3000 Years of Ancient Egyptian History;

the Longest-lasting empire in the history of the human race.

The Ancient Egyptian Empire was the Longest-lasting empire in the history of the human race. 

Click the photo 👆🏿 above to watch the full video or continue reading.

The old Egyptian Empire is the longest-lasting empire in the history of the human race, it lasted for almost 30 centuries, from its unification around 3100 B.C. to its conquest and fall by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C.

Egypt was not only the preeminent civilization in the Mediterranean world, but the entire world. No other ancient empire ever attained the level of civilization of the ancient Egyptians. 

There have been several arguments on the true race of the ancient Egyptians, from research made by archaeologists, the ancient Egyptians were said to consist of different ethnic groups which includes 

Libyans, a Nubian, an Asiatic, and an Egyptian. 

The Libyan had the lightest complexion, 

The Asiatics were yellowish in appearance,  the  Egyptian reddish-brown, while the Nubians were black. 

Here is a timeline of Ancient Egypt from 3100 BCE to 332 BCE. 

3100 to 2686 BCE: also known as the Predynastic period. 

During this period, King Menes founded the capital of ancient Egypt which was later known as Memphis. 

He unified Upper and Lower Egypt which marked the beginning of the Early Dynastic Period and the development of the foundations of Egyptian society, including the all-important ideology of kingship

The earliest known hieroglyphic writing also dates to this period.

This period marked the construction of monumental pyramids and the establishment of a strong central government.

Around 2630 B.C, King Djoser asked Imhotep an architect, priest and healer to design a funerary monument for him and this ended up being the world's first major stone building, it was named the Step-Pyramid at Saqqara, located near Memphis. 

From 2589 to 2566 B.C., under King Khufu the Great Pyramid of Giza was built, it was estimated to have taken 100,000 men  20 years to build it. 

The reign of Kings Djoser and Khufu was the golden age of peace and prosperity in Egypt. 

Their reign was characterized by stability, riches, and successful military campaigns. 

From 2558 to 2532 B.C. and 2532 to 2503 B.C. King Khafra and Menkaura built the second-greatest Pyramid of Giza and the Pyramid of Menkaura respectively. 

The Pyramid of Menkaura, which is the smallest of the three main pyramids of the Giza pyramid complex), is located on the Giza Plateau in the southwestern outskirts of Cairo, Egypt.

Like Khafu, his son Khafra was known for his cruelty, but aside from building Pyramids, he built Egypt’s most impressive monuments like the Sphinx, whose face was reputedly modelled on Khafra’s.

Due to the huge expense of pyramid-building, the ings' wealth steadily depleted and their absolute power faltered. 

After the death of King Pepy II, who ruled for some 94 years, the Old Kingdom period ended in chaos.

2055 BCE to 1650 BCE: The Middle Kingdom. 

The Middle Kingdom period was characterized by territorial expansion, cultural achievements, and a period of stability.

The Egyptian empire struggled until 2160 B.C. when a civil war broke out between provincial governors and the central authority was dissolved. 

This chaotic situation was intensified by Bedouin invasions and accompanied by famine and disease until the Theban prince Mentuhotep reunites Egypt, beginning the 11th dynasty and ending the First Intermediate Period.

But after the assassination of Mentuhotep, the throne passed to King Amenemhet I, mentuhotep's chief minister 

Once again Egypt flourished, as it had done during the Old Kingdom, they colonized the Nubia empire (with its rich supply of gold, ebony, ivory and other resources) and repelled the Bedouins who had infiltrated Egypt. 

They also built diplomatic and trade relations with Syria, Palestine and other countries, undertook building projects including military fortresses and mining quarries; and returned to pyramid-building in the tradition of the Old Kingdom. 

During this period Queen Sobekneferu (1789 to 1786 B.C.) first confirmed the female ruler of Egypt reigned. 

She was also the last ruler of the 12th dynasty.

1570 BCE to 1069 BCE: The New Kingdom period. 

This period saw the rise of powerful pharaohs like Hatshepsut, Thutmose III, and Ramses II, and the expansion of the empire through military conquests.

From 1503 to 1482 B.C., Queen Hatshepsut reigned as Egypt's first Black and most powerful Queen. 

Hatshepsut ruled as regent in place of her young stepson Thutmose III before crowning herself as pharaoh, she achieved military conquests in Libya, the Levant and Nubia, re-established important trading routes and undertook a bountiful expedition to the Land of Punt. 

After the death of Hatshepsut, Thutmose III reclaimed the throne, he resented his stepmother so much that did his best to erase her memory by defacing her monuments. 

Thutmose III was known for his military brilliance and his great conquests in the south and east, including against the Nubians, Assyrians and Canaanites.

From 1279 to 1213 B.C., Rameses II reigned.  He is famous as the great builder of many of Egypt’s most impressive monuments including the temples at Abu Simbel, the Ramesseum and the Colossus at Memphis. 

1085 BCE to 730 BCE: The Third Intermediate Period, 

This period was marked by political instability, invasion by foreign powers, and the emergence of smaller regional kingdoms.

In this era, foreigners from Libya and Nubia grabbed power for themselves and left a lasting imprint on Egypt’s population.

During this period, around the 8th B.C, Nubian pharaohs beginning with Shabako, ruler of the Nubian kingdom of Kush, established their dynasty but in 671 B.C.,  Assyrian ruler Esarhaddon drove the Kushite king Taharka out of Memphis and destroyed the city; he then appointed his rulers out of local governors and officials loyal to the Assyrians. 

664 BCE to 332 BCE: The Late Period. 

This period was characterized by the rule of foreign powers, including the Persians, Greeks, and Romans.

 In 525 B.C., Cambyses, king of Persia, defeated Psammetichus III, the last Saite king, at the Battle of Pelusium, and Egypt became part of the Persian Empire. 

Persian rulers such as Darius (522 to 485 B.C.) ruled the country and supported Egypt’s religious cults, he also undertook the building and restoration of its temples. 

In 332 B.C., Alexander the Great of Macedonia defeated the armies of the Persian Empire and conquered Egypt. After Alexander’s death, Egypt was ruled by a line of Macedonian kings, beginning with Alexander’s general Ptolemy and continuing with his descendants. 

The last ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt was the  legendary Cleopatra VII, In 31 B.C, Cleopatra  surrendered Egypt to the armies of Octavian (later Augustus) 

This gave way to Roman rulership which lasted for six centuries, during this period, Christianity became the official religion of the Romans, and all of its provinces including Egypt began practising Christianity, but after the Arab conquest in 7 A.D. Islam was introduced.

during which Christianity became the official religion of Rome and the Roman Empire’s provinces (including Egypt). The conquest of Egypt by the Arabs in the seventh century A.D. and the introduction of Islam would do away with the last outward aspects of ancient Egyptian culture and propel the country towards its modern incarnation.