Digital Maps of the Ancient World

Timeline of Ancient Egypt

The dates within this resource reflect the latest scholarship and follow those put forward by the University of Memphis.

The Predynastic Period (c. 4300-3000 BC)

• Naqada I (Amratian) (c. 4300-3600 BC)

• Naqada II (Gerzean) (c. 3600-3150 BC)

  c. 3200 BC: Hieroglyphic writing is developed.

  

• Naqada III (Semainean) (c. 3150-3000 BC)

The Early Dynastic Period (c. 3000-2675 BC)

• Dynasty 1 (c. 3000-2800 BC)

  2950 BC: Upper and Lower Egypt are united by Menes, the first Pharaoh of Egypt.

  c. 2900 BC: Earliest known use of papyrus as a writing surface.

  

• Dynasty 2 (c. 2800-2675 BC)

The Old Kingdom (c. 2675-2130 BC)

• Dynasty 3 (c. 2675-2625 BC)

  c. 2660 BC: The Step Pyramid of Djoser is constructed at Saqqara.

  

• Dynasty 4 (c. 2625-2500 BC)

  c. 2600 BC: The Bent Pyramid is constructed for Sneferu at Dahshur.

  c. 2575 BC: The Red Pyramid is constructed for Sneferu.

  c. 2570 BC: The Great Pyramid of Giza is constructed for Khufu, as well as the Pyramid of Khafre.

  c. 2510 BC: The Pyramid of Menkaure is constructed.

  c. 2500 BC: The Great Sphinx of Giza is constructed for Khafre.

  

• Dynasty 5 (c. 2500-2350 BC)

• Dynasty 6 (c. 2350-2710 BC)

• Dynasties 7-8 (c. 2170-2130 BC)

The First Intermediate Period (c. 2130-1980 BC)

• Dynasties 9-10 (c. 2130-1970 BC)

• Dynasty 11, Part I (c. 2081-1980 BC)

The Middle Kingdom (c. 1980-1630 BC)

• Dynasty 11, Part II (c. 1980-1938 BC)

  c. 1950 BC: The Temple of Karnak is constructed.

  

• Dynasty 12 (c. 1938-1759 BC)

  c. 1900 BC: The White Pyramid is constructed at Dahshur for Amenemhat II.

  c. 1830 BC: The Black Pyramid is constructed for Amenemhat III.

• Dynasty 13 (c. 1759 – after 1630 BC)

• Dynasty 14 (dates uncertain, but contemporary with later Dynasty 13) 

  c. 1650 BC: The chariot is first used in Egypt during the Hyksos invasion.

  

The Second Intermediate Period (c. 1630-1539/1523 BC)

• Dynasty 15 (c. 1630-1523 BC)

• Dynasty 16 (dates unknown: minor Hyksos rulers, contemporary with Dynasty 15)

• Dynasty 17 (c. 1630-1539 BC)

The New Kingdom (c. 1539-1075 BC)

• Dynasty 18 (c. 1539-1292 BC)

  c. 1530 BC: Ahmose I (r. 1550-1525 BC) defeats the Hyksos and reunites Upper and Lower Egypt.

  c. 1500 BC: Pharaohs start to be buried in the Valley of the Kings.

  c. 1479 BC: Hatshepsut (r. 1479-1458 BC) becomes Pharaoh.

  c. 1465 BC: The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut is constructed.

  1458 BC: Thutmose III (r. 1458-1425 BC) becomes Pharaoh after the death of Hatshepsut.

  c. 1400 BC: The Temple of Luxor is constructed.

  c. 1388 BC: Amenhotep III (r. 1388-1351 BC) becomes Pharaoh.

  c. 1351 BC: Akhenaten (r. 1351-1334 BC) becomes Pharaoh. He would later abandon traditional religion in favour of Aten.

  c. 1332 BC: Tutankhamun (r. 1332-1323 BC) becomes Pharaoh.

  

• Dynasty 19 (c. 1292-1190 BC)

  1279 BC: Ramesses II (r. 1279-1213 BC) becomes Pharaoh.

  1274 BC: Battle of Kadesh.

  c. 1264 BC: Abu Simbel is constructed.

  

• Dynasty 20 (c. 1190-1075 BC)

The Third Intermediate Period (c. 1075-656 BC)

• Dynasty 21 (c. 1075-945 BC)

• Dynasty 22 (c. 945-712 BC)

• Dynasty 23 (c. 838-712 BC)

• Dynasty 24 (c. 727-712 BC)

• Dynasty 25 (c. 760-656 BC)

  c. 671 BC: The Neo-Assyrian Empire invades Egypt.

  

The Late Period (c. 664-332 BC)

• Dynasty 26 (c. 664-525 BC)

  609 BC: The Battle of Megiddo.

  525 BC: The Achaemenid Persian Empire invades Egypt.

  

• Dynasty 27 (Achaemenid Satrapy) (c. 525-404 BC)

• Dynasty 28 (c. 404-399 BC)

• Dynasty 29 (c. 399-380 BC)

• Dynasty 30 (c. 380-343 BC)

  c. 370 BC: The Temple of Isis on Philae is constructed.

  343 BC: The Achaemenid Persian Empire invades Egypt again.

  

• Dynasty 31 (Achaemenid Satrapy) (c. 343-332 BC)

The Macedonian Period (c. 332-305 BC)

• 332 BC: Alexander the Great invades Egypt and founds the city of Alexandria.

  

• 323 BC: Alexander the Great dies at Babylon.

The Ptolemaic Kingdom (c. 305-30 BC)

• 305 BC: Ptolemy I Soter founds the Ptolemaic dynasty.

  

• c. 280 BC: The Library and Lighthouse of Alexandria are founded.

• 237 BC: The Temple of Edfu is constructed.

  

• c. 180 BC: The Temple of Kom Ombo is constructed.
• 54 BC: The Temple of Hathor at Dendera is constructed.

  

• 30 BC: Cleopatra VII commits suicide and Egypt is annexed by the Roman Empire.