The ancient capitals of Egypt: Memphis and Thebes. The ancient capitals of Egypt: Memphis and Thebes Memphis and modernity

The cities - the ancient capitals of Egypt changed several times throughout the history of the existence of civilization.

• Tiby (until about 2950 BC) - the first capital of the united Upper and Lower Egypt
• Memphis (2950 - 2180 BC) - the capital of the VIII dynasty
• Heracleopolis (2180 - 2060 BC) - IX - X dynasties
• Thebes (2135 - 1985 BC) - XI dynasty
• Itjtawi (1985 - 1785 BC) - XII dynasty
• Thebes (1785 - 1650 BC) - XIII dynasty
• Khois (1715 - 1650 BC) - XV dynasty
• Avaris (1650 - 1580 BC) - XV Hyksos dynasty
• During the 16th Dynasty main city unknown, possibly in the Kingdom of Kush (Nubia)/
• Thebes: (1650 - from 1353 BC) - XVII and XVIII dynasty of Akhenaten
• Akhetaten (Amarna) (1353 - from 1332 BC) - XVIII dynasty
• Thebes (from 1332 - 1279 BC). – 18th and 19th Dynasties to Ramses II
• - 19th dynasty under the reign of Pharaoh Seti
• Pi-Ramses (1279 - 1078 BC) - XIX dynasty, starting with Ramses II, and XX dynasty
• Tanis (1078 - 945 BC) - XXI dynasty
• Bubastis (945 - 715 BC) - XXII dynasty
• Tanis (818 - 715 BC) - XXIII dynasty
• Sais (725 - 715 BC) - XXIV dynasty
• Napata / (715 - 664 BC) - after the Kushite XXV dynasty came to power in Egypt, the city of Napata was founded, which today is located on the territory of modern Sudan. However, they ruled the country from Memphis.

• Sais (664 - 525 BC) - XXVI dynasty
• XXVII dynasty of Egypt - the board was carried out from Persia.
• Sais (404 - 399 BC) - XXVIII dynasty
• Mendes: (399 BC - 380 BC) - XXIX dynasty
• Sebennitos (380 - 333 BC) - XXX dynasty
• XXXI Dynasty of Egypt - the center of power was in Greece.
• (332 - 641 AD)
• Muslim period:
• Al-Fustat (641 - 750 AD)
• Al-Askar (750 - 868 AD)
• Al-Kattai (868 - 905 AD)
• Al-Fustat (905 - 969 AD)
• Al-Qahira (Cairo) (from 969 AD - present)

Where did the name Memphis come from?

The name of ancient Memphis comes from the pyramid of Pharaoh Pepi I at Saqqara, which names Mennufer (translated from the Greek " a good place”) or the Coptic “Menfe”. Initially, the city was called Ineb-Hedj, which means "White Wall". Some historians have suggested that its name reflects a historical period in the life of the state. "Ankh-Tawi" - "that which connects the two lands." In fact, Memphis was located between Upper and Lower Egypt.

The capital of Egypt, Memphis, was founded around 3100 BC. Pharaoh Menes united Upper and Lower Egypt. At first, Memphis was a fortress from which Menes controlled the passage of land and water routes between the Delta and Upper Egypt. From here he could observe the situation in Lower Egypt. At the time reign III Memphis dynasty began to occupy an important place in the political and public life states.

Sources say that Menes founded the city by building dams to protect the area from the floods of the Nile. Subsequently, Memphis became a religious and one of the most important cosmopolitan centers of the world. When Herodotus visited the city in the 5th c. BC, when the Persians ruled the empire, he noted that many Greeks, Phoenicians, Jews live in the settlement.

Judging by the size of the necropolises, the city was huge. The tombs are located for 19 km along the west bank of the Nile. These include the burials of Dashure, Saqqara, Giza, Abusia, Zawiet el-Ariyer, Abu Rawash.

It is very difficult to imagine the real age of this settlement. Ultimately, only Rome will outlive Memphis as a city that has been in its heyday for several years. Today, it is quite difficult to find the exact boundaries of an administrative unit. Some believe that it was originally located in the northern part, then in the south. It is difficult to trace the history of the city, which is more than 3000 years old.

Today part of the city is in ruins, the other remains under the agricultural fields of local villages. All that we know about the ancient capital was read in the papyri and notes of Herodotus, who visited Memphis.

For example, a number of papyri indicate the decision by Akhenaten in Memphis of such important issues for the life of citizens as bread baking. Others tell of Tutankhamen's refusal to worship the cult of Akhenaten and indicate the cities where this decree must be announced.

Luxor - the ancient capital of Egypt Thebes

The city of Luxor several millennia ago was the ancient capital of Egypt, Thebes. Another name is Waset. Center political power was located 500 km from modern Cairo along the Nile River. The name "Luxor" comes from the Arabic "Al-Uqsur", which means "fortified". It, in turn, originated from the Latin "castrum", the name of the first Roman fort built on this territory.

"On east coast river, under the modern city of Luxor, lie the remains of an ancient city, which in the period from 1500 to 1000 BC. occupies an important place in the life of the ancient Egyptians. Its population reached 50,000 people, ”Nagel Hetherington published a note in the book Landmarks of the Valley of the Kings.

In ancient times, the city was known as the home of the cult of Amon, which was associated with representatives of the pharaonic dynasty. During the New Kingdom period in Egypt from 1550 to 1050 B.C. It was customary to make tombs for kings in the Valley of the Dead. At this time, massive structures were built in the capital, including the Karnak temple, the Luxor temple, the Valley of the Queens and the tomb - the temple in Deir el-Bahri.

“Of all the ancient cities of Egypt, not one has reached the glory of Thebes,” wrote Egyptologist Rasha Suleiman in Theban Tombs of the Old and Middle Kingdom. “The city of Thebes is one of the largest treasures, containing numerous architectural monuments included in the World Heritage List.”

Thebes: Old Kingdom Egypt

IN scientific research Weeks and Hetherington contain evidence that there is evidence of life in Luxor more than 250,000 years ago. Suleiman notes that during the Old Kingdom period, around 2650-2150 BC, when the pyramids at Giza were already built, Thebes already served as a regional center for administration. With the beginning of the First Intermediate Period ancient city Luxor became the capital of ancient Egypt.

One traveler in the XII century. said:

“the beauty of its ruins can be contemplated for hours. They are of such wondrous beauty that the most eloquent person could not describe her.

During the coming of the Mamluks, the dams that held back the floods of the Nile fell into disrepair and were slowly covered in silt.

The ruins of the city of Memphis can still be seen near the small village of Mit Rahina. It is believed that in the capital they worshiped pagan idol Ptah, which the Greek period was associated with Hephaestus.

During the reign of the Greek dynasty, the center of the empire was in Alexandria. The city has lost its meaning. Memphis finally disappeared from the history of Egypt with the advent of the Muslim conquerors in 641, when they created a new settlement near the city of Fustat, which today is part of Cairo and is called Old Cairo or Coptic Cairo.

During the coming of the Mamluks, the dams that held back the floods of the Nile fell into disrepair and Memphis was slowly covered in silt.

The ruins of Memphis can still be seen near the small village of Mit Rahina. It is believed that in the capital they worshiped the pagan idol Ptah, which in the Greek period was associated with Hephaestus.

Temples of Thebes: the culture of ancient Egypt

The remains of the Temple of Ptah, bordering the village of Mit Rahina, probably represented one of the finest temples of ancient Egypt. Today, only a part of the ruins, discovered by the Egyptologist Flinders Petrie in 1908-1913, are in good condition. They represent the temple of Ramses II with the colossi and the Alabaster Sphinx. Nearby is the hall of the ruined Apris Palace north of the Temple of Ptah.

The unification of the state took place under King Nebhepetre Mentuhotep about 4000 years ago. His tomb was found near the urban settlement in the town of Deir el-Bahri. The necropolis includes a valley with a dam about 1200 meters long.

By this time construction had begun. The heyday of the city would continue throughout the period of the New Kingdom from 1550 to 1050 BC. Most of the kings were buried in the Valley of the Kings. It was customary to build tombs for princes and princesses in the neighboring Valley of the Queens. Several funerary temples were built.

The Temple of Luxor on the east bank of the Nile served as the site of the Oret festivals in ancient Egypt. Its columns were installed under Pharaoh Amenhotep III (1410 - 1372 BC). Later it will be connected to Karnak through the Avenue of the Sphinxes.

“The holiday was held near the statue of Amun, his wife Mut and their son Khonsu. “When the procession reached the Luxor Temple, they were joyfully greeted by dancers, singers and musicians,” writes Egyptologist Pat Remler.

The religious significance of the city of Thebes

The city became the capital of Egypt during the New Kingdom period, there was a royal necropolis and many temples were built, largely for religious reasons.

It was considered the home of the cult of Amun, from which representatives of the pharaoh family were proud of their origin.

“Amon has often been cited as the father of the kings of Egypt. When Queen Hatshepsut came to power, she wrote the story of her birth from the union of Amon and her mother Ahmose on the wall of the temple-tomb in Deir el-Bahri, ”rembler writes in his work.

Valley of the Kings in Thebes

The Valley of the Kings was the burial place of most of the rulers of the New Kingdom period. Most of them were looted, except for , which was discovered by Howard Carter's team in 1922.

This place was chosen as a necropolis for several reasons. Firstly, the valleys went out to the banks of the river and was surrounded by rocks, which was taken into account when conducting occult rites. The limestone that filled the area, formed millions of years ago from heavy rains, did not crumble and was of excellent quality. The mountain towering above the valley, Al-Qurn (Arabic for "The Horn"), reminded the Egyptians of the pyramids.

Excavations in the Valley are carried out every day. Zahi Hawass, former Minister of Antiquities of Egypt, recently in a lecture at the Royal Onario Museum in Toronto, stated:

“The tombs of Thutmose II and Ramses VIII have not yet been found. It is also still unknown where the mummies of the queens of the XXVIII dynasty (1550 - 1292 BC) are located.

Mortuary temples were built next to the tombs. The most famous of them is in Deir al-Bahri - Queen Hatshepsut. It is decorated with three colonnades of terraces that lead to the sanctuary. The main attraction of the temple are drawings depicting the journey of the Egyptians by sea to the distant land of Punt.

Valley of the queens of ancient Thebes

The Queens Necropolis is located near the Valley of the Kings and served as a burial place for princesses and princes, government officials. Today, about 100 tombs have been found in the area.

The most impressive of them is the tomb of the wife of Ramses II, to which he built a temple next to his in Abu Simbel.

The tomb of Nefertari is similar in structure to those excavated in the Valley of the Kings. Her drawings, done on a white background, represent best example Egyptian painting. The ceiling is painted with stars and texts from the Book of the Dead. One of the most interesting illustrations is a picture of Nefertari playing the board game "Senet" in order to defeat the other world and gain salvation.

The ancient city of Egypt - Deir el-Medina

The settlement between the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens is commonly called Deir el-Medina. The ancient Egyptians considered this place sacred and called Set Maat - "Place of Truth".

It was inhabited by civil servants, masons, draftsmen and artists who prepared designs for the construction of the tombs of their rulers. Some of them were foreigners, but all of them were united by belonging to the middle class. The place was unfavorable for living. Not a single tree grew here. And the village was surrounded by barren rocks, reflecting the warmth of the desert sun.

Deira was inhabited during the New Kingdom. This is reported in a number of papyri. A large population increase was noted after Ramses III (reigned from 1186 to 1155 BC) came to power. Workers staged a riot for him, and studies confirmed that he was killed by a conspiracy by his own guards.

Rise to power of Akhenaten and construction of Amarna

For most of the history of the Ancient and New Kingdoms, Thebes remained the capital of Egypt. Around 1350 B.C. Akhenaten came to power (Amenhotep IV, also known as Pharaoh Neferkheperure Amenhotep). He moved the capital to the city of Akhetaten, which means "Horizon" ("Disk of the Sun"). It was subsequently named Amarna or El-Amarna.

The king was known as a heretic because he proclaimed the supremacy of the cult of the solar disk of the sun of Aten. And he forbade the worship of other idols. The pharaoh ordered the temples where Amon was worshipped to be closed.

The ancient Egyptian city of Amarna is named after Akhetaten. Akhenaten changed his name to Amenhotep to reflect his religious beliefs. His wife Nefertiti shared his views.

After his death, Akhenaten returned to the religion of Amun and moved back to the Egyptian capital of Thebes.

January 16th, 2010

Luxor is rightfully considered the second capital of Egypt and the capital of the pharaohs. In ancient Egypt - this city was called Thebes - it was here that many pharaohs ruled. Now Luxor is the largest archaeological site and tourist center. The population of the city is 375 thousand people.
Pictured is the Luxor Temple.

The road from Hurghada to Luxor took about 4 hours and it ran through mountains and deserts. It was very picturesque in places.

Locals at one of the stops on the way to Luxor.

The closer we drove up to the Nile, the more greenery appeared around. The fact is that 90% of the population of Egypt live in the Nile River Valley, where very fertile land allows you to get up to 4 crops a year. Life is in full swing here ... such funny trucks drive here.

Locals... Egyptians like to sit and watch others work - that's their mentality). The Suez Canal was built by the British and the French, the Aswan Dam by the Russians, railway- the British, the metro in Cairo - the French ... and the Egyptians are still watching ...

Irrigation canals were dug along the road - water enters them from the Nile and is used to irrigate the fields. Work in the fields is extremely difficult and not prestigious - there is a very low degree of automation - almost everything is done manually. In Egypt, cotton, sugar cane, almost all fruits are grown, as well as yellow tea and red tea (hibiscus), but for some reason black tea and coffee are not grown here.

Luxor street. In general, the city is cleaner and nicer than Cairo. Luxor is a tourist center, there are many hotels and tourists, and most of the local population is busy serving tourists. A little about the climate - when we were there - it was about +30 degrees - and this is winter (January), in summer the temperature reaches +50 in the shade.

Mosque.

One of the many Luxor hotels.

An important feature of Egypt is that here almost always unfinished buildings begin to be used already in the process of construction.

You can take a walk around the city on such carts.

Luxor is an archaeological center and even now there are excavations right in the center of the city. Here in the photo they are digging out an alley of sphinxes, coming from the Luxor Temple.

Temple of Amon Ra.

I was surprised to learn that the second obelisk from this temple is located. It was a gift from France in the early 1830s. on behalf of the Egyptian Viceroy for deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs by a French citizen.

The study of the history of ancient Egypt began only in early XIX century, and before that, as such, the concept Ancient Egypt didn't exist. And here you need to thank Napoleon for bringing the French here :).

This famous Luxor temple was erected in honor of the god Amun during the reign of Pharaoh Amenhotep III.

Alley of sphinxes...

Some sphinxes are very well preserved...

These sphinxes are about 3.5 thousand years old. And it is from here (from this alley) that the sphinxes that are now on the University Embankment in St. Petersburg were taken.

View of the Luxor Temple...

Sphinxes...

Next to the statues of Ramses II is a small white mosque where the remains of Abu-l-Haggag are kept. The mosque was built much later on the ruins of an ancient temple.

The Luxor temple and the city of Luxor itself (ancient Thebes) are located on the East Bank of the Nile. The Egyptians believed that the sun is born in the east and dies in the west, so they lived on the east bank of the Nile, and all burials were arranged on the west - that is where the city of the dead is located. We crossed the Nile on such boats, which were called GHOST 1 and GHOST 2 (GHOST - a ghost).

At this point, the width of the Nile is about 500 meters.

Embankment of Luxor on the east bank of the Nile.

There is a busy navigation on the Nile - such ships cruise all over the Nile.

West bank of the Nile.

So we landed on the west coast. Panorama of the Luxor Temple.

The "City of the Dead" consists of the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens. Early burials were in pyramids, which are essentially tombs, but these were very visible tombs and were often looted. The ancient Egyptians believed that the soul of the deceased should ascend the steps of the pyramid to heaven, but the pyramids are long and expensive to build, and they are constantly robbed, but the outlines of the local mountains are very similar to the pyramids. Therefore, later burials were made here. The Egyptians are very "reverent" about their history, so you can't take pictures on the burial grounds :(.

After visiting the valley of the kings, we were shown a stone processing workshop. The technology here has not changed for thousands of years.

God of fertility and cattle breeding Ming :).

Landscape of the western bank of the Nile River.

A devout Muslim must pray 5 times a day...

And this is the temple of Queen Hatchepsu - it was carved into the rock and is actually very poorly preserved. What you see behind my back has been restored for decades.

Temple columns.

Egyptian wall painting.

I feel like Indiana Jones)) tomb raider))

Temple of Queen Hatcheps.

Our guide Mustafa spoke excellent Russian and joked all the time.

Sunset over the Nile.

"Krasafcheg" is the President of Egypt, Mahammad Hosni Mubarak, but in fact he is no longer a beauty - he is 81 years old, and he has been president for about 30 years.

This concludes the trip to Luxor. Next time I will talk about moto safari and sunset in the desert.

The Egyptian civilization is one of the most ancient. During its long history, the capitals were transferred many times from one city to another. This was due to the political views and whims of the ruling dynasty. For a long time there were even two capitals in the state. For more than 6 millennia, it was divided into Upper and Lower Egypt, each of which had its own main city. The oldest city was Memphis. When the two parts of the country united, he grew up on the former border.

Rise of Memphis

According to archaeological excavations carried out on the territory of the state of Ancient Egypt, the capital of Memphis dates back to the 22nd century BC. e. At that time, Pharaoh Menes (Mes) was in power.

At the time of its foundation, the first capital of Ancient Egypt was called Inbuhej. Translated into Russian, this means "white walls". This was the name of the fortress around which the city was built.

During the reign of Pharaoh Pepi II Neferkare in 2279 - 2219 BC. e. the name of the ancient capital of Egypt was changed to Memphis, which translates as "strong and beautiful Pepi." This name remained with her for the rest of her history.

The city occupied an important place in the life of the civilization bearing Egypt. The capital performed religious, political, agricultural and craft functions. Memphis remained an important city in the country for a long time.

The finest battle gear and chariots came from the workshops of Memphis. It was the center of the defense industry of the ancient world.

Important religious buildings dedicated to Ptah and Apis were erected in Memphis. Here was the cult of these deities.

The lands around the capital were very fertile. The Nile flooded widely and fed the soil with silt. Thus, she received natural fertilizer. Most of the inhabitants of Memphis were employed in agriculture. They grew cotton, grapes, figs and cereals, collected rose oil, and raised sheep.

The peasants gathered a rich harvest from the fields. The sheep grew well and bred. The local flock reached several hundred thousand heads. Therefore, problems with the food of all residents royal court did not occur. Numerous palace servants, priests, servants and slaves were always full.

Capital Memphis

During the long history of the state of Ancient Egypt, the capital was transferred from Memphis to other cities. So, Memphis had the status of the main city of Egypt in the following periods:

• during the reign of the VIII dynasty in 2950 - 2180 BC;
• during the reign of Pharaoh Seti from the XIX dynasty in 1290 - 1279 BC;
• during the reign of the pharaohs of the New Kingdom in the XIV-XII centuries BC. e.;
• during the reign of the last pharaohs in 404-343. BC e.

In 715 - 664 BC, when the Ethiopian XXV dynasty was in power, the official capital was located in the city of Napata. But in fact, Memphis remained the political center, all government orders came from it.

In 525 - 404, 343 - 332 BC. e. and 332 - 322 BC. the Persians and Macedonians were in power, respectively. They ruled the country from Memphis.

Decline of Memphis

From 342 BC the decline of the capital of the ancient kingdom of Egypt begins. Geographical position Memphis is no longer relevant. He was in the desert. The new government needed access to the sea, which would allow trade with the Mediterranean countries. Therefore, the city lost its former importance.

In addition, the Arab conquest of the country and the construction of Cairo began, which became the new capital. For the construction of its buildings, the Arabs used stone from the beautiful palaces of Memphis.

Memphis excavations

For a long time, the capital of ancient Egypt, Memphis, was hidden under the silt that caused the waters of the Nile. Excavations began only in the XVIII - XIX centuries. This was facilitated by the campaign of Napoleon and the interest of Europe in Egyptology, which was on the rise at that time.

The country was occupied by Great Britain. The British exported from Egypt everything that was possible to transport by sea. It was then that part of the buildings of Memphis was discovered - the ruins of the temple of the god Ptah and the Serapeum, the cemetery of the Apis bulls. These animals were the earthly incarnation of the god Ptah.

Ruins of Memphis

The most famous archaeological site in the area of ​​the ancient capital is the Memphis Necropolis. It stretches 35 km west of the city. It includes several archaeological zones - Giza, Saqqara, Abu Roash, Abusir and Zawiet el-Arian.

The ruins of the Temple of Ptah are also famous. But almost nothing remains of him. But the two statues of Ramses II, which stood in front of the temple, almost completely survived. They are 13 meters high. One of them is made of granite, the other is made of limestone.

An alley of Sphinxes led to the temple of Ptah, of which only one has survived. The pyramids and tombs of the Memphis necropolis were looted and almost completely destroyed.

Archaeological excavations showed that Memphis stretched for many kilometers. But most of its area was occupied by residential quarters that did not communicate with each other. They grew around the palaces of the pharaohs. During the Arab conquest, people of one profession or a certain origin began to settle in the quarters.

Excavations have been going on for more than two centuries. But to date, only a quarter of the city has been explored.

Surviving Monuments of Memphis

One of the surviving statues of Ramses II in 1955 was installed on the square in front of the railway station in Cairo.

The second statue is located in a special garden on the territory of Memphis. It was discovered in 1820. Part of her legs was not preserved.

In the same garden there is a table made of alabaster. It was used for embalming the Apis. The eight-meter sphinx also deserves attention.

Partially preserved necropolis of Memphis. It consists of many tombs and pyramids. Some of its sections - Giza, Abusir, Saqqara and Dahshur - were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979.

Memphis and modernity

An important city of the country of Ancient Egypt, the capital of Memphis, has come a long historical way. Its ruins lie southwest of Cairo. Their modern neighbors are the small settlements of El Badrashein and Mit Rahina.

Their inhabitants, like the people who inhabited these lands many centuries ago, are engaged in agriculture and sheep breeding. But with the growing interest of tourists in the historical monuments of Egypt, they begin to change their activities. Some residents switch to making figurines, which they pass off as ancient Egyptian ones, while others switch to work as guides.

But the latter type of earnings is doubtful. After all, most archaeological finds are not shown to tourists. For example, the Temple of Ptah is often flooded with groundwater, making it inaccessible to the public. Other interesting finds are open only to scientists and archaeologists. Tourists are offered only to admire the groves and listen to a short historical overview and go further.

Thebes, capital of Egypt

(Θήβαι, Thebae) - the capital of Egypt during the period of the middle and partly new kingdoms. Her name comes from the Egyptian name of the area of ​​the main temple of the god Amun - Ipet with a female member. genus "ta" - "Ta-ipet" (now Karnak village). The city occupied a vast area on both banks of the Nile; his West Side served as a necropolis. Initially, F. was an insignificant settlement in the nome of Ermont, whose nomarchs, having become pharaohs of the 11th dyn., transferred their residence here and made F. the capital of a united Egypt. Pharaohs F. took on the role of the liberators of Egypt from the Hyks (see). The time that followed this liberation was at times the greatest brilliance of F.; riches and treasures flocked here from all over the cultural world, which was either in subjection or under the spell of the power of the kings of the XVIII din. Priests and temples acquired unprecedented wealth and influence, so that the attempt of Amenhotep IV to destroy the cult of Theban deities was not successful, and the capital, moved for several years to Tell Amarna, returned to F. But under the 19th dynasty, the latter were often the capital only nominally: warlike kings liked to live in the north, near the Asian border - in Tanis or the city of Ramesses. However, F. retained their greatness for a long time, and even the Iliad (q.v.) sings of the wealth of the “hundred gates (from many temple pylons) F.”; at XXI dyn. the priests of Amun even temporarily reached the throne, but already at that time a full-fledged Tanis dynasty appeared, and the next (XXII), originating from Bubastis, finally transferred the center political life on North. The value of F. and their god falls, more and more yielding to Bubastis, Sais, the Ethiopian Napat with their gods - Bast, Neith and Amon of Napat. F. become only a priestly female fief, ruled by the "wife of Amon", whom the pharaohs of the north consider it useful to marry and who is related to the Ethiopians. Appear in Thebes sometimes and secular rulers. So, in the first half of the 7th c. nomarch Montuhotep ruled here, during which the Assyrian invasion took place, which, together with the constant campaigns of the Ethiopian kings, contributed a lot to the decline of the city. The Ptolemies honored the relics of F., but Alexandria, in connection with the trade route along the Nile and then to the sea, pushed the ancient city into the background: it was empty and poor. Discontent was not long in affecting and, under the influence of the Ethiopians, it manifested itself repeatedly in the form of armed resistance to the Lagids. F. gave Egypt under the Ptolemies two more independent pharaohs (Harmakhis and Ankhtu); they took part in the uprising against Ptolemy Fiscon and Ptolemy Alexander I, did not humble themselves before Ptolemy Lafir, which resulted in a siege, heroic defense of citizens who turned temples into fortresses, the capture of the city by storm and devastation (83 BC). The ruined city still attracted tourists for a long time, although in 27 BC. a terrible earthquake dealt a new blow to his monuments. The latter were also destroyed because, due to depopulation, they were left to the mercy of fate, flooded with the Nile, corroded by soil salt; Animals and birds settled in ancient temples, people found shelter. Christian hermits settled in some tombs, churches were built in some sections of the temples; the material of the ancient buildings was used for new buildings. Several villages grew up on the site of the ancient capital, whose Arabic names (Karnak, Luxor, Gourna, etc.) are still used to name large groups of majestic ruins. In Byzantine times, they spoke not of Thebes, but of Thebaid, while the very same area of ​​\u200b\u200bF. was again considered in the region of Ermont; The largest center was the monastery of St. Thevammon, founded on the site of the ancient necropolis of Zhime. - God F. was Amon, identified with Ra in the form of "Amon-Ra, the king of the gods." His mother and wife Mut and son Khonsu were revered next to him. The temples of the city were mainly dedicated to this triad, both lying on the right, urban side of the Nile (Luxor and Karnak), and on the left (Medinet-Abu, Deir el-Bahri, etc.). left side, with its interesting and important for the historian tombs of kings, priesthood and nobility of the best times of Egypt, should not be considered exclusively a cemetery; priests lived here, there were archives, schools, workers needed in the place of permanent buildings lived. About the peculiar, at times turbulent life that was boiling here, some information is given by papyri, which tells about workers' riots and strikes. There was also trade here, mainly with objects of the funeral cult. A fairly large and diverse population was controlled by special government agencies and a garrison. The Theban necropolis also had its patron goddess, in the form of a snake Meritsekert ("loving silence"). In modern times, for the first time, Pocock drew attention to the ruins of F. The French expedition described and published the most important monuments. Since then F. began to visit archaeologists and tourists. At present, thanks to the works of Champollion, Lepsius, Mariette, Wilkinson, french school in Cairo, Flinders-Pitrie, Naville, Egypt-Exploration Fund, Spiegelberg (working on the history of the necropolis), the legacy left in Thebes by Egyptian antiquity is largely made known; many temples, tombs and inscriptions have been discovered and described; many monuments ended up in European museums. At present, on the site of ancient Thebes, mainly in Luxor, there are first-class hotels and consuls of European powers live.

Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron. - St. Petersburg: Brockhaus-Efron. 1890-1907 .

See what "Thebes, the capital of Egypt" is in other dictionaries:

THEBES, the capital of Egypt in the 22nd-7th centuries. BC (with interruptions). In the 8 1st centuries. BC Thebes retained the importance of a religious center, destroyed in 88 BC. Archaeological excavations from the 1st half of the 19th century. (temples in Luxor, Karnak, etc.) ... Modern Encyclopedia

Thebes- THEBES, the capital of Egypt in the 22nd 7th centuries. BC (with interruptions). In the 8 1st centuries. BC Thebes retained the importance of a religious center, destroyed in 88 BC. Archaeological excavations from the 1st half of the 19th century. (temples in Luxor, Karnak, etc.). … Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

Luxor place names World: Toponymic Dictionary. M: AST. Pospelov E.M. 2001. Thebes (Thebes, other Egyptian Waset) ... Geographic Encyclopedia

THEBES [gr. Thebes or Thebes; ancient egypt. Uast "Ruling (city)", or Niut "city", Arabic. el Uksur "palaces"], an ancient city in Upper Egypt (see ANCIENT EGYPT), near the modern city of Luxor (see LUXOR). The first mention of Thebes ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Thebes- Thebes. Ramesseum ensemble of the temple and palace of Pharaoh Ramses II. Mid 13th century BC e. Thebes. Ramesseum ensemble of the temple and palace of Pharaoh Ramses II. Mid 13th century BC e. Thebes is an ancient Egyptian city, political, religious and cultural ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary "World History"

Ancient Egyptian city, political, religious and cultural center. Since the time of the pharaohs of the XI dynasty (22-20 centuries BC), the capital of Egypt. In the 8 1st centuries. BC e. retained the importance of a religious center. Archaeological excavations from the 1st floor. 19th century (temples… … Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Ancient Egyptian city, political, religious and cultural center. The capital of Egypt since the time of the pharaohs of the XI dynasty (22-20 centuries BC). For a long period (from the 8th to the 1st centuries BC) it retained the importance of a religious center. ... ... Historical dictionary

I ancient city in Boeotia. Palace with frescoes from the late Aegean culture. In the 1st millennium BC. e. Greek polis, from the VI century. BC e. the center of the Boeotian Union of Greek cities. From the end of the 4th century BC e. did not play a significant role. II (ancient Egyptian ... encyclopedic Dictionary

- (Θήβαι, Thebae) the capital of Egypt during the period of the middle and partly new kingdoms. Her name comes from the Egyptian name of the area of ​​the main temple of the god Amun Ipet with a member female ta Ta ipet (now Karnak village). The city occupied a vast ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

Thebes- (Greek Thebai, Thebe) the main city of Boeotia, which, according to legend, was founded by Cadmus, and the walls were built by Zeta and Amphion. According to legend, Dionysus and Hercules were born in F., myths about King Oedipus are associated with the city. During the Greco period Persian Wars F. spoke ... ... Antique world. Dictionary reference.

Memphis, - the pharaohs thought not only about security, but also about asserting their own greatness. The latter was intended to emphasize the magnificent temple of the god Ptah, whose earthly incarnation was revered by the pharaoh himself. And also - the temple of the sacred bull Apis, awarded unheard of honors - both during life and after death, up to a personal sarcophagus. But all this amazing way of life was gone, dissolved into the sands, when Memphis became just a town lost in the desert...

FROM PTAH TO HEP

In Memphis, there was the most important place for the ancient Egyptians to worship the god Ptah. One of the names of Memphis is Khutka-Ptah, or "Temple of Ptah". To give more mysticism and mystery to the cult of Ptah, the Memphis temple of Ptah was located outside the city walls. Also, the cult of the sacred bull Hepa, associated with Ptah and having its own temple in Memphis, was widespread in the city.

Memphis, or rather, what is left of it, is located on the west bank of the Nile, in the place where the border of Upper and Lower Egypt lay five thousand years ago, where the Nile Delta began and the flourishing Fayum oasis was located.

Recent archaeological excavations have confirmed the veracity ancient legend, according to which Memphis was founded by the first king of united Egypt Menes (Mina) around the XXXII century. BC e. The original name of Memphis - Inbu-hedge, or "white walls" - came from the name of the fortress, near which the city grew.

It began to be called Memphis by the name of the pyramid of Pharaoh Pepi (Piopi) II Neferkare, who ruled approximately in 2279-2219. BC e. In fact, the name of the city is the ancient Greek spelling of the ancient Egyptian funerary concept Men-nefer-Pepi, which meant "good haven" or "strong and beautiful Pepi."

Memphis was simultaneously the political, craft, religious and agricultural center of all of Egypt. From here, the pharaohs ruled Egypt until the conquest of the country by Ancient Rome. It was the center of the ancient defense industry: the best war chariots were made in Memphis ancient world. Here was the center of the cult of the god Ptah and the sacred bull Apis, and the main Egyptian temples and monuments were erected in their honor.

The lands around Memphis were extraordinarily fertile due to the silt that accumulated after the floods of the Nile. Local residents were mainly engaged in peasant labor, growing crops, cotton, figs, grapes, olives, churning precious rose oil and breeding sheep, of which several hundred thousand heads grazed here. All this was enough to feed the palace servants, a whole army of priests, servants, slaves, not counting the numerous embassies from neighboring countries who sought to fall at the feet of the pharaoh, and numerous pilgrims who were eager to enlist the protection of the god Ptah.

Memphis was the capital of Egypt during the era ancient kingdom(XXVIII-XXIII centuries BC), under the pharaohs of the New Kingdom (second half of the XIV-XII centuries BC) and under the most recent pharaohs (404-343 BC). At this time, the history of Memphis - the capital of the pharaohs - ends and a new one begins, as the seat of the governors of Egypt: first Persian (525-404, 343-332 BC), then - Greco-Macedonian (about 332-322 years . BC.).

Then begins the era of the decline of Memphis, and the main role in this was played by the emergence of another big city- Alexandria. The new rulers needed a capital on the sea to trade throughout the Mediterranean. In fact, Memphis, located in the desert, has lost its former significance. The overall picture of the decline was completed by the beginning of the Arab conquest of Egypt and the construction new capital- Cairo: for several centuries, the Arabs took stone for city buildings from the magnificent palaces, temples, parks and fountains of Memphis.

Memphis is an ancient Egyptian city on the border of Upper and Lower Egypt, on the left bank of the Nile. The ruins of the city are near modern city Bedrahein (El Badrashein) and the villages of Mit Rahina, southwest of Cairo. The most famous ruins - erected under Pharaoh Ramses II - the temple of Ptah and the Memphis necropolis, located to the west of the city, including the archaeological zones of Abu Roash, Giza, Zawiet el-Arian, Abusir, Saqqara and Dahshur, stretching for approximately 35 km.

MIRACLES UNDER SLUD

For centuries, the city was completely covered in silt deposited by the waters of the Nile. Almost no entire buildings have been preserved here, but excavations are ongoing. This is a very difficult task: in this place high level groundwater and a thick layer of alluvial sediments of the Nile, and the ruins were under private houses and palm groves.

Memphis was remembered only in the 19th century, on the wave of European interest in Egyptology, after the campaign of Napoleon and the studies of the British, who exported everything that could be loaded onto ships from Egypt to Britain.

It was then that the remains of the temple of the god Ptah were discovered, and behind it - the Serapeum, the burial place of the Apis bulls, the earthly incarnations of the god Ptah. Consequently, the most studied part of the city belongs to the New Kingdom, when Memphis was northern capital Egypt.

If the main temple was preserved in the form of a few fragments, then time nevertheless spared the statues of Pharaoh Ramses II, which were installed in front of the temple. These are two colossal 13-meter statues: a granite one is installed on the square in front of the Ramses station in Cairo, a limestone one lies on the ground in a palm grove under a concrete canopy in Memphis.

From the alley of sphinxes that leads to the temple of Ptah, only the sphinx of Pharaoh Amenophis II of the New Kingdom era has survived. The looted and destroyed necropolises of Memphis - with pyramids and tombs of kings and nobility - are put in order today, but very little remains of them. So, from the impressive walls of the "white city" - Inbu-hedge, a small limestone fragment of the pyramid complex of Pharaoh Djoser (2690-2670 BC) in Saqqara has survived to this day.

The city had a very peculiar structure: it stretched for many kilometers, but these were mainly residential quarters that surrounded the palaces of the pharaohs, and these quarters did not communicate with each other. Subsequently, under the Arabs, such a system of urban settlement led to the emergence of numerous suburbs, each of which was inhabited by residents of a certain origin: from one region, one profession, etc.

The Arab conquerors tried not to leave any trace of Christianity in Memphis (at one time Memphis was the center of Middle Eastern Monophysitism), and no buildings of that period remained on its territory, with the exception of the monastery of Apa Jeremiah in Saqqara.

Archaeological excavations at the site of Memphis, probably the longest scientific work throughout the history of mankind: they have been going on for the past two hundred years. But this period was not enough: to date, only a twentieth of the territory of Memphis has been studied.

Today, several towns have become neighbors of Memphis, and the most famous of them is El Badrashein. Like their ancestors thousands of years ago, the locals raise sheep, grow fruits, and make cheese and butter. But income from tourism is growing, the population is switching to serving tourists, ranging from making replicas - supposedly ancient Egyptian figurines - to working as guides. The latter type of income can hardly be called reliable: the temple of Ptah is often inaccessible due to a sudden rise in groundwater, flooding the entire territory of the ancient capital.