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Pharaoh Narmer (Menes) is traditionally credited with uniting Upper and Lower Egypt, marking the beginning of the Early Dynastic Period. -
Djoser, the second king of the Third Dynasty, commissions the first pyramid, the Step Pyramid at Saqqara, designed by the architect Imhotep. -
Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops) oversees the construction of the Great Pyramid, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, during the Fourth Dynasty.
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Khafre builds the second pyramid at Giza and constructs the Great Sphinx, possibly to honor himself. -
Following the reign of Pepi II, Egypt enters a period of instability known as the First Intermediate Period, marked by decentralization and famine.
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Mentuhotep II, the ruler of the 11th Dynasty, reunites Egypt after the First Intermediate Period, beginning the Middle Kingdom. -
Amenemhat II strengthens Egypt’s military and expands trade, bringing Egypt prosperity during the Middle Kingdom.
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The Middle Kingdom ends with the invasion of the Hyksos, a Semitic people who take control of the Delta region. -
Ahmose I, the founder of the 18th Dynasty, drives the Hyksos out of Egypt, marking the beginning of the New Kingdom. -
Hatshepsut, one of Egypt’s few female pharaohs, expands Egypt’s trade networks and commissions major building projects, including her mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahari.
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Known as the "Napoleon of Egypt," Thutmose III expands Egypt’s empire to its greatest extent, leading numerous military campaigns in the Levant and Syria.
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Akhenaten introduces monotheism, worshipping the sun disk Aten, and relocates the capital to the newly built city of Akhetaten (modern-day Amarna).
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After Akhenaten’s death, the restoration of traditional polytheism and the return of the capital to Thebes takes place under his successor, Tutankhamun. -
Ramses II, also known as Ramses the Great, conducts military campaigns, including the famous Battle of Kadesh, and builds monumental structures such as Abu Simbel.
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The Battle of Kadesh, fought between Egypt under Ramses II and the Hittites, ends in a stalemate, leading to one of the first known peace treaties in history. -
Ramses III successfully defends Egypt from the Sea Peoples, a group of seafaring raiders who invade the Eastern Mediterranean. -
Following the reign of Ramses III, Egypt faces invasions, internal strife, and economic decline, leading to the collapse of the New Kingdom and the Third Intermediate Period. -
The Kushite Dynasty (25th Dynasty) is established when Piye of Nubia conquers Egypt and unites it under his rule, bringing stability for a time. -
Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria invades Egypt, ending the power of the Kushite dynasty and initiating the period of Assyrian control over Egypt. -
Cambyses II of Persia conquers Egypt, marking the start of the First Persian Period and the loss of Egyptian sovereignty to foreign powers.