Ancient Egyptian Timeline - Dudley Museum

2700 bc - Pre Egypt. I-II Dynasties. Egypt separated into Upper and Lower kingdoms. Writing developed.

 

2700-2200 - Old Kingdom. III-IV Dynasties. Age of the Pyramids. More than 20 major Pyramids built.

 

2200-2050 - First Intermediate Period. VII-XI Dynasties. Period of civil war after the decline of the Old

Kingdom.

 

2050-1800 - Middle Kingdom. XII Dynasty. Egypt reorganised. Power and trade of the Empire extended.

 

1800-1570 - Second Intermediate Period. XIII-XVII Dynasties. Hyksos a warrior tribe from Asia ruled Egypt for about 160 years.

 

1570-1300 - Early New kingdom. XVIII Dynasty. Hyksos driven out. 1570bc. Egypt expanded its borders through military campaigns under Thutmose III.

 

1370 - Amarna Revolution. King Amenhotep IV, who worshipped one god, came to power. He worshipped Aton, the sun and changed his name to Akhenaton. He banned the worship of multiple gods and moved the capital from Thebes to Akhenaton. His wife, Queen Nefertiti influenced the reform greatly. This period ended when Tutenkhamun came to the throne. He returned Egypt to worshipping multiple gods.

 

1300-1090 - Later New Kingdom. XIX- XX Dynasties. The Asian Empire was recovered and trade increased. Seti I captured Palestine and Syria and Rameses II fought the Hitties. In 1150bc the Iron Age began and Egypt could not compete with the weaponry of its enemies. The end of the New Kingdom left Egypt with little power.

 

1090-332 - Foreign rule. During this period Libyans, Sudanese, Saites and Persians ruled Egypt.

 

332-30bc - Greek rule. Alexander the Great added Egypt to his Empire in 332bc. His successor Ptolemy I established a new Dynasty that lasted until Cleopatra in 30bc. After this Egypt fell to the Romans, who introduced Christianity. After this the Arabs brought Islam which has been Egypt's religion ever since.