Chronology of Ancient Egypt and Nubia

3800-2950 BCE: Nubian A-group civilization, parallel to the Naqada 2 and 3 pre-dynastic cultures of Egypt. Qustul in Nubia could well have been the seat of Egypt's founding dynasty. Located in today's southern Egypt and northern Sudan was most probably the oldest cultural complex in Africa. Known as Nubia, "The Land of Gold," to Egypt, the people of this land first called their civilization Ta-Seti, "Land of the Bow." Named so for its famous archers, Ta-Seti was a land of natural wealth, of gold mines, ebony, ivory and incense which she traded heavily with her neighbors.

NEOLITHIC PERIOD 5000-3100 BCE Early to Middle Neolithic, as in Nabta Playa, Badari, Kadero, El-Kadada, and Shaheinab sites, pastoralism; domestic of the goat, some riverine agriculture, shell beads, groovers, flakes, borers, oared boats; elaboration of the "wavy-line" pottery with impressed dots and zig-zags. Bone for hooks and harpoons. Black and red polished bowls. Improved hunting of megafauna. EARLY DYNASTIC PERIOD Dynasties I and II 3100-2686 Upper and Lower Egypt are united. Pharaohs are absolute rulers. The pyramids are built. Kerma first capital of Nubia. Nubia is the homeland of Africa's earliest black culture with a history which can be traced from 7000 B.C. onward through Nubian monuments temples, artifacts, as well as written records from Egypt, Italy and Rome. The "Ethiopians" According to Diodorus Siculus.

OLD KINGDOM Dynasty III 2686-2613 Dynasty IV 2613-2494 Dynasty V 2494-2345 Dynasty VI 2345-2181

Step Pyramid at Saqqara Strong centralized government; pyramids at Dahshur and Giza Pyramids and Sun Temples at Abu Sir and Saqqara; Pyramid Texts Reunification of Egypt by Theban rulers.

FIRST INTERMEDIATE PERIOD Dynasties VII-X 2181-2050 Powerful central government; expansion into Nubia (Sudan) Capital at Lisht, near Memphis

MIDDLE KINGDOM Dynasty XI 2050-1991 Dynasty XII 1991-1786 The leadership of Thebes unifies Egypt. Tombs and Temples are built. Rapid succession of rulers; country in decline The number of pyramids in ancient Nubia were a total of 223, double the pyramids of its neighbor Egypt.

SECOND INTERMEDIATE PERIOD Dynasty XIII-XVII 1786-1567 The Hyksos occupy Egypt from Syria and Palestine
Theban dynasty begins reunification process.

NEW KINGDOM Dynasty XVIII 1567-1320

By this time, the kingdom of Kush has been established to the south of Egypt. Manufactured iron only began to appear in Egypt, as a foreign import, after the New Kingdom.

Thebes and Memphis are centers of power. Imperial age of conquest from Syria to the Sudan.

Armana Period 1379-1321 Dynasty XIX 1320-1200 Dynasty XX 1200-1085

Ramses I, II and III were warrior Pharaohs. After reign of Rameses II, prosperity threatened by incursions of 'Sea Peoples' in North. Egypt declined after the 18th Dynasty.

LATE DYNASTIC PERIOD Dynasty XXI Economic and political decline; weak Egyptian kings ruling from the 1085-935 delta. Civil and workers' strikes. Royal tombs robbed.

Dynasty XXII 935-730

Egypt falls into chaos. Egypt had fragmented into rival states. Napata became the center of the Nubian Kingdom from around 800 B.C. and lasted for over 400 years. In 747 B.C., the city of Thebes in southern Egypt was threatened by northerners, and the Egyptians called upon the Nubian king for protection. The Kushite king, Piye, marched north from the capital at Napata, rescued Thebes and reunified Egypt. Nubians started cultural revival.

Dynasty XXIII 817-730 Dynasty XXIV 730-709 Dynasty XXV (Nubian) 750-656 Dynasty XXI (Saite) 664-525 Dynasty XXI (Persian) 525-404

King Taharqa (Biblical Tirhakah) led his Egyptian/Nubian armies against the invading Assyrian in defense of his ally, Israel. This action earned him a place in the Bible (Isaias 37:9 & Kings 19:9).

Assyrian foreigners invades Egypt, 663 BC. Nubia were building tremendous tumulus tombs for themselves filled with many precious objects including jewelry, pottery, and shawabtis. The number of pyramids in ancient Nubia were a total of 223, double the pyramids of its neighbor Egypt.

Dynasties XXVIII and XXIX 404-378 Dynasty XXX The 30th Dynasty contains the last of the Egyptian-born Pharaohs 380-343 Dynasty XXXI (Persian) 343-332
Alexander the Great occupies Egypt and founds the city of Alexandria, but never lived to see the city. He left Egypt in 331 B.C. and left Cleomenes of Naukratis in charge of the territory. This position was later claimed by Ptolemy. When Alexander died, Ptolemy's generals divided the kingdom.

MACEDONIAN RULERS 332-304 (Macedonian) PTOLEMAIC PERIOD 304-30 BC ROMAN PERIOD 30 BC-c.AD 450
The Hellenistic Ptolemaic Dynasty begins.

Last ruler, Cleopatra VII, allied with Mark Anthony against Rome. Defeated at the Battle of Actium by Octavian. Egypt's authority and wealth was intact until the death of Cleopatra, at which time, Egypt was overpowered by Rome.

Queen Amanirenas (24 BC) presided over the kingdom of Mero; Amanirenas and her son, Akinidad, led a fierce attack on a Roman fort at the Egyptian city Aswan.

ARAB PERIOD 636 AD Arab conquest starts. Egypt is under their total control by 642. Arabic language and Islam are introduced.

Nubian Queen Amanitore (12 BC - 12 AD) Timeline of Nubian Royalty

References:
G. Mokhtar (editor), Ancient Civilizations of Africa Vo. II, General History of Africa, UNESCO, 1990 John Taylor, Egypt and Nubia, The British Museum, 1991. Steffen Wenig (editor), Africa in Antiquity, 2 volumes, The Brooklyn Museum, 1978.