The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt

Product Information

Akhenaten's successor was Tutankhamun (1336-1327 BCE) who was in the process of restoring Egypt to its former status when he died young. His work was completed by Horemheb (1320-1295 BCE) who erased Akhenaten's name from history and destroyed his city. Horemheb succeeded in restoring Egypt but it was nowhere near the strength it had been prior to Akhenaten's reign. Over roughly one hundred years, Egypt was beset by unseasonably dry spells, the annual Nile floods became unreliable and water levels dropped due to low rainfall. Spates of cold weather also stressed Egypt’s warm weather crops impacting its harvests. Trade went on evenly between the Hyksos, Egyptians, and Nubians until the government at Thebes grew tired of feeling like guests in their own country. The Theban king Seqenenra Taa (also known as T'aO, c. 1580 BCE), interpreted a message from the Hyksos king Apepi – which was probably a request to curtail the Theban practice of hippo hunting – as a challenge to his authority and launched a campaign against the town of Avaris. Ta'O was killed in battle but his cause was taken up by his son Kamose and then by Ahmose I who defeated the Hyksos and unified Egypt. Rise of the Empire In this landmark volume, one of the world’s most renowned Egyptologists tells the epic story of this great civilization, from its birth as the first nation-state to its absorption into the Roman Empire. Drawing upon forty years of archaeological research, award-winning scholar Toby Wilkinson takes us inside a tribal society with a pre-monetary economy and decadent, divine kings who ruled with all-too-recognizable human emotions. Here are the legendary leaders: Akhenaten, the “heretic king,” who with his wife Nefertiti brought about a revolution with a bold new religion; Tutankhamun, whose dazzling tomb would remain hidden for three millennia; and eleven pharaohs called Ramesses, the last of whom presided over the militarism, lawlessness, and corruption that caused a political and societal decline. Filled with new information and unique interpretations, The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt is a riveting and revelatory work of wild drama, bold spectacle, unforgettable characters, and sweeping history.

The impact of a series of low floods, even if they occur over a few years, can cause distress, famine, plague and civil unrest in Egypt. For example, in AD 967, a low flood caused a severe famine that left 600,000 people dead in and around Fustat, the-then capital of Egypt. The famine lasted for two years and it was not until AD 971-2 that plentiful harvests returned. Once again, in 1201, low Nile floods followed by another low flood in 1202 caused a catastrophic famine. One report from the time cites an official telling the workers that he would give them their grain if he had any but there was nothing he could do. Officials also had no idea how to handle the strike itself – nothing like it had ever happened before – and so they more or less did nothing. The underlying problem was that the concept of harmony – embodied in ma'at – had been ignored and the king was no longer able to keep the balance required to govern effectively.Under the reign of Akhenaten, the capital was moved from Thebes to a new city, Akhetaten, designed and built by the king and dedicated to his personal god. The temples in all the cities and towns were closed and religious festivals abolished except those venerating his god, the Aten. The Egyptian economy relied heavily on religious practices as the temples were the centers of the community and employed a large staff. One of early Egypt’s most notable and important aspects was what to do when a person died. People were said to continue into the afterlife when dying and therefore had to be prepared for it. Usually, they were mummified and buried below ground level — and if the person was rich and influential enough, he got with him dead servants were buried beside him to assist their master even in the afterlife. While the early Egyptians obviously could not build Pyramids, there have been found small grave ruins throughout the land.

During this time period, the Egyptian climate contributed to the fall of ancient Egypt in other ways. The Nile river, which was the primary source of water for drinking and crop irrigation, was a temperamental river, known for flooding and periods of low water levels. Cheops was succeeded by his son Djedjefre. Khafra, Djedjefre’s half-brother, succeeded him and were the one to build the Great Sphinx of Giza. The lion body symbolized Re while the human head symbolized the king. It drew further parallels between the ruling power and the Gods.Ptolemy IX Soter II was the chosen successor, but after nine years on the throne, he was forced to share his position with his younger brother, Ptolemy X Alexander. First after the younger brother’s death in 88 BCE could the king once more rule alone. When Ptolemy IX died eight years later (80 BCE) Ptolemy XI Alexander II was chosen to become king, despite being son to Ptolemy X. The new king, though, was killed by a mob in Alexandra mere weeks later, meaning that Ptolemy XII Neos became ruler, an illegitimate son of Ptolemy IX Soter II.