Introduction
The civilization that took place in Ancient Egypt is widely known for its great achievements in various fields such as statecraft, engineering, architecture, and medicine. The large and marvelous buildings found along the banks of the Nile River still leave people at awe despite their old age. The civilization of the region is partly attributed to the unification of the Egyptians under one ruler in different sections of the Nile Valley. Empire building gave the ancient individuals a sense of stability and organization that allowed them to focus on civilized practices and behaviors. The ancient Egyptians emerged as one of the first, largest, and longest civilizations in the globe. Their inventions and technologies impacted numerous civilizations that followed and enabled them to develop the palaces and pyramids, a complex religion and leadership system, and simple tools such as levers and ramps. This essay assesses the empire building in Egypt and the role it played in initiating and progressing world civilization from 1690 to 1700.
Empire Building and Civilization in Ancient Egypt
Early Social Formations, Clans, and Norms
Egypt transitioned from tribes to an empire. The first people in the region were not all from the same race. The skeletons identified by archaeologists and historians in Egypt are distinguished into three racial groups: the Mediterraneans with a straight nose, the Semites who had a dolichocephalous skull, and the Semito-Libyan with hooked noses. The three tribes were fused together in the Nile Valley to generate a group of farmers. Afterward, the individuals acquired foreign characteristics from visitors who traveled along the Nile River. The three groups maintained fundamental unity and apparent diversity as one true race in Egypt (Moret, 38).
The Birth of Civilization in Ancient Egypt
The term Ancient Egypt is utilized by historians to refer to the early civilization that occurred in the Nile Valley between the Nile Delta and the First Cataract. Egypt is an example of a hydraulic empire that was more focused on unifying people instead of confrontations. Empire building was instigated by the trading activities and the migration of people into the region. It became necessary for ancient Egyptians to develop an organized way to carry out the trade and social practices to cement their traditions. Two individual kingdoms arose in the White Plains located in the South and the Red Plains found in the Nile Delta (Freeman, 11). The civilization of Egypt followed the political consolidation of the Lower and Upper Egypt under the rule of Menes. Afterward, the region experienced a series of stable governments separated by times of instability during the Intermediate Era. Some of the Kingdoms that emerged in Ancient Egypt include the Middle Empire, Old Kingdom, and New Empire. Other significant aspects that indicated the rise of civilization in Ancient Egypt include inventions and practices such as medicine, trade, shipbuilding, writing, makeup, mathematical formulas, amongst others (Freeman, 18).
The Emergence of Egyptian States: Pyramids and Power
As highlighted earlier, the empire building in Egypt was characterized by three kingdoms: the Old, Middle, and New Empire. The ancient Egyptians reached their pinnacle of authority during the New Kingdom after which they encountered a period of decline following their conquest by foreign powers like the Babylonians, Macedonians, Libyans, etc. The “states” periods were characterized by prosperity and peace with plenty of harvests and new buildings (Keita, par. 2). The Egyptians created magnificent architecture and art notably the pyramids where they buried leaders and prominent individuals. The pyramids were constructed at a time when Egypt was amongst the most powerful and richest civilizations on the planet. The scope and scale of the structures portray the fundamental role that the king or pharaoh played in the Egyptian society (Freeman, 37)
The Expansion and Stability of Egypt
Egypt obtained great territorial expansion during the Middle Ages and the New Kingdom. Particularly, the era of the New Kingdom marked the zenith of authority and massive prosperity for the region. Egypt thus expanded further into the Near East and the Nubian country. The Egyptian military forces fought the Hittites to take control over the modern-day Syrian region. The two periods, that is, the Middle Ages and the New Kingdom, had the most famous kings such as Tutankhamun, Thutmose III, Ahmose I, Akhenaten, amongst others. The pharaohs ensured that they held power and developed the foundations of Ancient Egypt to facilitate the stability of their kingdoms. They also organized the administration of their empires and focused on construction projects (Freeman, 58).
The Egyptian History and Culture Associated with Civilization
The Influence of the Sun, the Nile, and the country on the Social Development of Egypt
The boundaries of the Egyptian region were firmly fixed by nature. To the north was the Mediterranean, the west and east contained the Libyan and Arabian Deserts, and the South had the Nile cataracts. Nature had also divided Egypt into two areas: the Delta and the Valley. Out of these two separate regions emerged two kingdoms in the lower and upper Egypt. The social development of the country depended on the Nile River, the country, and the Sun. The Sun was an integral part of the religious activities of ancient Egyptians while the Nile facilitated political, economic, and social boundaries. The country, on the other hand, relied on stability and unity to safeguard the interests of the people (Moret, 25).
Trade, Ideas, and Migration
In addition to the rise of the empires, the migration of individuals into the fertile regions in Egypt, the disbursement of ideas and goods, and the trading activities promoted the development of civilization. The Nile served as the highway for the movement of ideas, people, and goods in and out of Egypt. Merchants would transport their items using barges and ships to trade in the Mediterranean, Middle East, and inner Africa (Keita, par. 3).
Discussion
The analysis assists in formulating an articulate representation of the role that empire building in Egypt played in the rise of civilization. Significant factors that propelled the emergence of kingdoms include the Nile, trade, migration, ideas, stability, expansionist motives, and the need for an organized way of living and leadership. With the help of the pharaohs or kings, ancient Egyptians focused on conquering neighboring regions to control their resources. They also created magnificent architecture and art that made the country stand out to capture the attention of traders and foreigners (Metropolitan Museum of Art, “The art of ancient Egypt”). Notably, when assessing the early civilization in Egypt, the pyramids are central in depicting the social and political organization of the region. Other inventions that emerged during the civilization of Egypt include writing, shipbuilding, mathematics, papyrus reeds, etc. Most individuals were farmers with the main crop being cotton. Traders would travel far and wide to buy the cotton and other goods produced by Egypt (Keita, par. 20).
Conclusion
The series of events portrays a group of tribes that were land tillers who were unified by the rise of the kingdoms. The three ancient races, that is, the Mediterraneans, Semito-Libyan, and the Semites, become one race. The aspect allowed them to address other factors such as construction projects, inventions, and ideas to make their farming work easier. They also began to focus on expanding their boundaries to acquire more land. The conquest and development of the region would not have been possible without a common leader who generated a similar vision and mission for the ancient Egyptians and led them to war against their rivals (Keita, par. 22). The trading activities enabled cross-cultural contact and human interaction propelling the empires and civilization in Egypt even further. Ancient Egyptians also engaged in developments in mathematics, astronomy, architecture, religion, and philosophy. The region experienced tremendous prosperity until the decline of the empire in the New Kingdom following conquests by the rivals of Ancient Egypt.
Bibliography
Primary Sources:
Keita, Maghan. The rise of civilization and empires in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Indus valley.
Metropolitan Museum of Art. The art of ancient Egypt.
Secondary Sources:
Freeman, Charles. Egypt, Greece, and Rome: civilizations of the ancient Mediterranean. Oxford University Press, 2014.
Moret, Alexandre. The Nile and Egyptian Civilization. Routledge, 2013.
