediate Period (c. 2181-2055 B.C.)

Once the old Kingdom began to collapse, Memphis-based rulers began to gain more power. This led to a civil war between the provincial governors and the invasion of the Bedouins. Lately, the land was divided into two different kingdoms, ultimately ruined at the end of this period.

Middle Kingdom: 12th Dynasty (c. 2055-1786 B.C.)

This was when a new capital south of Memphis was established. Egypt once again flourished during this time, which was made possible by Nubia’s colonization and the Bedouins’ repelling. 

Second Intermediate Period (c. 1786-1567 B.C.)

It marks a period when the country was again divided into smaller dynasties. Around 1650 B.C., a line of foreign successors took advantage of its instability and gained control over it. They ruled along with a line of native Theban rulers and eventually got into a conflict that drove the foreigners out of Egypt.

New Kingdom (c. 1567-1085 B.C.)

The New Kingdom marks this country’s most prosperous times, denoting the height of the power of Egyptian civilization. This was when religion experienced a revolution, abandoning the priesthoods dedicated to Amon-Ra. All of the rulers from this time were laid to rest in rock tombs in the Valley of Kings instead of the Pyramids. 

Third Intermediate Period (c. 1085-664 B.C.)

The Third Intermediate Period marked great changes in the Egyptian political, societal, and cultural system. The power was divided between local officials and Libya and Nubia foreigners, which led to the division of the state.

From the Late to Ptolemaic period(c.664-30 B.C.)

Egypt became part of the Persian Empire, and the country was ruled in largely the same manner as under the native kings. It was a time when the ruler supported the religious cults and invested in temple restorations.

In 332 B.C., Alexander the Great defeated the Persian armies and conquered Egypt. This marked the beginning of the Ptolemaic era, when many famous kings, including Cleopatra, ruled the country. 

Roman Egypt (30 B.C.- 641 AD)

Following the Ptolemaic period, Egypt fell under Roman rule. They significantly altered the country’s political system, also affecting other spheres during their 500-year reign. A new hierarchy was also introduced, creating remarkable divisions among the citizens regarding wealth.

Medieval Egypt (641- 1517)

This period began right after the Islamic conquest and lasted up until 1517, when Egypt became a part of the Ottoman Empire. During medieval times, Egypt was essentially a trading hub between India and the west – up until the colonial era. However, a lot of major events happened in these centuries, like the Crusades, the Mongol invasion, the fall of the Ummayad caliphate, the Fatimid caliphate, the Ayyubid dynasty and the Mamluk Empire, and the restoration of the Abbasid Caliphate which all had its mark on the Egyptian society and culture that is reflected in its architecture. During this period Egypt was considered one of the most important countries in the Middle East and played a huge role on the international arena. 

Ottoman Period (1517 – 1805)

Culture-wise, the Ottoman period was a huge decline for Egyptians. This was because it became a province of the Ottoman Empire, and the Ottomans exploited the territories for their personal imperial gain and taxation. Furthermore, it served as a military base when it came to expansion toward foreign countries. Thus, Egypt’s culture and prosperity immensely declined.

Modern Era (1804 – 1952)

The modernization of Egypt began in 1805 with the assembling of a new army to be free of Napoleon’s occupation. It began with the rule of Mohamed Ali Pasha, who set his goals to recover Egypt and build it from its ashes into a prosperous country. This period also saw the British conquest and other modern-time wars. All these historical events helped in shaping the whole of Egypt into the country it is today. 

Republican Period (1952 – now)

The 1952 Egyptian Revolution marked the beginning of a new era – the end of monarchy and the evolution into a presidential republic. Since then, Egypt has seen several crises and wars, even had a period when it merged with Syria under the name of the United Arab Republic. Among them were the Suez Crisis and War, the Six-Day War, the 1973 War with Israel (under the Sadat Era), and the Civil unrest from 2011-2014. Nowadays Egypt managed to restore peace and tourism has flourished in the past 10 years with the exception of the period of the pandemic which saw a substantial decline in the tourism industry not only in Egypt but all over the world.