Phases and Epochs of Ancient Egyptian History
| Period | Approx. Dates (B.C.) | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Predynastic Period (Early History) | ca. 6000-3000 | Sedentary life, development of irrigated agriculture and specialized crafts in many independent Nile regions. |
| Thinite Period (Beginning of Recorded History) | ca. 3000-2700 | Unification of the kingdom and creation of state structures by kings residing in Thinis (Upper Egypt); development of hieroglyphic writing and high culture. |
| Old Kingdom | ca. 2700-2160 | Capital: Memphis (border between Upper and Lower Egypt); construction of pyramids as royal tombs. |
| First Intermediate Period | ca. 2160-2040 | Collapse of the empire; social and economic destabilization; struggles among rival local rulers. |
| Middle Kingdom | ca. 2040-1797 | Reunification from Thebes by the rulers of Upper Egypt; cultivation of the Faiyum; dominance over the Near East and Nubia. |
| Second Intermediate Period | ca. 1797-1543 | Another fall of the empire; foreign rule by the Hyksos over Lower Egypt. |
| New Kingdom | ca. 1543-1075 | Restoration of unity under Upper Egyptian kings; Amun of Thebes as the state god; royal tombs in the “Valley of the Kings.” |
| Late Period | ca. 1075-30 | Struggles for independence and alternating foreign rulers (Libyans, Kushites, Persians, Macedonians, Ptolemies); invasions by Assyrians; increasing Greek cultural influence since 332 B.C. |
Geographical prerequisite: The basis for Egyptian statehood and cultural development was the fertility of the Nile floodplain, created by the regular annual flooding of the river.
Extent: Ancient Egypt stretched along the Nile oasis from the First Cataract at Aswan in the south to the Nile Delta in the north.