Ancient Egypt

Egyptian civilization is one of the oldest civilizations in the world that grew along the banks of the river Nile. Ancient Egypt began sometime during 3150 BC. The Initial years of ancient Egypt was a golden period during the rule of the pharaohs. The civilization of ancient Egypt declined once the rule of the pharaohs ended in 31 BC and it was conquered by the Roman Empire. This is one civilization that thrived on conditions and flow of the River Nile. The river Nile controlled not only the agriculture but also the culture and social life of the people. Memphis was the capital of ancient Egypt.

Pyramids of Ancient Egypt

Pyramids of ancient Egypt are one of the wonders of ancient world. Pyramids were built as burial place for the pharaohs and their queens. It is also believed a pyramid represented a stairway for the souls of a pharaoh to ascend the heavens.

One of oldest pyramid was the Step Pyramid of pharaoh Djoser who ruled 4,600 years ago. There are corridors in Djoser pyramid, which leads to the burial chamber. This area is lined with Aswan pink granite. The entrance of the pyramid is sealed with granite. The entire pyramid is covered with fine limestone.

One of the largest pyramids, Necropolis, was built in Saqqara. The Great pyramid at Giza is the largest pyramid ever built. This pyramid is a burial chamber for pharaoh Khufu and was completed in 2550 BC. This pyramid is made of approximately 2,300,000 blocks of stones each weight around 2.5 tons. The length along the side of the pyramid is 230 meters and the height is estimated to be 146.6 meters.

Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egyptians considered pharaohs to be gods on earth. There were more than 30 dynasties in ancient Egypt. Pharaohs were thought to be incarnation of gods. The throne was handed over from father to son. However, there are times when the next in heir would be murdered or would disappear mysteriously. In that case a new family take over the control of the kingdom. The history of ancient pharaohs is very complex. One of the famous pharaohs was Tutankhamen or King Tut.

Queens of Ancient Egypt

Only a few queens of ancient Egypt was famous while, most of the queens were shadowed by the regality of their husbands. One of the queens of ancient Egypt who was famous for her beauty even today is "Cleopatra". Queen Hatshepsut ruled Egypt dressed like a man and there are a few queens who contributed towards the unique and rich history of ancient Egypt. Queen Nefertiti was one of the queens who were known for her beauty and her brains. She was the real ruler behind the throne during her husband's reign.

One of the ancient civilizations that fascinate the historians and the common man is the ancient Egypt. The Egyptian cities such as Cairo and Alexandria are a blend of ancient and modern Egypt. The Egyptian culture developed around river Nile. Ancient Egypt was advanced in medicine and mathematics. They had their own alphabet and decimal system. The ancient Egyptians also believed in life after death and the concepts of rebirth.