ramses II
Ramses II was the son of Seti I and Queen Tuya. He was known for his military conquests as well as his ego. He reclaimed many lost territories and announced that he won a tremendous victory against the Hitities. However, in reality, the battle was a stalemate and Ramses II and the Hittitie king truced. In the second year on his reign, he laid a trap for the Sea People, who were allies of the Hittities. He sunk their ships and pressed their warriors into his army. With his father, he restored many temples. He also built many monuments to himself. Ramses II guided Egypt with strength, and in his rule Egypt was a strong kingdom. Under his rule, Egypt prospered. Ramses the Great was deeply admired by his people. He lived to the age of 96 and when he died, Egypt fell into chaos.
Ramses II was known as a military leader. He was ranked 'captain' in the army at the age of 10. He journeyed with his father, Seti I on various military exploits. He is most known for his military exploits. Image from www.emaze.com/@ALLOZRTZ/Ramses-the-Great.
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The Ramesseum, a temple dedicated to Ramses II. Image from www.gramunion.com/tagged/ramesseum.
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Ramses II's defeat of the Sea People. He learned that the Sea People were allies of the Hitities and he laid a trap for them and sunk their ships. Image from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Peoples.
Image from www.timetrips.co.uk/pharaoh%20ramses_ii.htm.
why was the middle kingdom a "golden age" for egypt
The Middle Kingdom period was often called the “golden age” of Egypt. Around 2200 B.C., the pharaohs of Memphis were weak and nobles tried to seize power. Chaos and violence claimed the area for more than 200 years. After the dust had settled, a new dynasty held power over Egypt. The capital city was moved to Thebes and a period peace and order settled over Egypt for about 400 years. This time frame was called the Middle Kingdom. There were many prolific improvements in Egypt during the Middle Kingdom. Many new regions were conquered and used for increased crop production. The new lands also added increased irrigation devices which allowed more water to be distributed to the general population. A canal between the Nile and the Red Sea allowed new trade passages which made Egypt’s economy prosper. Art and architecture bloomed during the Middle Kingdom. The view of pharaohs changed from living gods to leaders of the people. Paintings and sculptures depicted them as people rather than gods. The building of pyramids stopped and a new type of architecture was formed. Tombs were instead cut into limestone cliffs in an area that would late be known as the Valley of the Kings. The Middle Kingdom was a prosperous time for Egypt's economy and the moral of Egypt was high. The views of the people shifted and the arts flourished. It was a peaceful time indeed. This time came to when Egypt split in Civil War as the power of the pharaohs were threatened.
primary source
The following images are photos of real ancient Egyptian monuments.
Above Matstaba from looklex.com/egypt/giza14.htm
Right Great Pyramid of Giza from www.ancient-code.com/25-facts-about-the-great-pyramid-of-giza/ |
Above Valley of the Kings from www.nevworldwonders.com/2013/08/preview-valley-of-kings.html
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These three photos show the development of Egyptian tombs. On the left is a matstaba, as previously mentioned. It was one of the earliest versions of the grand tombs we know of today. In the middle is the Great Pyramid of Giza, built by Khufu. Mastabas eventually developed in to the step pyramid of Snefru, which later developed into the Great Pyramids. To the left is the Valley of the Kings. During the Middle Kingdom, tombs became slightly less extravagant. Instead of having to haul massive stone blocks, the tombs were carved into the cliff faces. First there was the burial mound, which developed into the matstaba. Then the matstaba developed into the Step Pyramid, then the Bent Pyramid, and then the Great Pyramids. The level of tomb-building then came down a notch. This is a slightly broader summary of the development of tombs in Ancient Egypt.
Why can the exchange of "envoys" be considered a major development in egypt?
An envoy is a messenger or representative, especially one on a diplomatic mission. The physical act of exchanging envoys is not necessarily a major development. However, it represents a major development. Egypt had a past of being hostile with other nations, and the exchanging of envoys represented peace between Egypt and other nations. Over time, Egypt developed from constantly taking territories and ravaging other empires to the smarter, less chaotic route of allying with them. This increased trade and released political tension. So, exchanging envoys represents an age of peace and harmony, which is major development in Egypt because they have a history of bloodshed.
The process of pyramid building
To build a pyramid, first, workers had to quarry massive stone blocks, using simple chisels. The blocks would be placed onto sledges, then be moved by teams of men. The sand in front of the sledge would be moistened, reducing friction as well as the number of men needed to pull each sledge. Organized labor was a technology development of the ancient Egyptians. They were the first civilization to organize labor on such a massive scale. As for the actual building of the pyramids, there are many theories to how this was done. The most common theories involve the use of temporary ramps to pull the blocks up to the upper levels. These ramps were one of the first simple machines that the Egyptians built. However, there are no traces of the ramps remain. A new theory is that a ramp was used to build the first third of the pyramid, and an internal ramp was used to build the remaining two thirds.
Spiral ramp theory
Image from www.cheops-pyramide.ch/khufu-pyramid/ramp-models.html. |
Houdin's theory: The first third would be completed using a singular ramp. Image from
www.cheops-pyramide.ch/khufu-pyramid/ramp-models.html The remaining two thirds of the pyramid would be constucted using an internal ramp
Image from www.bbc.com/news/technology-14334046 |