Don't Know Much About Mythology - Kenneth C. Davis [26]
Old Kingdom 2686–2160
2667–2648 Third Dynasty ruler Djoser rules with counselor (vizier) Imhotep, who makes the first known efforts to find medical as well as religious methods for treating diseases.
2650 Beginning of period of pyramid building; the first monumental building in stone is the Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara, initiated by Imhotep.
2575 Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops), largest of the Egyptian pyramids, is built at Giza.
2550 The Great Sphinx at Giza is carved under the reign of Khafra (Chephren).
2500 to 2001 Division of the day into twenty-four units. Cult of Isis and Osiris develops. First use of mummification.
2375–2300 In the pyramid of King Unas, the first known use of “Pyramid Texts” these are funerary texts inscribed on walls of pyramids; they are the oldest known religious writings in the world.
First Intermediate Period 2160–2055
2150 Series of floods brings famine and discontent; collapse of the Old Kingdom.
Middle Kingdom 2055–1650
c. 2055 Egypt is reunited under Middle Kingdom pharaohs.
1991 Book of the Dead is collected; it is known to Egyptians as “The Chapters of Coming Forth by Day.”
c. 1965 Nubia (modern Sudan) is conquered by Egypt.
c. 1800 Horse is introduced to Egypt.
1700–1500 Biblical patriarch Joseph in Egypt (?).
Second Intermediate Period 1650–1550
c. 1660 Invasion of Semitic Hyksos from Palestine, Syria, and farther north. They are excellent archers, wear sandals, and use horse-drawn chariots to conquer the Nile Delta; eventually they rule much of Egypt.
New Kingdom 1550–1069
1567 Expulsion of the Hyksos by Ahmose.
1550 Rise of the New Kingdom; the capital founded at Thebes, which becomes center of the Egyptian Empire. The New Kingdom dynasties usher in a period of stability and rule for nearly five hundred years, expanding Egypt’s power into Asia.
1473 Queen Hatshepsut rules as regent for her infant stepson, who will become Thutmose III.
1479 Thutmose III takes the throne and the title of pharaoh. Thutmose III attempts to obscure all references to his aunt Hatshepsut by constructing walls around her obelisks at Karnak.
1470 Massive volcanic eruption on the isle of Thera is viewed as responsible for destruction of an advanced Minoan civilization based on Crete.
1352–1336 Pharaoh Amenhotep IV, also known as Akhenaten, introduces sun worship as a form of monotheism; his religious reforms, called the “Amarna Revolution,” plunge the country into turmoil.
1336–1327 Brief reign of famed boy-king Tutankhamun, whose tomb survived virtually intact until discovered in 1922.
1295–1200 Speculative date of Jewish Exodus from Egypt.
1286 Hittites almost defeat the Egyptians at the Battle of Kadesh in modern Syria. Following this battle, Ramses II marries a Hittite princess, cementing a peace treaty between the two powers.
1279–1213 Ramses II rules; widely believed to be the pharaoh during the biblical Exodus.
1245 Ramses II moves Egyptian capital to new city, Pi-Ramesses.
1153 Death of Ramses III, Egypt’s last great pharaoh.
1070 End of Twentieth Dynasty.
Third Intermediate Period 1069–664
1005–967 Reign of King David in Israel; Jerusalem established as capital.
967–931 Reign of King Solomon in Jerusalem.
945 Egyptian civil wars; a Libyan dynasty is installed, and the first non-Egyptian line rules Egypt for the next two hundred years.
814 Foundation of Carthage, Phoenician colony in North Africa.
753 Traditional date of the founding of Rome.
747 Rule of Egypt by Nubians.
671 Assyrian king Esarhaddon attacks Egypt, captures Memphis, sacks Thebes, and leaves vassal rulers in charge.
c. 670 Introduction of iron working.
Late Period 664–332
664 Egypt regains independence from Assyria.
525 Persian army led by Cambyses occupies Egypt, which becomes part of the Persian Empire.
490 The Battle of Marathon marks the beginning of the Persian Wars between Greece and Persia.
457 The Golden Age of Athens under Pericles.
450 Greek historian Herodotus visits Egypt and describes