Egypt's Empires Golden Age: Art, Trade, and Political Expansion in Ancient Egypt

Chapter 5.3 Egypt’s Empires

Golden Age • A new dynasty of pharaohs came to power • Moved the capital to Thebes • Started a period of peace and order called • The Middle Kingdom • Lasted from 2055 B.C. to 1650 B.C.

Conquests • Controlled Nubia • Expanded to present-day Syria

The Arts Flourish • Arts and Architecture thrived during the Middle Kingdom • Painters decorated the walls of tombs and temples

Sculptors • Carved hunting, fishing, and battle scenes on large stone walls

Statues of Pharaohs • Statues of the Pharaohs, showing them as humans rather than gods

Architecture • Pharaohs no longer had pyramids built • Tombs were cut into limestone cliffs

The Hyksos • Hyksos invaded Egypt • Had horse drawn chariots • Fought with sturdy weapons made of bronze and iron

Ahmose • Ahmose formed an army and drove the Hyksos out of Egypt in 1550 B.C.

Building an Empire • Ahmose founded a new dynasty. • Started the New Kingdom • Lasted from 1550 B.C. to 1070 B.C. • No longer isolated • Benefited from spread of goods, ideas, and cultures

A Woman Pharaoh • Hatshepsut became pharaoh after husband’s death • Dressed in male pharaoh’s clothes • Wore a false beard • Built temples • Restored monuments • Tomb in Valley of the Kings

Growth of Trade • Hatshepsut was more interested in promoting trade that starting wars

Items Traded • Egyptian traders exchanged beads, metal tools, and weapons for gold, ivory, ebony wood, and incense

Phoenicians • Egyptians valued WOOD products • Traded with Phoenicians • Lived in present-day Lebanon • Invented alphabet • Writing system • Encouraged the spread of goods and ideas – called cultural diffusion

Trade and Politics • Egyptians traded wheat, paper, gold, copper, tin and tools to the Phoenicians for purple dye, wood and furniture

Political Ties • Developed ties with Babylonian Empire in Mesopotamia • Mittani in Syria • Hittite Empire in Anatolia

Expanding the Empire • When Hatshepsut died, Thutmose III became pharaoh • Thutmose was a strong leader and general • Expanded Egypt north to the Euphrates River • Conquered Nubia • Empire was wealthy • Captured and enslaved many prisoners of war

Two Unusual Pharaohs • Amenhotep IV tried to make dramatic changes • Tutankhamen, was very young

A Religious Founder • Amenhotep IV and wife, Nefertiti tried to change Egypt’s religion • Feared priests were becoming too powerful • Felt threatened by their power • Started a new religion • Worship one god, Aton, the sun god • Religion was rejected by most • Weakened Egypt • Lost most of land to invaders

Who was “King Tut”? • King Tutankhamen • Became pharaoh at 10 years old • Restored polytheistic religion of many deities • Died unexpectedly History Teachers King Tut http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAQyFO_fPmM

King Tut’s Tomb • Tomb discovered in 1922 • By Howard Carter • Contained the pharaoh’s mummy and many treasures including a gold mask

Recovery and Decline • Ramses II • Most successful of pharaohs • Also called Ramses the Great • Conquered Canaan • Fought the Hittites • Ramses and the Hittite King signed a peace treaty

Age of Temples • Ramses reigned 66 years • devoted himself to peaceful activities • Built the temple of Karnak

Why Did Egypt Decline? • Pharaohs fought costly wars • Armies from eastern Mediterranean attacked Egypt • Libyans conquered Egypt • People of Kush seized power • In 670 B.C. taken over by the Assyrians • From Messopotamia

Egypt's Empires Golden Age: Art, Trade, and Political Expansion in Ancient Egypt