Ancient Egypt
THIS PHOTO IS COPYRIGHTED ©2018 BY TRUTH FACTS AND ITS LICENSORS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.Egypt was quite a place in ancient times when you consider their accomplishments. We all know about their building prowess, but I thought it might be interesting to know about their pharaohs. Did you know they had 170 of them? When archaeologists talk about ancient Egypt, one of the things which excites them the most is the fact they kept meticulous records. This means so much to our history. There have been ancient races which have come and gone, and the only way we know they were here is by the structures they left behind. It is believed some had no writing. I always wondered how a race like this could have accomplished creating awe inspiring structures, yet couldn’t write or read. Could they have had some other way of recording facts? The ancient Egyptians had a way of using a rope to record the exact location of the land they owned. They had to know its location, because of the flooding of the Nile River, which would put this land under water from time to time. It had to do with certain types of knots. When an ancient Egyptian surveying crew was sent out, it used measuring ropes, plumb bobs, sighting instruments, and leveling instruments. These people were quite advanced for their time. Many believe these crude instruments are what were used to build the Great Pyramid, one of the most accurate buildings ever created. This is of course if you believe the Egyptians really built it. Succession in ancient Egypt was different than what we have seen in the movies, because it didn’t always pass to the eldest son. There were several pharaohs who stand out from the rest. The first is Khufu. While we can’t be absolutely sure, it seems he succeeded his father Sneferu. He was the pharaoh who is credited with commissioning the building of the Great Pyramid of Giza. The pyramid went on to become one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. What is so interesting about the pyramid besides the incredible achievement of building it, is the fact it is still standing and in fairly good shape. The pyramid was the largest structure ever built for over 4,000 years. Some say he was building his tomb, and yet no mummy was ever found in a pyramid. Others believe the pyramid was part of a system of pyramids which generated electricity by chemical means. I think it is incredible all these years later we still recognize some of the names of these pharaohs. Another famous pharaoh was Amenhotep I. It is thought he reigned from 1526 to 1506 B.C. His kingdom had been expanded by his father who made many military conquests, which included Nubia and the Nile Delta. Many statues and art depicting him have been found. He was famous for founding a village of artisans at Deir el-Medina. These are the people who created the artwork in the tombs known as the Theban Necropolis, and they lived a good life. He is credited with finishing the Book of the Dead. This book was a very important one in Egyptian life, and was used as a funerary text. It also seems he may have been connected to the invention of the first water clock. Before this clock an hour in ancient Egypt was considered 1/12 of the night and as the nights became shorter or longer that period of time changed. Another famous pharaoh was Thutmose III. His reign was from 1479 to 1425 B.C. He ruled Egypt with his mother and was in charge of the army. It is said he was very brave in battle, and all who served with him loved and respected him for his bravery and his ability. One of the very first battles in history to be recorded in detail was the battle known as Megiddo. Megiddo was a city of extreme importance, since it overlooked the main route from Syria to Egypt, and if in the wrong hands could hamper trade. In 1479 B.C. Thutmose III conquered it. When the Egyptians ran toward the city with Thutmose leading the charge in his chariot the defenders fled to their fortress. The Egyptians set a siege around the fort and eventually the defenders surrendered. Thutmose III had expanded the empire. I guess I have to mention one pharaoh who is probably one of, if not the one most famous pharaohs who ever lived. Not so much because of any accomplishments, but because of his age, and the way his tomb was discovered, and the curse which was believed to cover it. The pharaoh is Tutankhamun also known as King Tut. He had died at the age of 18 years old, and only ruled from 1334 to 1325 B.C. When his tomb was discovered it was found to contain a vast treasure of gold and art. Howard Carter died after discovering the tomb and was said to be a victim of the curse guarding the tomb, as were several others. There were two very famous queens in ancient Egypt. One was Nefertiti who was said to be the most beautiful woman in the world. She was the wife of Ramesses the Great. She had become proficient in reading and writing which was rare. One of the titles Ramesses gave her was “The one for whom the sun shines.” The story of her beauty has survived the ages, and most people would still recognize her name today. It is said she died about 1255 B.C. The other famous queen of ancient Egypt was Cleopatra. Cleopatra was the queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. It is said she committed suicide around 30 B.C. after Octavian invaded Egypt. He wanted to capture her and take her to Rome. Cleopatra had an affair with Mark Anthony and had three children. She made a mistake when she tried to have her son Caesarion, which Julius Caesar had fathered, made the emperor of Rome and that was rejected, and Octavian became emperor. Cleopatra had her brother Ptolemy XIII killed and elevated her son to his position as joint ruler. Rome was having none of this. The history of Egypt is a rich and interesting one. Because it is one of the oldest countries on earth, it has given us much history to discover.
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