The History of Egypt is a long and rich chronicle of more than 5000 years. One of the greatest civilizations of the ancient world, Egyptian history is remarkable for its vastness, prosperity and opulence. Although a desert land, Egypt is advantageously located along the banks of the river Nile . This bounteous river played a major role in shaping the rich history of Egypt .
The vast history of Egypt can be roughly divided into the following periods:
- Prehistoric Egypt (around 5500 BC)
- Predynastic Period from 5500 BC to 3100 BC
- Early Dynastic Period from 2920 BC to 2650 BC
- Old Kingdom from 2650 BC to 2152 BC
- First Intermediate Period from 2150 BC to 1986 BC
- Middle Kingdom from1986 BC to1759 BC
- Second Intermediate Period from1759 BC to1539 BC
- New Kingdom from1539 BC to 1069 BC
- Third Intermediate Period from1070 BC to 657 BC
- Late Kingdom from 664 BC to 332 BC
Prehistoric Egypt
The history of Egypt can be said to have begun in about 5500 BC . This was the period Prehistoric Egypt , before the invention of writing. Not much is known about Egypt during this period. This was the time when people came to settle down in the fertile soils along the river Nile .
The Dynastic Period
The dynastic period , the longest in the history of Egypt , was the time when Egypt came to be ruled by the pharaohs. This long period of time was the most flourishing age in Egyptian history. By the end of 3000 BC Egypt was unified as a nation by the earliest pharaoh. From then till the invasion of the Greco-Romans in around 332 BC, it were the pharaohs who shaped the history of Egypt .
Egypt was ruled by twenty five dynasties of pharaohs . There were at least 30 kings during the Early Dynastic period and some of the first monuments and temples were built at Saqqara and Abydos during this time. The Old Kingdom has about 500 years of rule. The capital during this period was in Memphis . The pharaohs came to be worshipped as gods. The first Egyptian pyramids were built as step pyramids of mud bricks early in the Old Kingdom period. Intef and Mentuhotep were the important pharaohs of the Middle Kingdom . The New Kingdom saw the rise of the mighty pharaoh Ramses II . Following the death of Ramses II, the Third Intermediate Period saw a lot of anarchy and corruption. But the rule of the pharaohs also did great wonders to Egyptian architecture . The great pyramids and temples built by the pharaohs are today the national assets of Egypt . These structures have made the glorious past of Egypt a living entity which will be remembered by all ages to come.
Like all dynasties of the world, the rule of the pharaohs also had to witness downfall and bow before foreign invasions. The Persians were the first to invade and conquer Egypt . Then came the Greeks under the leadership of Alexander . The Greco-Roman Period of Egyptian history was followed by the Archaic Islamic Period and the Colonial Period when Egypt was ruled by Europeans.
Modern History of Egypt
The withdrawal of the British troops from Egypt on 28th of February 1922 marks the beginning of the
modern history of Egypt . It was a new dawn for Egypt as it became an independent state, thereby ending an almost 5000 years long history of sovereign rule. In
1923, the first Constitution was promulgated and
Saad Zaghloul formed the first representative government of Egypt . Modern Egypt has witnessed many wars and political upheavals
Palestine War , and the dispute over the
Suez Canal . At present Egyptian economy is making great progress under President Hosne Mubarak. A process of successful privatization has started, the stock exchange has been revived, and reform programs with the IMF and the World Bank have been signed and implemented. Egypt is fast emerging as a promising economy in the African continent. The past glory of this great land is now being revived by modern Egyptians.
