1. The Pharaohs and Dynasties
Ancient Egypt
The Pharaohs and Dynasties

2. Learning Goals
Describe the roles of selected individuals in the process of change
Narmer, Akhenaton, Hatshepsut
Explain how viewing events in chronological order aids in understanding complex changes
Identify forces that tended to reinforce stability and continuity
Theocracy, religion...

3. Geography of Egypt Upper and Lower Egypt Black Land and Red Land
The Nile River
Who ruled Egypt?
Was Egypt always unified?

4. What was a Pharaoh? The Pharaoh was the King of unified Egypt
Pharaohs were also revered as living gods
Pharaohs believed that they descendents of gods
This is part of the concept of Divine Right, the belief that you can rule because your god said
The pharaohs essentially had a theocratic government, in that religion held the power of the state above other institutions

5. A Time Line of Pharaohs Predynastic Period 3100-2650 BCE Old Kingdom
Middle Kingdom
BCE
New Kingdom
BCE
Late Dynastic Period
BCE
Macedonian (Greeks)
BCE
Roman
45 BCE – 395 CE
Thutmose I
Thutmose III
Ptolemy I
First Intermediate Period
BCE
Second Intermediate Period
BCE
Hyskos Kings

6. Narmer (Menes) Circa 3100 BCE The King that unified Egypt
Established the capital city of Memphis
Created the first Dynasty of Egypt

7. Djoser Circa 2650 BCE Created a strong central government
This power allowed him to create the Step Pyramid
Pyramid's became the symbol of power

8. Khufu (Cheops) Circa 2580 BCE Head of the 4th Dynasty
The Great Pyramid at Giza was constructed for him
His sons Chephren and Mycerinus built the next two in Giza

9. The Pyramids at Giza

10. Hatshepsut 1479-1457 BCE Possibly first female ruler in the world
Wore a ceremonial beard to fit the role
Temple in her honour at Deir El-Bahri
What happened to her?

11. Akhenaton (Amenhotep IV)
BCE
Lead the Amarna Revolution
Established new capital at Tell el Amarna
New religion built around Aton, the sun god
Sons Tutankhaton and Horemheb

12. Tutankhamen (Tutankhaton or 'Tut')
BCE
Son of Akhenaton
Changed name to Tutankhamen, dropped the 'aton'
Restored polytheistic religion
Known as the “Boy King”

13. Ramses II 1279-1213 BCE Last of the great Pharaohs
Two major conflicts with the Hittites
Made Thebes his Capital City
Immortalized himself through monuments and building projects

14. Cleopatra VII 51-30 BCE Last of the Greek, Ptolemy Dynasty
Allied with the Romans: Julius Caesar and Mark Antony
Committed suicide with Mark Antony