Ancient Egyptian Capital Cities - Part 1

Ancient Egyptian Capital Cities - Part 1 - Cities 1 - 5

Through the history of Egypt, the capital has been different cities, some no longer exist today and some archaeologists and historians don't even know where the cities are located.

Right now, we're going to learn about the first five cities that stood as the capitals for Ancient Egypt.

You are encouraged to go on wikipedia.org and search for more information about anything in this worksheet to learn more.

Thinis

Thinis was the first capital of Ancient Egypt. Archaeologists and Historians do not know the exact location of Thinis but they know that it was the capital of Egypt before 2950 BCE (Before Common Era). We know about Thinis, which is "Tjenu" in Egyptian, because of ancient historians who documented the lives of Egyptian people. Manetho was well respected Egyptian historian and priest who lived in the third century BCE. We know from Manetho that Menes, also known as Narmer, was the first pharaoh. Menes and his people lived in Thinis. When Memphis became the capital, a lot of people moved and people went there less and less. Thinis is still very important to the Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs. The city has a place in Ancient Egyptian's version of Heaven.

Memphis

Memphis was capital of Egypt from 2950 to 2180 BCE. Great Egyptian historian and priest Manetho tells us that the first pharaoh, Menes, founded the city of Memphis. Due to its location at the mouth of the Nile delta, Memphis has stayed an important city for industry and commerce. Memphis remained the capital of Egypt for a total of eight dynasties. Many ruins of these old kingdoms are located and preserved here, including the pyramid complex of Giza. Memphis became a capital again for pharaoh Seti I's rule during the 19th dynasty and then from 715 - 664 BCE, but we will learn what Memphis was like during those times when we study those kingdoms.

Heracleopolis Magna

Heracleopolis Magna is the most used Greek name for the capital city from 2180 to 2060 BCE. In Egyptian, the city was known as Henen-nesut, which means "house of the royal child". Today, Egyptians refer to the ancient city as Ihnasiya Umm al-Kimam, which means "mother of the shards". Due to the conflict and wars that split Ancient Egypt in two, Heracleopolis Magna was a very powerful and influential city of Lower Egypt. When Thebes came into power as the capital of Upper Egypt, the two cities were in constant conflict with each other.

Thebes

Thebes was the capital of Ancient Egypt from 2135 to 1985 BCE. Thebes, which was known as Waset to Egyptian natives, is now located within the modern city Luxor on the east bank of the Nile River. Thebes became a city around 3200 BCE. When conflict split Ancient Egypt in two, Thebes became the capital of Upper Egypt and was in constant conflict with Heracleopolis Magna, a greater and more powerful city of Lower Egypt. In 664 BCE, the Assyrian army destroyed Thebes, taking the valuable artifacts and leaving only ruins behind. Today those ruins are well preserved and treasured by Egypt and the world.

Itjtawy

Itjtawy is pronounced "i-sh-tau-wee" and its full Egyptian name is Amenemhat-itj-tawy, and means "The Seizure of the Two Lands". It stood as the capital of Ancient Egypt from 1985 - 1785 BCE. Archaeologists and historians do not know exactly where this city is located but have found lots of information about it from the recovered cemeteries in the Faiyum region. Itjtawy was founded by the pharaoh Amenemhat I in the 20th year of his 29 years as pharaoh. Amenemhat I brought Ancient Egypt's Middle Kingdom into the golden age and re-united Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt back to one kingdom.