Timeline

3100-2950 BC Late Predynastic Period

• Earliest known hieroglyphic writing
• Foundation of the Egyptian state

2950-2575 BC Early Dynastic Period (1st-3rd Dynasties)

• Creation of the capital city of Memphis
• The first pyramid is built - the Step Pyramid at Saqqara

2575-2150 BC Old Kingdom (4th-8th Dynasties)

• The Great Pyramids are built at Dahshur and Giza
• Pyramids and elite tombs include the first extensive inscriptions

2125-1975 BC1st Intermediate Period (9th-11th Dynasties)

• Egypt splits into two smaller states, ruled from Memphis in the north and Thebes in the south

1975-1640 BC Middle Kingdom (11th-14th Dynasties)

• Mentuhotep reunites Egypt
• Egypt conquers Lower Nubia under Senwosret I and III
• Classical period of art and literature

1630- 1520 BC 2nd Intermediate Period (15th-17th Dynasties)

• Hyksos kings seize power in the north
• Theban 17th dynasty in the south

1539-1075 BC New Kingdom (18th-20th Dynasties)

• Egyptian empire in Near East and Nubia

• Elaborate tombs of the Valley of Kings
• Rule of woman pharaoh Hatshepsut
• King Akhenaten attempts to introduce a monotheistic religion
• Brief reign of Tutankhamun
• Ramesses II rules for 67 years

1075-715 BC third Intermediate Period (21st-25th Dynasties)

• Disunity and Libyan settlement in Egypt
• Nubians conquer Egypt (late 8th century)

715-332 BC Late Period (20th-30th Dynasties, 2nd Persian Period)

• Egypt conquered briefly by Assyrians
• Cultural revival under kings from Sais
• Persian conquest of Egypt (525 BC)
• Egypt independent again (404-343 BC)

332 BC-395 AD Greco-Roman Period (Macedonians, Ptolemies, and Romans)

• Alexander the Great occupies Egypt

• Alexander's general, Ptolemy, becomes king and founds a dynasty
• The Rosetta Stone is carved (196 BC)
• Cleopatra VII reigns (51-30 BC)
• Egypt becomes a province of the Roman Empire (30 BC)