Egyptian Civilization Essay Example for Free

Egyptian Civilization Essay In the modern world, colossal structures such as the Sphinx and the pyramids serve as reminders of the existence of the Egyptian Civilization. This ancient culture flourished along the Nile River, which had influenced and sustained the development of Egyptian Civilization. Flowing towards the north from the East Central Africa to the Mediterranean Sea, the Nile River served as a principal route for trade and had a role in uniting Upper and Lower Egypt. Without the Nile River, Egypt would become nothing but a vast desert. (Crosslands, n. d) The Three Periods Although dynasties characterized the Egyptian Civilization, the land maintained its unity. There are three periods that divided the Ancient Egyptian Civilization namely the Old Kingdom or Pyramid Age, the Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom (Crosslands, n. d). The Old Kingdom (2700 – 2200 BC) The ancient Egyptian rulers or pharaohs worked on maintaining a stable and centralized state. To the people, pharaohs were regarded as gods hence they were given absolute power as well as ownership and rule over the lands (Crossland, n. d. ). This period is known as the Pyramid Age because at this time, colossal structures known as pyramid were constructed by the Egyptians near Giza, situated at present-day Cairo. Because of their belief in after-life, the Egyptians kept tombs of their dead pharaohs in these pyramids. The construction process was so long and tedious that once a pharaoh assumed the throne, slaves are already tasked to start building the tomb of the new pharaoh. The struggle for power, failure of crops, and the expenses incurred for constructing the pyramids, were the major factors that brought about the collapse of the Old Kingdom (Crossland, n. d. ) The Middle Kingdom (2050 BC – 1800 BC) This period was marked by turbulence and chaos. Corruption and uprising usually took place. The rise of the Nile River was not as regular as it used to be. However, some pharaohs were still able to set-up an ambitious drainage project, paving the way for a huge stretch of arable lands. Nubia, the southern land proliferating with gold, was occupied by Egyptian armies. Crete was likewise opened to trading opportunities (Crossland, n. d. ). The Hyksos conquered the delta region and brought along their military technology. The new invaders were captivated by the customs, names, and beliefs of the Egyptians. They occupied the land for over 100 years. Eventually, the conquerors were driven out by new rulers which paved the way for the New Kingdom (Crossland, n. d. ). The New Kingdom Ramses II and Queen Hatshepsut were the most notable rulers of this time. By this time, the Egyptian civilization had already extended to the region of the Euphrates River. Contact with Middle Easterners as well as other sections of the African continent. At the conclusion of the reign of Ramses II, the strength of the Egyptian civilization began to decrease. Other powers like the Greeks, Romans, Persians, and Assyrians found their way into the Nile region (Crossland, n. d). Contribution to Modern Civilization The Egyptians are credited for various contributions in different fields of interest. In the field of medicine, the Egyptians had good surgeons and doctors. Egypt had an advanced understanding of the human body (Crossland, n. d). It was the Egyptians who first utilized the 365 days a year format in the calendar. It showed more precision than the original lunar calendar using the moons revolution around the earth. The Egyptian calendar came into being in 4200 BC, and became the basis for the one being used in modern times (Crossland, n. d) Sumerian Civilization While the Nile River was the venue for the Egyptian civilization, similarly the Sumerian culture flourished in the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates River around 4000 BC. Unlike other societies, however, the Sumerians had a unique community comparable to civilizations of their time as well as future societies. If pharaohs ruled Egyptian society, the Sumerians built their settlements in temples and priests were the rulers (Watkins, n. d). The Sumerian civilization was composed of separate city-states. Sumer was strategically protected by the Persian Gulf as well as by Euphrates River. From the bodies of water, the city was protected by walls. The temples were located in a separate section of the city (Watkins, n. d). The Sumerian civilization was erased from the annals of history in 2000 BC as a result of military invasions by people from Semitic culture. The most notable empire was that of Sargon (Watkins, n. d). Contributions to Modern World The Sumerians had a technology more advanced than any other civilization of their time. In fact, they influenced other civilizations particularly the Babylonians in the north. They influenced Upper Egypt through the Persian Gulf and Lower Egypt via the eastern Mediterranean coast. Finally, the civilization lying along the Indus River Valley may have some Sumerian influence as well (Watkins, n. d). The Sumerian civilization contributed cuneiform writing as well as systematic record keeping, social and economic organizations, the plow. Their most significant contribution to modern civilization is dividing a day into 24 hours and an hour to 60 minutes (Watkins, n. d). The Babylonian Civilization The culture of the Babylonians became prominent between the fall of the third Ur Dynasty which happened in 1950 BC and the conclusion of the first Babylonian civilization in 1533 BC. The ancient Babylonian culture reached its grandeur during the time of the Amorites until it became the principal city in ancient Iraq(Iraq UN Mission, n. d). King Hammurabi is the most notable ruler of ancient Babylon. He laid the groundwork for the establishment of his dynasty. Hammurabi set his sights on building a strong political and military society. He established a legal system based on the Code of Hammurabi. It is believed that this code was the basic for future legal concepts. In fact, the saying â€Å"Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth† was established on this code (Iraq UN Mission, n. d. The Akkadian Civilization The culture of Akkadia flourished from 2350 – 2159 BC. Before settling in Mesopotamia, the Akkadians hailed from the Arab peninsula. Its founder is Sargon who established Akkas as the capital city. The Akkadian culture is located in a region which is now occupied by Baghdad (Iraq UN Mission, n. d. Although there were traces of Sumerian influences, the Akkadians established new concepts and practices in the field of politics, social living, arts, and the military (Iraq UN Mission, n. d. The Persian Civilization Alexander the Great is undoubtedly the greatest ruler of Persia. During his reign, he strived to unite Persians into a great nation. Alexanders dream, however, did not materialize after he died. His military generals fought against each other in an attempt to become ruler of the once mighty Persian Empire. One of Alexanders generals succeeded in conquering the entirely Persian region of the empire (Ellis Horne, 1913). Another of the greatest Persian king was Artexerxes who ruled Persia after the Parthinians conquered the empire in 250 BC. The Persians are strong and fierce warriors who will not simply go away in battle. This was evident in the battle for Petra, one of the most notable wars in historical annals (Ellis Horne, 1913). The Greatest Civilization in the World I believe that the greatest civilization in the world is the Egyptian civilization. Their greatness in the field or architecture is still very much evident in the pyramids and the Sphinx. I have never visited the pyramids or seen the sphinx yet but accounts by tourists who have seen the colossal structure leave the place in awe. The richness of the Egyptian culture is likewise stored underneath these structures which served as tombs of ancient pharaohs. The Egyptians have likewise stamped their expertise in mathematics and astronomy. The old lunar calendar, which is based on the rotation of the moon around the earth, is a proof of their excellence in this field. References Ellis, E. S. , Horne, C. F. ,(1913). The Story of the Greatest Nations and the Worlds Famous Events. Iraq UN Mission(n. d. ). Civilizations. Retrieved June 17 2008 from http://www. iraqunmission. org/node/27 Ms. Croft-Crosslands Standard(n. d). Ancient Egypt. Retrieved June 17 2008 from http://home. cf1. rr. com/crossland/AncientCivilizations/Ancient_Egpyt/ancient_egypt. html Watkins, T(n. d. ). Sumer. San Jose State University. Retrieved June 17, 2008 from http://www. sjsu. edu/faculty/watkins/sumer. htm