Annotated Bibliography: Ancient Egypt

Kimberley Miller

World Literature

September 23, 2015

Dynasty Histories Ancient Egyptian

Bunson, Margaret R. "Dynasty Histories, Ancient Egyptian." Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, Revised Edition. 2002. Ancient and Medieval History Online. Web. 23 Sept. 2015. .

The researcher summarizes the accomplishment of the Egyptian rulers know as dynasty. The Dynasty lasted for thirty-two periods. Dynasties where from various royal lines and the destiny of Egypt was placed in these royal families. The first dynasty period lasts through 2920 – 2575 BCE. Scorpion, Narmer and others from the Predynastic warriors from Upper Egypt had hopes to control the areas of the Delta in Lower Egypt, but the process was not as effective because the Lower Egypt

already own their culture and way of life. It wasn’t until Aha took the throne as the probable heir to Narmer made the unification between the two kingdoms successful.

Campaigns continued into Sinai and surrounding deserts to demand the natural resources of the area but were confronted with the native Bedouin tribes causing the Egyptians to build military forces to protect the mines and quarries they possess. As it approaches the second dynasty the researcher speaks on religious dominance between the different cults. According to Bunson “As part of the religious expansion and cultic evolution, a number of theophanies, animal representations of the gods, were introduced in shrines and temples.” The Apis bull and Mnevis bull was introduce as their significant animal representation. Within the third dynasty Pharaoh Nebka opens a royal line where he led the military operation and territory was extended as far as south Aswan. The fourth dynasty started the Pyramid age the Bent, Red, and the Great Pyramid. Later The Great Sphinx was created to keep eternal watch on the horizon by Successors Khafre and Menkaure. In the later dynasties new eras were formed and improvements were made in areas such as the military, and the trade system. New royalties were also formed within the dynasty period and a list was form. According to Bunson “The dynasty list contains few names, known only by surviving decrees issued by the rulers.” The first Intermediate period consisted of The Ninth Dynasty through Fourteen Dynasty. As the dynasty tales went on it speaks about how power was gained, traditions being passed down, how the dynasty line was being maintained, and power being declined as time passes. The dynasty period ended at the Ptolemaic period where Alexander the great declared himself and his heirs the rulers of Egypt. As the end approach for the Dynasty Bunson stated “The dynasty was fatally wounded in the reign of Cleopatra VII, who killed herself to escape the inevitable humiliation at the hands of Octavian (Emperor Augustus) in 30 BCE”. As time passed after the Mishaps with Cleopatra VII and her son being killed Egypt became a territory of Rome.

Divine kingship in ancient Egypt

David, Rosalie. "Divine Kingship in Ancient Egypt." Handbook to Life in Ancient Egypt, Revised Edition. 2003. Ancient and Medieval History Online. Web. 23 Sept. 2015. .

The author speaks about the roles of the kings and any royalty line in the article.

He stated that the king’s role originated from the predynastic Egypt. Egypt’s political and religious development was centralizing by the concept that the country was ruled by a god-king. It was believed that the kings were offspring of the gods and which believed granted them special gifts to do their duties or to perform rituals. It was also belief that the special qualities the king possessed separated them from his subject and also in afterlife as well with the beliefs that their immortal and that his afterlife would have a different

destiny.

David stated “The king's role originally developed out of the de facto custom in predynastic Egypt that the most powerful of the tribal leaders became the leader of the country.” The king was a very powerful as in he owns Egypt and all entitle to it but even the king had to obey the principles of balance and order but acted upon the advice of his counselors and administrators. Even the burial of the god-kings specialize from his subjects where the god-kings were the king rested in pyramids while the subjects rested in tombs and graves. The landmarks suggested struggles with power between the kings and the gods. After the cults became preeminent pyramid’s was no longer built for kings but for sun temples for god’s worship. According to the David “Toward the end of Dynasty 18, Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV) introduced a monotheistic cult centered around the Aten (sun's disk), perhaps in the hope of destroying the priests' power (the cults of all other deities were terminated and their priesthoods disbanded).” The introduction of a new cult wasn’t successful which led to the restoration of the originally belief in the traditional gods and their priesthoods. By Dynasty 21 changes was made for the king’s daughter to take upon the role for the Divine Wife of Amun where she would have to reside at the Thebes and was also granted great power. Being the Divine Wife of Amun her status was aimed to be as equal as her father who would be the king and she couldn’t marry a human to be her husband. With the king’s daughter keeping these roles he was able to keep power over Thebes which became a political weapon to maintain control. According to David “Their main function was to prevent seizure of political power at Thebes by a man who could threaten the king's supremacy, and they prevented any repetition of the division of the kingdom.” Control was important and it was keep within the royal family lines so it could be passed down as a legacy and couldn’t be overwrites.

Second Intermediate Period of Ancient Egypt

David, Rosalie. "Second Intermediate Period of Ancient Egypt." Handbook to Life in Ancient Egypt, Revised Edition. 2003. Ancient and Medieval History Online. Web. 23 Sept. 2015. .

The second intermediate period started with power being passed down to Amenemhet IV who was succeeded to be the last dynasty by Sobekneferu. This period suffered because the Kings failed to keep control over the kingdom. It was later recovered when the Theban princess took controlled. According to David “In between these events, however, foreign rulers (whom we know as the Hyksos) entered Egypt and established their dynastic control over the country.” Because of failures in the kingdom, rulers seek to prove themselves to restore the dynasty line. The decentralization and dissolution from the first intermediate period was carried over into the second intermediate period which affected the structured. Unlike political disruption some rulers came in power through ties of blood or marriage. As David stated “They ruled from Memphis and wielded power in Egypt and abroad, but toward the end of the dynasty lack of a strong ruler undermined the country.” Dynasty ruling over Egypt was no longer in effect after the judgment of lack of strong leadership.
After dynasty 14, The Hyksos Period came in effect where they intervene and repossess control over Egypt.

The Hyksos invade Egypt in effort to take control was successful, this invasion wasn’t seen coming. David mentions “They took the land without striking a blow and then ravaged the countryside, burning the cities, destroying temples, and massacring the people or taking women and children into slavery.” After gaining power they appoint their own as king. Hyksos name was referred to mean “Shepherd Kings” or “Ruler of Foreign Lands”. While in power some changes were partly new it was believed to be carried from earlier kings who were in charge before. David states “The facts, therefore, do not bear out the literary claim that they set out to make extensive political, social, or religious changes in Egypt.” The people was confused about the where Hyksos originated from. It was mostly believed that they were Aryan originated because of their ease of conquest and use of horse-drawn chariot. Even though there were assumptions it was never proven. Not long after conflict was brought between the Hyksos and Thebans because of the used of foreigners to administer Egypt, the Theban won and a new kingdom was born. After the new kingdom was form David mentions “Various sources (the Carnarvon Tablet, a stela, and fragments of a historical inscription discovered at Karnak) provide details of Kamose's campaigns against the Hyksos ruler Auserre Apophis I.” This victory brought changes

such as power, territory and stronger army forces, it made them become better as a kingdom to keep their stand in their empire to make sure there would be a less chance of an invasion to take over the New Kingdom.