History of Ancient Egypt

Week 1 – Prehistoric Egypt

The first week of the class acts mostly as an introduction as we ease back into studying ancient civilizations. We will be discussing how Egypt and other civilizations developed around rivers and were able to thrive as a result. Then, we will look at the earliest people to move into the Nile River basin, the founders of one of the most significant civilizations in the history of the world.

Week 2 – Old Kingdom

Week 2 is dedicated to the earliest kingdom of ancient Egypt. Though it is the oldest kingdom period in ancient Egypt, it is far from unremarkable or obsolete. We will be learning about the creation of the pyramids, the religion and the Pharaohs, and the process of mummification.

Week 3 – Middle Kingdom

While the Old Kingdom provided some of the most recognizable iconography in Egypt’s history, it was hardly the only significant time period. The section on the Middle Kingdom addresses some of the important leaders of the time, along with the art that was being produced. Finally, we will take a look at the common people living in Egypt and what their daily lives looked like.

Week 4 – The New Kingdom

The fourth week of the class moves on to the next Kingdom in our list. The lesson will be mostly based around the important rulers of the time and the decline of the ancient civilization. All is not lost though! Egypt still has one more period of major importance in the ancient world.

Week 5 – Hellenistic Egypt

After dominating the ancient Mediterranean world for thousands of years, Egypt faced a decline. The rich wheat fields of the Nile River became a prime target for new civilizations looking to carve out their place in the ancient world. First, the Greeks under Alexander the Great (a pharaoh in his own right) conquered the territory. This week focuses mostly on Egypt’s period under Hellenistic Greek rule. We finish out the semester with what is often considered the end of the ancient Egyptian civilization: conquest by the Romans.