Ancient Egypt was a long-lived ancient civilization in north-eastern Africa. It was concentrated along the middle to lower reaches of the Nile River reaching its greatest extension during the second millennium BC, which is referred to as the New Kingdom period.
Ancient Egypt developed over at least three and a half millennia. It began with the incipient unification of Nile Valley polities around 3500 BC and is conventionally thought to have ended in 51 BC when the early Roman Empire conquered and absorbed Ptolemaic Egypt as a province.
The civilization of ancient Egypt was based on a finely balanced control of natural and human resources, characterized primarily by controlled irrigation of the fertile Nile Valley; the mineral exploitation of the valley; the early development of an independent writing system and literature; and military ventures that demonstrated territorial domination of neighboring cultures at different periods.
See extended articles on the history of Ancient Egypt at Wikipedia:
Egyptian Dynasties:
(see also: List of Egyptian dynasties)
- Early Dynastic Period of Egypt (1st to 2nd Dynasties; until ca. 27th century BC)
- Old Kingdom (3rd to 6th Dynasties; 27th to 22nd centuries BC)
- First Intermediate Period (7th to 11th Dynasties)
- Middle Kingdom of Egypt (11th to 14th Dynasties; 20th to 17th centuries BC)
- Second Intermediate Period (14th to 17th Dynasties)
- Hyksos (15th to 16th Dynasties, c. 1674 BC to 1548 BC)
- New Kingdom of Egypt (18th to 20th Dynasties; 16th to 11th centuries BC)
- Third Intermediate Period (21st to 25th Dynasties; 11th to 7th centuries BC)
- Late Period of Ancient Egypt (26th to 31st Dynasties; 7th century BC to 332 BC)
- Graeco-Roman Egypt (332 BC to CE 639)
- Macedonian Kings (332 BC to 305 BC)
- Ptolemaic Dynasty (305 BC to 30 BC)
Our selection of books about Ancient Egypt are primarily for younger ages (most aimed at the 3rd-5th grade ranges), as many families begin their study of history with the ancients. But, as Egypt is a spiritually dark period, we don't recommend immersing your young children too deeply. There is plenty of material for older students as well.
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