Who were the Ancient Egyptians?

Image credit: History Channel.

When people hear Egypt, images of the pyramids, animal headed gods and mummies are sure to be conjured in the minds eye. But who exactly were the people were behind these symbols? To fully understand who the Ancient Egytians were it is important understand the time frame they existed in.

Traditionally, the beginning of Ancient Egyptian society has been dated to 3100 BC. This date signified the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under a sole ruler, the pharaoh. The pharaohs played a major part in Egyptian history as their divine-status ensured them unlimited authoritative power over their people. A long line of pharaohs ruled over the Egyptian population but there were not always local. Egypt was successfully invaded another of times by foreign civilizations. But it remained an independent nation state until it was finally absorbed into the Roman Empire by Augusts in 30 A.D

Egyptian history is traditionally broken down into several distinct blocks of time: the Early Dynastic Period, the Old Kingdom, the First Intermediate Period, the Middle Kingdom the Second Intermediate Period, the New Kingdom, the Third Intermediate Period, the Late Period (664-332 BC), the Ptolemaic Period (332 BC-30 A.D). The Early Dynastic Period, Old, Middle and New Kingdoms represent time period in which Egypt was a united stated rule under the Pharaohs. The Intermediate Periods indicate periods of time in which Egyptian leadership was fragmented, and Egypt was not considered a unified state. For Egyptologists it is significant to point out these different periods of time because each period represents different cultural practices and ideologies.