Ancient Egypt timeline

Naqada culture

before 3200 to 3100 BCE. more than 100 years. Egypt, North and West Africa.

Predynastic culture of Upper Egypt whose centres at Thinis, Naqada and Nekhen (Hierakonpolis) grew into rival states. The first hieroglyphs appear in its final phase, Naqada III, around 3200 BCE.

Early Dynastic Egypt

c. 3100 to 2686 BCE. about 414 years. capital Thinis, then Memphis. Egypt, North and West Africa.

The First and Second Dynasties, beginning with the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt, often credited to Narmer. Many kings were buried at Abydos and the royal administration took shape.

Old Kingdom of Egypt

c. 2686 to 2181 BCE. about 505 years. capital Memphis. Egypt, North and West Africa.

The age of the pyramids. Djoser's step pyramid and the Great Pyramid of Khufu at Giza were built under its pharaohs. Drought and powerful provincial governors brought it down.

First Intermediate Period

c. 2181 to 2055 BCE. about 126 years. capital Herakleopolis, Thebes. Egypt, North and West Africa.

Egypt split between rival dynasties at Herakleopolis in the north and Thebes in the south. Mentuhotep II of Thebes reunited the country around 2055 BCE.

Middle Kingdom of Egypt

c. 2055 to 1650 BCE. about 405 years. capital Thebes, later Itjtawy. Egypt, North and West Africa.

Reunified Egypt that reclaimed farmland in the Faiyum and made Lower Nubia up to the Second Cataract an Egyptian colony, guarded by forts such as Buhen.

Second Intermediate Period

c. 1650 to 1550 BCE. about 100 years. capital Thebes. Egypt, North and West Africa.

Egypt divided between the Hyksos in the Delta, Kush in the south and a Theban dynasty in between. The Theban kings Seqenenre, Kamose and Ahmose fought to drive out the Hyksos.

Hyksos (Fifteenth Dynasty)

c. 1650 to 1550 BCE. about 100 years. capital Avaris. Egypt, North and West Africa.

Rulers of probable Levantine origin who took power in the Nile Delta and have been credited, in a theory now disputed, with bringing the horse-drawn chariot and composite bow to Egypt. Ahmose I captured their capital Avaris around 1550 BCE.

New Kingdom of Egypt

c. 1550 to 1069 BCE. about 481 years. capital Thebes, Amarna, Memphis, Pi-Ramesses. Egypt, North and West Africa.

Egypt's imperial age, ruling Nubia and Canaan under pharaohs such as Hatshepsut, Thutmose III, Akhenaten, Tutankhamun and Ramesses II. It faded after the Sea Peoples and the loss of its empire.

Third Intermediate Period

c. 1069 to 664 BCE. about 405 years. capital Tanis, Bubastis, Thebes. Egypt, North and West Africa.

Divided Egypt ruled by priest-kings at Thebes, Libyan dynasties in the Delta and finally Kushite pharaohs, until Assyrian invasions in the 660s BCE.

Twenty-fifth Dynasty (Kushite)

c. 744 to 656 BCE. about 88 years. capital Memphis, Napata. Egypt, North and West Africa.

Kushite kings from Napata who conquered Egypt under Piye and ruled as pharaohs, keeping records in Egyptian and reviving old temple styles. Assyria drove Taharqa and Tanutamun back to Nubia by 656 BCE.

Late Period of Egypt

664 to 332 BCE. about 332 years. capital Sais, Mendes, Sebennytos. Egypt, North and West Africa.

The Saite kings restored Egyptian independence and hired Greek mercenaries. Persia conquered Egypt in 525 BCE, and the last native pharaoh, Nectanebo II, fell to a second Persian invasion in 343 BCE.

Ptolemaic Kingdom

305 to 30 BCE. about 275 years. capital Alexandria. Egypt, North and West Africa.

Macedonian dynasty founded by Alexander's general Ptolemy. Its capital Alexandria, home of the Library, became a major centre of Greek learning. Cleopatra VII's defeat at Actium made Egypt Roman in 30 BCE.

Roman Egypt

30 BCE to 395 CE. about 424 years. capital Alexandria. Egypt, North and West Africa.

The emperor's personal province, shipping grain to feed Rome. Alexandria was the empire's second city, and Egypt became a major centre of Christianity and monasticism.