What is the difference between old kingdom and new kingdom in ancient egypt?
The Old Kingdom is the period in the third millennium BC when Egypt attained its first continuous peak of civilisational complexity and achievement (the first of three so-called "Kingdom" periods which mark the high points of civilization in the Nile Valley), spanning the period when Egypt was ruled by the Third Dynasty through the Sixth Dynasty (2630–2151 BC). Many Egyptologists also include the Memphite Seventh and Eighth Dynasties in the Old Kingdom as a continuation of the administration centralised at Memphis. The Old Kingdom was followed by a period of disunity and relative cultural decline referred to by Egyptologists as the First Intermediate Period -- or, as the Egyptians called it, the "first illness." The royal capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom was located at Memphis, where Djoser established his court. The Old Kingdom is perhaps best known, however, for the large number of pyramids which were constructed at this time as pharaonic burial places. For this reason, the Old Kingdom is frequently referred to as "the Age of the Pyramids". The New Kingdom is the period covering the Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth dynasty of Egypt, from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC, between the Second Intermediate Period, and the Third Intermediate Period. Through military dominance abroad, the New Kingdom saw Egypt's greatest territorial extent. It expanded far into Nubia in the south, and held wide territories in the Near East. Egyptian armies fought with Hittite armies for control of modern-day Syria. Two of the best known pharaohs of the New Kingdom are Akhenaten, also known as Amenhotep IV, whose exclusive worship of the Aten is often interpreted as the first instance of monotheism, and Ramesses II, who attempted to recover the territories in modern Israel/Palestine, Lebanon and Syria that had been held in the Eighteenth Dynasty. His reconquest led to the Battle of Qadesh, where he led the Egyptian armies against the army of the Hittite king Muwatalli II.
What caused the first Intermediate period in ancient egypt?
There are three main causes for the First Intermediate period. 1) Pharaoh Neferkara Pepi II (c.2246-2182 BC) outlived all his primary successors. His reign lasted about 64 years and he must have been close to his 80s when he died. This meant he had numerous sons from numerous wives, and they had sons, and even grandsons, who all vied for the succession claim. 2) Several centuries earlier during Pharaoh Userkaf's reign the offices of the government were opened to non-royals. Prior to only relatives of the Pharaoh could hold any authority in the government of Egypt which illustrated the royal bloodline's divine right to rule. But this also meant the Pharaoh was ever competing with his family over whose right was more legitimate for the throne. Allowing non-royals in offices initially gave the Pharaoh better security because the officials were appointed by the Pharaoh himself and therefore owed him their loyalty. By the 6th Dynasty, however, this sub-royal power began dividing the central authority from the Pharaoh in the capital to regional governors who began amplifying their own divine right to rule, merely from their association with the Pharaoh. It was also during Pepi I's reign that the office of the vizier (the Pharaoh's second in command) was split into two; one for Upper and one for Lower Egypt. With all the succession confusion after Pepi II's death the non-royal regional governors took advantage of the disarray and established themselves as independent rulers. 3) To further this disarray Egypt was suffering from series of Nile droughts at the beginning of the 22nd century BC. This caused unrest among the common masses who turned to their regional governors rather than the lofty Pharaoh who was failing his divine objective to bring order to the land. 4) Another possible reason for Egypt's decline into the First Intermediate period was simply the Old Kingdom had over done itself with all its ambitions. Tombs were becoming grander and more ornate, even for the non-royals. Everyone wanted to leave a mark like the Pyramids, but it became ever more apparent that a society whose primary focus was on peace and order in the afterlife would resultantly find little in life.
What city was the capital of egypt in the old kingdom?
The Old Kingdom is the name commonly given to that period in the 3rd millennium BC when Egypt attained its first continuous peak of civilization complexity and achievement – this was the first of three so-called "Kingdom" periods, which mark the high points of civilization in the Nile Valley (the others being Middle Kingdom and the New Kingdom). The Old Kingdom is most commonly regarded as spanning the period of time when Egypt was ruled by the Third Dynasty through to the Sixth Dynasty (2686 BC–2134 BC). Many Egyptologists also include the Memphite Seventh and Eighth Dynasties in the Old Kingdom as a continuation of the administration centralized at Memphis. The Old Kingdom was followed by a period of disunity and relative cultural decline referred to by Egyptologists as the First Intermediate Period. The royal capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom was located at Memphis, where Djoser established his court. The Old Kingdom is perhaps best known, however, for the large number of pyramids, which were constructed at this time as pharaonic burial places. For this reason, the Old Kingdom is frequently referred to as "the Age of the Pyramids."
Was egypt an empire during its old kingdom?
Before the first dynasty Egypt was in fact two lands. The unifier of these lands was a dude called Menes and known as the first mortal king of Egypt. The Greek historian Herodotus, records that this king founded the capital, Memphis, by damming the Nile to reclaim land for the city. By unifying the two lands, i would presume this could lay claim by Egypt or Menes to the title of 'empire' ....!!!