Unit 5: Ancient Egypt and Kush

•  Remember...content/vocabulary words in red will be on the test!

Lesson 1: The Nile River

The Nile River Valley

•  Egypt is one of the four great river valley civilizations.

•  At the time when Mesopotamia was rising and falling, two other civilizations were developed along the Nile River in Northeastern Africa.

•  To the north, was Egypt •  To the far south was Kush

•  Even though both the Egyptian and Kush civilizations were unique, they influenced one another throughout their long histories.

•  Of all the early river valley civilizations, most people are most familiar with ancient Egypt, as we can still marvel today at the ruins in present-day Egypt, including the stone Sphinx, huge pyramids, and mummies found in tombs full of riches.

The NILE RIVER , the longest river in the world (4,160 miles), flows north from the heart of Africa to the Mediterranean Sea. Its flood plain was a magnet for life -- human, plant and animal. Humans were drawn there because they could grow crops and settle into permanent villages.

The Gift of the Nile •  Bounded on the south, east and west by an

impenetrable desert, and on the north by the sea, ANCIENT EGYPT was protected from outside influences, which allowed it to evolve in its own unique way.

•  As early as 5000 B.C., hunters and gatherers began to move into the Nile River Valley from areas of Africa and Southwest Asia.

•  Early permanent settlers built villages and farmed the land along the banks of the Nile River.

•  The early Egyptians who lived in the northern region originally called their land Kemet, which means “black land” because the soil was dark and rich.

•  This eventually became known as Egypt.

•  Many of Egypt’s structures survived because of it’s hot, dry climate.

•  The ancient Egyptians depended on the Nile for drinking water, bathing and irrigating their crops.

•  To the Egyptians, the Nile was the “creator of all good” and is often considered the “lifeblood of Egypt”.

•  The Nile River starts off as two separate rivers, the Blue Nile and the White Nile.

•  Eventually they join just south of Egypt to form the Nile River.

•  Where the rivers converge, steep cliffs and boulders create dangerous, fast moving waters called cataracts (a waterfall or rapid in a river).

A Protected Land •  Over the centuries, the Nile River’s flow

throughout Egypt has created a valley that ends up looking like a long, winding root of a plant.

–  Shortly before it reaches the Mediterranean Sea, the river splits up into many branches that resemble a plant’s bloom.

–  The waterways form a fan-shaped area of fertile marshland called a delta.

•  The contrast between the lush, green land next to the Nile and the dry, barren desert on either side of the river are easily seen.

–  A person could stand with one foot in fertile soil and one foot in barren sand---that’s how sudden the difference is!

•  The Nile borders the largest deserts in the world: to the west is the Libyan Desert which forms part of the Sahara; to the east is the Eastern Desert which extends to the Red Sea.

•  Because of the heat from the deserts, the ancient Egyptians called them the “Red Land”.

–  This area was not favorable to humans or animals and kept Egypt isolated from outside invaders.

•  Because of the Nile’s dangerous cataracts, enemy ships were prevented from traveling the river to attack Egypt.

•  To the north, the delta marshland stopped invaders who sailed from the Mediterranean Sea.

•  These physical features gave Egypt an advantage that Mesopotamia lacked.

–  The Egyptians rarely faced invasion and therefore, developed quite peacefully.

•  Though they were isolated, they weren’t cut off completely from other people.

–  The Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea provided routes for trade.

–  The wind patterns also helped those traveling along the trade route going north and south---the flow of the river was north but the wind helped carry sailboats south.

The People of the River •  The flooding of the Nile was completely

predictable and was much less destructive than when the Tigris and Euphrates flooded.

•  The melting snow from the mountains and tropical rains from central Africa caused the Nile to flood near the middle of summer; the farmers looked forward to this and would take advantage when the water levels went back to normal and there were deposits of fertile soil left behind. Sound familiar???

•  Farmers grew wheat, barley and flax seeds while the soil was still wet; eventually, they had enough food to feed themselves and the animals they raised.

•  During the dry season, the Egyptians irrigated their crops by digging bowl-shaped holes in the earth to store river water and then dug canals to send this water to their crops.

Unlike the Mesopotamians whose rivers were unpredictable and a constant challenge, the

flooding of the Nile was seasonal and consistent from year to year.

•  Over time, the Egyptians made new tools to make their work easier such as the shadoof---a bucket attached to a long pole that lifts water from the Nile and empties it into basins.

–  Many Egyptian farmers still use this method today!

•  Farmers used geometry to help measure their land when figuring out where one field ended and one began in order to plan their crops.

•  Egyptians also gathered papyrus, a reed plant that grew along the Nile.

–  They used papyrus to weave rope, make sandals, baskets and even river rafts.

–  Eventually, they figured out how to make paper out of papyrus!

•  They soaked strips of cut papyrus in water and then laid them side by side and pounded them together. Next, they laid them to dry, which eventually formed a large sheet of paper on which they could write.

How did the Egyptians Write? •  Like the Mesopotamians, the Egyptians

developed their own writing system. •  At first, their writing system was made up

of thousands of picture symbols that represented objects and ideas.

•  Later, they created symbols that represented sounds, just like the letters of our alphabet do!

•  This complex writing system of sounds and picture symbols was called Hieroglyphics.

•  Few ancient Egyptians could read or write Hieroglyphics; some Egyptian men, however, were trained to become scribes in government or business.

•  They wrote Hieroglyphics on papyrus scripts.

Uniting Egypt •  In Egypt, as in Mesopotamia, there eventually became a surplus of food (extra amount),

meaning that some people could leave farming and go into other occupations. –  Artisans, merchants and traders played an important role in Egypt’s economy. –  As more goods became available, villages along the Nile began to trade with one

another and before long, they were traveling in caravans to Nubia to the south, Mesopotamia to northeast and other places outside Egypt’s borders.

–  Egyptian traders learned the ways of life and governments of other societies •  The need for organized government became even more important with the amount of

trading and farming that was happening. –  Government was necessary to:

•  Repair the irrigation ditches and dams •  Develop a process for storing and distributing grain during famines •  Settle conflicts over land ownership

•  Over time, groups of villages merged to form small kingdoms that were each ruled by a king.

•  The weaker kingdoms eventually fell under the rule of the stronger ones. •  By 4000 B.C., Egypt was made up of two large kingdoms: one in Upper Egypt (the south-

central part of the Nile River valley) and the other in Lower Egypt (along the Nile River’s north delta).

Narmer---Who was He? •  Narmer was a king of Upper Egypt who led his armies from the valley north into the delta

around 3100 B.C. •  Narmer conquered Lower Egypt and married one of the Lower Egypt princesses, unifying

both of the kingdoms. •  For the first time, all of Egypt was ruled by one king. •  Narmer established a capital in Memphis, a city on the border between Upper and Lower

Egypt. •  Memphis began to flourish as a center of government and culture along the Nile. •  Narmer’s kingdom lasted for a very long time, even after his death.

–  His crown was passed on to his son and then grandson •  This kind of ruling, from one person in a family to another and another is called a

dynasty (a line of rulers from one family). •  From about 3100 B.C. to 332 B.C., a series of dynasties ruled Egypt and are organized into

three time periods: –  The Old Kingdom –  The Middle Kingdom –  The New Kingdom

•  Throughout these three time periods, Egypt was usually ruled together under one ruler and enjoyed a stable government.

Lesson 2: Life in Ancient Egypt

Egypt’s Early Rulers •  Around 2600 B.C., Egyptian civilization

entered the period known as the Old Kingdom and it lasted until about 2200 B.C.

•  This period of time was called the Pyramid Age

•  The Egyptians took pride in unity and understood the importance of everyone working and living according to similar principles and beliefs.

•  Because they valued these things, they developed a government where the all-powerful ruler controlled both religious and political affairs.

•  When a government has the same person as both the political leader and the religious leader, this is called a theocracy.

•  Initially, the Egyptian rulers were known as kings; however, later on they became known as pharaohs, which originally meant “great house”.

–  This referred to the grand palace in which the Pharaoh lived.

•  The people of Egypt were very loyal to their leader, the pharaoh. If the pharaoh commanded something, everyone was expected to obey.

•  They thought that by obeying the pharaoh, the kingdom would survive things such as famine and wars.

•  The pharaoh appointed bureaucrats, or government officials, to carry out his orders.

–  They were in charge of supervising the building of dams, irrigation canals, and brick granaries (used to store grain during bountiful harvests so that people wouldn’t starve during bad harvests).

•  The pharaoh owned all the land in Egypt and was allowed to use it as he pleased.

•  The pharaoh also distributed land to officials, priests, and wealthy Egyptians whom he favored.

•  The Egyptians were also loyal to the pharaoh because they thought he was the son of Re (RAY), the Egyptian sun god.

•  They believed that the pharaoh was a god on earth who protected Egypt; whenever he went out in public, people would play music and bow their heads for him.

•  The pharaoh would ride a bull around Egypt because it was believed to keep the land fertile; he was also the first to cut the grain at harvest because the Egyptians believed that this action would produce abundant crops.

Religion in Egypt •  Just like in Mesopotamia, religion played a

huge role in Egyptian life. •  The Egyptians worshipped many gods (just

like Mesopotamia) and goddesses. •  The Egyptians, however, took their religion

a step further---they believed that their gods controlled natural forces and human activities.

•  The Egyptians depended on the sun to grow their crops and the Nile to make fertile soil.

–  Therefore, two of the most crucial gods to Egyptian civilization were the sun god Re and the river god Hapi.

–  Another important god was Osiris, who, with his wife Isis (represented mothers and wives) ruled over the world of the dead.

–  Thoth was the god of learning and could take human or animal form (or both-like most gods and goddesses).

The Afterlife •  The Egyptians believed that life

after death would be even better than the present life.

•  They believed that after a long journey (present life), they would arrive at a place of peace.

•  One of the most important writings of ancient Egypt was The Book of the Dead, full of prayers and magic spells to prepare for the afterlife.

•  They believed Osiris greeted those who had just died at the gate to the next world.

The Afterlife •  Originally, the Egyptians believed that only the pharaohs could enjoy

the afterlife. •  They thought that the pharaoh’s soul resided in his body and, if

protected properly, he would continue to protect Egypt long after he died.

•  Eventually, the people of Egypt started to believe that everyone could enjoy the afterlife---rich or poor.

•  With the help of the god Osiris, eternal life was thought to be possible for everyone, making embalming (the process of treating a body to keep it from decaying) popular amongst all ancient Egyptians.

•  First, they would remove all the body’s organs and store them in special jars. Then they would use natron salt to cover the body, which, over a period of a few days, would dry out all the water in the body.

•  Next, the shrunken, dried up body would be filled with burial spices and tightly wrapped in strips of linen.

•  The wrapped body was then known as a mummy. •  The mummy was placed in a coffin within a decorated tomb.

The Afterlife •  Wealthy people had their mummies placed in

coffins and buried in tombs. •  Poorer people buried their mummies in the

ground, caves or sand. •  Even animals were embalmed (mummified), as

the Egyptians saw their animals as not only pets, but also as sacred creatures.

•  They often buried their cats, birds, and other animals at temples honoring their gods and goddesses.

Medical Innovations •  The Egyptians learned a lot about the human

body through embalming-mainly, they developed many medical skills.

•  The Egyptians were the first to use splints, bandages, and compresses.

•  They sewed up cuts and set broken bones and wrote down medical information on papyrus scrolls. – The Egyptian’s created the world’s first

medical books based on information they wrote down on papyrus scrolls.

Pyramid Tombs •  In order to honor their pharaohs,

the Egyptians built grand pyramids, which were used as tombs for the pharaohs.

•  The pyramids were as large as the area of several city-blocks and can still be seen today in Egypt.

•  The tombs were filled with treasures, furniture, and food that the pharaohs believed they would need for the afterlife in order to be happy.

•  The pyramids preserved (saved) all these objects in relatively good condition for centuries, allowing archeologists to still study them to this day.

How were the Pyramids Built?

•  Thousands of workers spent years of hard labor to build the pyramids. – Farmers did much of the work during the

summer when the Nile flooded and they couldn’t farm.

– Carpenters, engineers, surveyors and stonecutters also helped build the pyramids.

•  The first engineer who built pyramids was Imhotep, who also served as an official for the pharaoh.

•  Workers searched the Nile River valley for large stones that would be cut into blocks by a skilled artisan who used copper tools.

•  Next, the workers used rope to fasten the blocks onto wooden sleds that were pulled along a path made of logs to the Nile River.

•  From the river, the stones were moved onto large boats that carried them to the building site.

•  Workers then dragged or pushed the blocks up ramps to to be set in place at each new level of the pyramid.

How were the pyramids built?

•  While building the pyramids, the Egyptians came up with innovations such as: –  Studying the sky (astronomy) to find north –  Using astronomy to invent the 365-day calendar with

12 months, divided into seasons. •  This is the basis for the calendar we still use today!

–  Egyptians used math to figure out how much stone was needed for the pyramids

•  They had to measure angles •  Created fractions •  Number system based on 10 •  Added, subtracted and divided

The Great Pyramid •  Around the mid-2000’s B.C.,

the Egyptians built biggest and grandest of pyramids for King Khufu-The Great Pyramid.

•  The pyramid lies about 10-miles from the modern city of Cairo, Egypt.

•  The Great Pyramid is one of three pyramids still standing at Giza at the Nile’s west bank.

•  It’s size is approximately that of 9 football fields and took more than 2 million stone blocks to construct.

•  For more than 4,000 years, the Great Pyramid stood as the tallest structure in the world.

Inside a Pyramid

Daily Life in Egypt •  At its peak, Egypt was home to

about 5 million people. –  That is about the number of

people living in the state of Colorado today.

•  Most of the Egyptians lived in the fertile Nile River valley or the delta (found at the mouth of the river).

•  These two areas make up only 3 percent of Egypt’s land and are still very populated today.

Egyptian Social Structure

Egyptian Social Structure •  Pharaoh and his family were the highest in the class system •  Upper Class:

–  Army commanders, nobles and priests •  Middle Class:

–  Traders, artisans, and scribes –  People who held skilled jobs/owned businesses

•  Lower Class: –  Was the largest group of people –  Farmers, unskilled workers, enslaved people

•  Even though there was a social structure in Egypt, ambitious people in the lower class were able to improve their social position by working hard.

•  Slaves were not widely used in Egypt like in Mesopotamia.

How People Lived… •  Egypt’s upper class lived in very

nice homes along the banks of the Nile River. –  Had pools filled with fish and

plants –  Dressed fashionable in white

linen, wore dark eye make-up and jewelry

–  Servants waited on them and took care of their homes

•  Egypt’s middle class lived in more modest (smaller, simple) homes than those of the upper class. –  Produced cloth, jewelry, pottery,

and metal goods –  Scribes –  Business owners

How People Lived… •  Egypt’s lower class lived in houses that were made of mud

brick. –  Included farmers, unskilled workers and enslaved people

•  Most enslaved people were captured in war and could earn their freedom over time.

–  Most farmers worked on land owned by the upper class. •  They usually paid the landowners with some of the

crops grown. •  Farmers ate a diet of bread, vegetables and fruit.

–  Unskilled workers performed manual labor (involving physical effort) such as loading/unloading cargo from boats, transporting items to markets, and even building the pyramids.

Egyptian Families •  The family was the most important group in ancient Egyptian

society. •  Even gods and goddesses were arranged in family groupings. •  The father was the head of the family but women had more rights

than in other ancient civilizations. –  They could own property –  They could buy and sell goods –  They could obtain (to gain) a divorce from their husbands –  Wealthy women even served as priests –  Wives of farmers often worked in the fields with their husbands –  Women of higher social class usually stayed at home while their husbands

worked

•  Egyptian children usually did not attend school but rather played; the girls learned how to cook, sew and manage a household like their mothers.

•  Boys usually inherited the family business from the fathers.

Egyptian Families •  When boys and girls became teenagers, they were

expected to marry and start families of their own. •  Egyptians usually lived in nuclear families-a family

made up of two parents and their children. –  Some farmers and others in the lower class lived

with their extended family (grandparents, other married children, etc.)

–  The oldest son (and sometimes daughter) were expected to care for their parents when they became too old or sick to take care of themselves.

–  Part of this responsibility included making sure their parents received a proper burial upon their death.

Lesson 3: Egypt’s Empires

A Golden Age

•  Around 2200 B.C. the ruling pharaohs in Memphis began to weaken, with ambitious nobles fighting for control of Egypt. – This caused over 200 years of violence and

disorder in the once peaceful Egypt. – However, peace returned once more when a

new dynasty of pharaohs took power and began what is known as the “middle kingdom”.

•  Lasted from about 2055 B.C. to 1650 B.C.

Changes During the Middle Kingdom

•  Drainage project in the delta created 1000’s of acres of farmable land to increase crop production.

•  Added more irrigation dams and channels to supply more water to the population.

•  The pharaohs ordered the construction of a canal between the Nile River and the Red Sea – This furthered trade between Egypt and other

countries.

Changes during the Middle Kingdom

•  During this new time period in ancient Egypt, the arts also began to flourish. –  Painters decorated the walls of tombs with colorful

scenes and stories about the deities as well as every day life.

–  Sculptors carved hunting, fishing and battle scenes on large stone walls and made statues of the pharaohs, showing them as ordinary people, not gods.

–  During this time period, the Pharaohs no longer constructed pyramids for their tombs; they began cutting into limestone cliffs to serve as their tombs.

•  This area became known as the Valley of the Kings.

Invasion of the Hyksos •  During the 1600s B.C., when Egypt was

vulnerable due to civil war, a group of people from western Asia, called the Hyksos, took control of Egypt.

•  The Hyksos ruled over Egypt for over 100 years. – The Egyptians hated them so they learned

how to use their advanced weapons and chariots so they could overthrow them.

•  In 1550 B.C., an Egyptian prince named Ahmose formed an army and drove the Hyksos out of Egypt.

The New Kingdom •  With Ahmose came a new dynasty and a

period known as “the New Kingdom” which lasted from about 1550 B.C. to 1070 B.C.

•  It was during this time that Egypt prospered through trade, gained more lands through conquest and reached the height of its power.

•  Another novelty of the New Kingdom was Queen Hatshepsut, one of the few Egyptian women to rule.

A Woman Pharaoh •  Queen Hatshepsut came to power around 1473 B.C.

and governed with her husband until he died, whereupon she took power as pharaoh on behalf of her young nephew. – She had to prove she was a good leader to the

Egyptians. •  Hatshepsut’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings has

large wall carvings that illustrate some of the major events of her reign.

•  She was more interested in promoting trade in Egypt than starting wars and looked to restore many of the trade relations that existed before the Hyksos invasion.

Trade and Politics

•  Because of the lack of trees in the Nile River valley, the Egyptians ended up trading with the Phoenicians for wood products. – The Phoenicians had a great impact on other

cultures due to their invention of an alphabet and a system of writing.

– Since so many people traded with them, their innovations and ideas spread across a large part of the ancient world.

Trade and Politics •  When Egypt traded wheat, paper, gold, copper,

tin and tools in exchange for Phoenician items, the Egyptian goods were sold to other cultures and societies, which helped to make the Egyptian Empire even more wealthy.

•  Hatshepsut also initiated political ties with nearby kingdoms through marriage (ex. Babylonian Empire) as well as through the exchange of envoys (government officials). –  This marked the first time in history that a group of

nations tried working together to reach common goals.

•  Thutmose III, the nephew of Hatshepsut, took power once she died. – He was a strong leader who expanded

Egypt’s control into the north as well as the south when he conquered Nubia.

•  They captured almost 350 cities during his reign. •  Because of the number of cities captured, there

were more prisoners of war which meant more slaves.

•  The Egyptian Empire also grew wealthier with the conquered kingdoms, acquiring more gold, copper, ivory and other valuable goods for foreign peoples.

Two Unusual Pharaohs •  During the New Kingdom, two pharaohs

made a lasting impression: Amenhotep IV and Tutankhamen.

•  Amenhotep came to power around 1370 B.C. and with the support of his wife, tried to change Egypt’s long history as polytheistic to monotheistic (the belief in only one god), worshipping only the sun god, Aton. – He did this because he felt threatened by the

priests’ power and wealth.

•  When the priests protested against this change by Amenhotep, he had them removed from their posts, took their lands and closed their temples.

•  These changes unsettled Egypt, as many people rejected the idea of only worshipping Aton and continued to worship many deities (gods).

•  Because the army leaders didn’t respect Amenhotep and his weak rule as pharaoh, Egypt lost most of its lands in west Asia to outside invaders.

King Tut •  When Amenhotep died, his son, Tutankhamen

took power at the age of 10. •  Because he was so young, he had to rely on

advice from the priests and officials to rule Egypt.

•  His rule was very short lived, with King Tutankhamen dying at the age of 19.

•  The reason he is so famous is not because he was a great leader; it is because when archeologists found his tomb, it was still intact with many treasures including a brilliant gold mask of the young ruler’s face.

King Tut

Recovery and Decline •  During the 1200s B.C., the next pharaohs worked

very hard to try and restore Egypt’s greatness. •  The most successful of these was Ramses II who

ruled from 1279 B.C. to 1213 B.C. – He conquered the region of Canaan and moved

north into Syria, while also fighting the Hittites; however, he and the Hittite king eventually signed a peace treaty.

– Ramses reigned for 66 years and had one of the most spectacular temples built, Karnak at Thebes.

Karnak at Thebes

•  The temple at Karnak still impresses visitors today with its huge columned hall and poem carved in the temple celebrating victory by Ramses.

“Halt! Take courage, charioteer, as a sparrow-hawk swoops down upon his prey, so I swoop upon the foe, and I will slay, I will hew (sew) them into pieces, I will dash them into dust.”

Recovery and Decline

•  After Ramses II died, Egypt declined. •  By 1150 B.C., the Egyptian empire

controlled only the Nile delta. •  In the 900s B.C., the Libyans took power

over Egypt; soon after, the people of Kush took over.

•  Finally, in 670 B.C., Egypt was taken over by the Assyrians from Mesopotamia.

Lesson 4: The Kingdom of Kush

The Kingdom of Kush

•  The history of Kush can be divided into two distinct phases: – The kingdom of Kerma, which lasted from

around 2500 to 1500 BC – The kingdom of Kush, based around the cities

of Napata and Meroe, from the 9th century BC to the 4th century AD.

The Rise of Kerma •  Unlike the Egyptians, the Nubians (those

living south of Egypt), did not rely on the Nile floods to create fertile soil.

•  Their land had fertile soil year-round due to rainfall throughout the year.

•  The Nubians also hunted for food and excelled at using bow and arrows.

•  Eventually, the stronger Nubian villages took over the weaker ones and formed the kingdom of Kerma.

The Rise of Kerma •  The Kingdom of Kerma grew wealthy due

to agriculture and the mining of gold. – From Kerma, the Egyptians acquired cattle,

gold, incense, ivory, giraffes, leopards, and slaves.

– This eventually helped Karma become an important trade link between Egypt and southern Africa.

– Egypt also hired Nubians (people from Kerma) to fight in their army because of their skills in warfare.

Egyptian Invasion

•  Egyptian armies invaded Nubia around 1400s B.C. and ruled over it for the next 700 years.

•  As a result, the Nubians adopted many of Egypt’s customs and culture including: – Hieroglyphics – Copper and bronze tools – Worshipping of many gods and goddesses – Created an alphabet

The Kushite Kingdom

•  When Egypt was weak during its Middle Kingdom, Nubia was able to break free and start its own kingdom known as Kush, with a capital located at Napata.

•  Egypt continued to trade with Kush for items they could not make, making Kush and its traders very wealthy.

Kush Conquers Egypt •  Around 750 B.C., Kush became powerful

enough to challenge Egypt, with their king Kashta leading the invasion.

•  After he died, his son Piye completed the take over and began the dynasty that ruled over Egypt for about 60 years.

•  During this time, Kush continued to admire Egyptian culture. – Some, however, adopted cultures and styles

more similar to those of southern Africa. •  i.e. ankle and ear jewelry

Using Iron

•  After about 60 years of ruling Egypt, the Kush empire was driven out by the Assyrians who took over Egypt using iron weapons that the people of Kush couldn’t win against with their bronze weapons.

•  Despite their defeat, the Kushites learned how to make iron weapons and tools from the Assyrians. – Boosted military strength and were able to

grow more crops.

The Capital of Meroe •  Around 540 B.C., Kush’s rulers moved their capital

to the city of Meroe, near one of the Nile’s cataracts, making them safer against the Assyrian’s attacks.

•  Large deposits of iron ore and trees made Meroe a major trading center for iron production as well as a busy trading city.

•  Meroe was modeled after Egypt’s great cities with a temple at the end of a long avenue line with sculptures of rams.

•  Walls in palaces and houses were decorated with paintings.

•  They even built small pyramids as a royal graveyard.

A Trading Center •  Kush traded luxurious items with countries as far

away as Arabia, India, China and Rome. –  In return, they brought back cotton, textiles,

and other goods. – They used their wealth to build grand houses

and public baths like the ones in Rome. •  Kush remained a great trading kingdom for

almost 600 years until Axum emerged near the Red Sea.

•  Around A.D. 350, the armies of Axum invaded Kush and destroyed Meroe.