Ancient Egypt History

Ancient Egypt A History of Ancient Egypt from pre-dynastic time to the Persian invasions of 400 B.C. Written by Oxford professor of ancient history, George Rawlinson, with the collaboration of Arthur Gilman. Numerous illustrations and reproductions from engravings George Rawlinson (1812-1902), English churchman, scholar and historian, is most well known for his translation of the History of Herodotus (in collaboration with Sir Henry Rawlinson and Sir Gardner Wilkinson) [1858-1860]; The Five Grea

Content

• THE LAND OF EGYPT
1. General shape of Ancient Egypt
2. Chief divisions
3. twofold division
4. threefold division
5. The Ancient Egypt of the maps unreal
6. Ancient Egypt, "the gift of the river," in what sense
7. The Fayoum
8. Egyptian speculations concerning the Nile
9. The Nile not beautiful
10. Size of Ancient Egypt
11. Fertility
12. Geographical situation
13. The Nile, as a means of communication
14. Phenomena of the inundation
15. Climate of Ancient Egypt
16. Geology
17. Flora and Fauna
18. General monotony
19. Exceptions

• THE PEOPLE OF EGYPT
1. Origin of the Egyptians
2. Phenomena of their language and type
3. Two marked varieties of physique
4. Two types of character: the melancholic
5. the gay
6. Character of the Egyptian religion: polytheism
7. Animal worship
8. Osirid saga
9. Evil gods
10. Local cults
11. Esoteric religion
12. how reconciled with the popular belief
13. Conviction of a life after death
14. Moral code
15. Actual state of morals
16. Ranks of society

• THE DAWN OF HISTORY
1. Early Egyptian myths: the Seb and Thoth legends
2. The destruction of mankind by Ra
3. Traditions concerning M'na, or Menes
4. Site of Memphis
5. Great Temple of Phthah at Memphis
6. Names of Memphis
7. Question of the existence of M'na
8. Supposed successors of M'na
9. First historical Egyptian, Sneferu
10. The Ancient Egypt of his time
11. Hieroglyphics
12. Tombs
13. Incipient pyramids
14. Social condition of the people
15. Manners
16. Position of women

• THE PYRAMID BUILDERS
1. Difficult to realize the conception of a great pyramid
2. Egyptian idea of one
3. Number of pyramids in Ancient Egypt: the Principal Three
4. Description of the "Third Pyramid,"
5. of the "Second Pyramid,"
6. of the "First" or "Great Pyramid,"
7. The traditional builders, Khufu, Shafra, and Menkaura
8. the pyramids their tombs
9. Grandeur of Khufu's conception
10. Cruelty involved in it
11. The builders' hopes not realized
12. Skill displayed in the construction
13. Magnificence of the architectural effect
14. Inferiority of the "Third Pyramid," 90—Continuance of the pyramid period

• Shift of the seat of power—site of Thebes
1. Difficult to realize the conception of a great pyramid
2. Origin of the name of Thebes
3. Earliest known Theban king, Antef I
4. His successors, Mentu-hotep I. and "Antef the Great
5. Other Antefs and Mentu-hoteps
6. Sankh-ka-ra and his fleet
7. Dynasty of Usurtasens and Amenemhats: spirit of their civilization
8. Reign of Amenemhat I
9. His wars and hunting expeditions
10. Usurtasen I.: his wars
11. His sculptures and architectural works
12. His obelisk
13. Reign of Amenemhat II.: tablet belonging to his time
14. Usurtasen II. and his conquests

• THE GOOD AMENEMHAT AND HIS WORKS
1. Dangers connected with the inundation of the Nile, twofold
2. An excessive inundation
3. a defective one
4. Sufferings from these causes under Amenemhat III
5. Possible storage of water
6. Amenemhat's reservoir, the "Lake Mœris,"
7. Doubts as to its dimensions
8. Amenemhat's "Labyrinth,"
9. His pyramid, and name of Ra-n-mat

• ABRAHAM IN EGYPT
1. Wanderings of the Patriarch
2. Necessity which drove him into Ancient Egypt
3. Passage of the Desert
4. A dread anxiety unfaithfully met
5. Reception on the frontier, and removal of Sarah to the court
6. Abraham's material well-being
7. The Pharaoh restores Sarah
8. Probable date of the visit
9. Other immigrants

• THE GREAT INVASION—THE HYKSOS OR SHEPHERD KINGS—JOSEPH AND APEP
1. Exemption of Ancient Egypt hitherto from foreign attack
2. Threatening movements among the populations of Asia
3. Manetho's tale of the "Shepherd" invasion
4. The probable reality
5. Upper Egypt not overrun
6. The first Hyksos king, Set, or Saites
7. Duration of the rule, doubtful
8. Character of the rule improves with time
9. Apepi's great works at Tanis
10. Apepi and Ra-sekenen
11. Apepi and Joseph

• HOW THE HYKSOS WERE EXPELLED FROM EGYPT
1. Rapid deterioration of conquering races generally
2. Recovery of the Ancient Egyptians from the ill effects of the invasion
3. Second rise of Thebes to greatness
4. War of Apepi with Ra-sekenen III
5. Succession of Aahmes; war continues
6. The Hyksos quit Ancient Egypt
7. Aahmes perhaps assisted by the Ethiopians

• THE FIRST GREAT WARRIOR KING, THOTHMES I
1. Early wars of Thothmes in Ethiopia and Nubia
2. His desire to avenge the Hyksos invasion
3. Condition of Western Asia at this period
4. Geographical sketch of the countries to be attacked
5. Probable information of Thothmes on these matters
6. His great expedition into Syria and Mesopotamia
7. His buildings, 168—
8. His greatness insufficiently appreciated

• QUEEN HATASU AND HER MERCHANT FLEET
1. High estimation of women in Ancient Egypt
2. Early position of Hatasu as joint ruler with Thothmes II
3. Her buildings at this period
4. Her assumption of male attire and titles
5. Her nominal regency for Thothmes III., and real sovereignty
6. Construction and voyage of her fleet
7. Return of the expedition to Thebes
8. Construction of a temple to commemorate it
9. Joint reign of Hatasu with Thothmes III.—Her obelisks
10. Her name obliterated by Thothmes

• THOTHMES THE THIRD AND AMENHOTEP THE SECOND
1. First expedition of Thothmes III. into Asia
2. His second and subsequent campaigns
3. Great expedition of his thirty-third year
4. Adventure with an elephant
5. Further expeditions: amount of plunder and tribute
6. Interest in natural history
7. Employment of a navy
8. Song of victory on the walls of the Temple of Karnak
9. Architectural works
10. Their present wide diffusion
11. Thothmes compared with Alexander
12. Description of his person
13. Position of the Israelites under Thothmes III
14. Short reign of Amenhotep II

• AMEN-HOTEP III. AND HIS GREAT WORKS—THE VOCAL MEMNON
1. The "Twin Colossi" of Thebes: their impressiveness
2. The account given of them by their sculptor
3. The Eastern Colossus, why called "The Vocal Memnon,"
4. Earliest testimony to its being "vocal,"
5. Rational account of the phenomenon
6. Amenhotep's temple at Luxor
7. His other buildings
8. His wars and expeditions
9. His lion hunts; his physiognomy and character

• KHUENATEN AND THE DISK-WORSHIPPERS
1. Obscure nature of the heresy of the Disk-worshippers
2. Possible connection of Disk-worship with the Israelites
3. Hostility of the Disk-worshippers to the old Ancient Egyptian religion
4. The introduction of the "heresy" traced to Queen Taia
5. Great development of the "heresy" under her son, Amenhotep IV., or Khuenaten
6. Other changes introduced by him

• BEGINNING OF THE DECLINE OF EGYPT
1. Advance of the Hittite power in Syria
2. War of Saplal with Ramesses I
3. War of Seti I. with Maut-enar
4. Great Syrian campaign of Seti, followed by a treaty
5. Seti's other wars
6. His great wall
7. Hittite war of Ramesses II
8. Poem of Pentaour
9. Results of the battle of Kadesh, a new treaty and an inter-marriage
10. Military decline of Ancient Egypt
11. Egyptian art reaches its highest point: Great Hall of Columns at Karnak
12. Tomb of Seti
13. Colossi of Ramesses II
14. Ramesses II. the great oppressor of the Israelites
15. Physiognomies of Seti I. and Ramesses II

• MENEPHTHAH I., THE PHARAOH OF THE EXODUS
1. Good prospect of peace on Menephthah's accession
2. General sketch of his reign
3. Invasion of the Maxyes
4. Their Mediterranean allies
5. Repulse of the invasion
6. Israelite troubles
7. Loss of the Egyptian chariot force in the Red Sea
8. Internal revolts and difficulties
9. General review of the civilization of the period

• THE DECLINE OF EGYPT UNDER THE LATER RAMESSIDES
1. Temporary disintegration of Ancient Egypt
2. Reign of Setnekht
3. Reign of Ramesses III
4. General restlessness of the nations in his time
5. Libyan invasion of Ancient Egypt
6. Great invasion of the Tekaru, Tanauna, and others
7. First naval battle on record
8. Part taken by Ramesses in the fight
9. Campaign of revenge
10. Later years of Ramesses peaceful
11. General decline of Ancient Egypt
12. Insignificance of the later Ramessides
13. Deterioration in art, literature, and morals

• THE PRIEST-KINGS—PINETEM AND SOLOMON
1. Influence of the priests in Ancient Egypt
2. Ordinary relations between them and the kings
3. priesthood of Ammon becomes hereditary; Herhor
4. Reign of Pinetem I
5. Reign of Men-khepr-ra
6. Rise of the kingdom of the Israelites
7. Friendly relations established between Pinetem II. and Solomon
8. Effect on Hebrew art and architecture

• SHISHAK AND HIS DYNASTY
1. Shishak's family Semitic, but not Assyrian or Babylonian
2. Connected by marriage with the priest-kings
3. Reception of Jeroboam by Shishak
4. Shishak's expedition against Rehoboam
5. Aid lent to Jeroboam in his own kingdom
6. Arab conquests
7. Karnak inscription
8. Shishak's successors
9. War of Zerah (Osorkon II.?) with Asa
10. Effect of Zerah's defeat
11. Decline of the dynasty
12. Disintegration of Ancient Egypt
13. Further deterioration in literature and art

• THE LAND SHADOWING WITH WINGS—EGYPT UNDER THE ETHIOPIANS
1. Vague use of the term Ethiopia
2. Ethiopian kingdom of Napata
3. Wealth of Napata
4. Piankhi's rise to power
5. His protectorate of Ancient Egypt
6. Revolt of Tafnekht and others
7. Suppression of the revolt
8. Death of Piankhi, and revolt of Bek-en-ranf
9. Power of Shabak established over Ancient Egypt
10. General character of the Ethiopian rule
11. Advance of Assyria towards the Egyptian border
12. Collision between Sargon and Shabak
13. Reign of Shabatok—Sennacherib threatens Ancient Egypt
14. Reign of Tehrak

• THE FIGHT OVER THE CARCASE—ETHIOPIA v. ASSYRIA
1. Egypt attacked by Esarhaddon
2. Great battle near Memphis
3. Memphis taken, and flight of Tehrak to Napata
4. Ancient Egypt split up into small states by Esarhaddon
5. Tehrak renews the struggle
6. Tehrak driven out by Asshur-bani-pal
7. His last effort
8. Attempt made by Rut-Ammon fails
9. Temporary success of Mi-Ammon-nut
10. Ancient Egypt becomes once more an Assyrian dependency
11. Her wretched condition

• THE CORPSE COMES TO LIFE AGAIN—PSAMATIK I. AND HIS SON, NECO
1. Foreign help needed to save a sinking state
2. Libyan origin of Psamatik I
3. His revolt connected with the decline of Assyria
4. Assistance rendered him by Gyges
5. His struggle with the petty princes
6. Reign of Psamatik: place assigned by him to the mercenaries
7. His measures for restoring Ancient Egypt to her former prosperity
8. He encourages intercourse between Ancient Egypt and Greece
9. Ancient Egypt restored to life: character of the new life
10. Later years of Psamatik: conquest of Ashdod
11. Reign of Neco: his two fleets
12. His circumnavigation of Africa
13. His conquest of Syria
14. Jeremiah on the battle of Carchemish
15. Neco's dream of empire terminates

• THE LATER SAÏTE KINGS—PSAMATIK II., APRIES, AND AMASIS
1. The Saïtic revival in art and architecture
2. Some recovery of military strength
3. Expedition of Psamatik II. into Ethiopia
4. Part taken by Apries in the war between Nebuchadnezzar and Zedekiah
5. His Phœnician conquests
6. His expedition against Cyrene
7. Invasion of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar
8. Quiet reign of Amasis
9. The Saïtic revival not the recovery of true national life

• THE PERSIAN CONQUEST
1. Patient acquiescence of Amasis in his position of tributary to Babylon
2. Rise of the Persian power under Cyrus, and appeal made by Crœsus to Amasis, League of Ancient Egypt, Lydia, and Babylon
3. Precipitancy of Crœsus
4. Fall of Babylon
5. Later wars of Cyrus
6. Preparations made against Ancient Egypt by Cambyses
7. Great battle of Pelusium
8. Psamatik III, besieged in Memphis
9. Fall of Memphis, and cruel treatment of the Egyptians by Cambyses
10. His iconoclasm checked by some considerations of policy
11. Conciliatory measures of Darius Hystaspis

• THREE DESPERATE REVOLTS
1. First revolt, under Khabash, easily suppressed by Xerxes
2. Second revolt under Inarus and Amyrtæus, assisted by Athens
3. Suppressed by Megabyzus
4. Herodotus in Egypt
5. Third revolt, under Nefaa-rut, attains a certain success; a native monarchy re-established

• NECTANEBO I.—A LAST GLEAM OF SUNSHINE
1. Unquiet time under the earlier successors of Nefaa-rut
2. Preparations of Nectanebo (Nekht Hor-heb) for the better protection of Ancient Egypt against the Persians
3. Invasion of Ancient Egypt by Pharnabazus and Iphicrates
4. Failure of the expedition
5. A faint revival of art and architecture

• THE LIGHT GOES OUT IN DARKNESS
1. Reign of Te-her (Tacho)
2. Reign of Nectanebo II. (Nekht-nebf)
3. Revolt of Sidon, and great expedition of Ochus
4. Sidon betrayed by Tennes and Memnon of Rhodes
5. March upon Ancient Egypt: disposition of the Persian forces
6. Skirmish at Pelusium, and retreat of Nekht-nebf to Memphis
7. Capture of Pelusium
8. Surrender of Bubastis
9. Nehkt-nebf flies to Ethiopia
10. General reflections