| Name | Ancient Egypt (Alternate Timeline) |
| Legacy | Lasting cultural influence on subsequent civilizations • Architectural and artistic innovations that inspired later eras • Pioneering contributions to fields like astronomy and medicine |
| Location | Nile Valley, North Africa |
| Time period | Prehistoric to 1st century BCE |
| Prominent Figures | Pharaohs • Priests • Architects • Scribes |
| Notable Achievements | Extensive pyramid-building and tomb construction • Advancements in mathematics, astronomy, and engineering • Development of a complex polytheistic religion • Emergence of a powerful centralized government |
Ancient Egypt was a highly advanced civilization that flourished for over 3,000 years along the banks of the Nile River in northeastern Africa. Unified under the rule of powerful pharaohs, ancient Egypt boasted impressive architectural feats, an advanced religious and philosophical belief system, and significant technological and scientific achievements that left an indelible mark on the ancient world.
The origins of ancient Egyptian civilization can be traced back to the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt around 3100 BCE under the legendary King Narmer, also known as Menes. This event marked the beginning of the Early Dynastic Period, during which a succession of ruling dynasties based in cities like Abydos and Memphis consolidated control over the Nile Valley.
Unlike our timeline, where the Old Kingdom later collapsed in the 22nd century BCE, this version of ancient Egypt saw the First Dynasty and Second Dynasty pharaohs maintain a stable, centralized state for over 500 years. Key figures like Djoser and Khasekhemwy oversaw the construction of iconic monuments like the Step Pyramid and the further development of an extensive bureaucratic apparatus.
The Middle Kingdom, which spanned the 11th and 12th Dynasties from around 2055 to 1650 BCE, witnessed a golden age of cultural and economic flourishing. Powerful pharaohs like Mentuhotep II, Amenemhat I, and Senwosret III expanded Egypt's borders, patronized the arts, and built impressive temple complexes. The capital was moved from Memphis to the newly-constructed city of Itj-Tawy.
However, unlike in our timeline, the Middle Kingdom did not ultimately collapse. Instead, it was succeeded by the Second Intermediate Period, a 150-year stretch of political fragmentation marked by the rule of foreign Hyksos dynasties in the north and the rise of powerful Theban kings in the south. This period saw a diversification of styles in Egyptian art, architecture, and religious practices.
The 18th Dynasty, which emerged victorious from the Second Intermediate Period around 1550 BCE, ushered in the New Kingdom - a golden age of imperial expansion and cultural flowering that would last over 400 years. Iconic pharaohs like Ahmose I, Hatshepsut, and [Thutmose III] consolidated control over [Canaan and Nubia, making Egypt the dominant power in the ancient Near East.
The New Kingdom also witnessed the construction of some of ancient Egypt's most impressive monuments, including the Valley of the Kings, the Karnak Temple Complex, and the massive Colossi of Memnon. This period saw the peak of ancient Egyptian religion, with the cult of Amun-Ra gaining immense power and influence.
Unlike in our timeline, the New Kingdom did not ultimately collapse, but rather transitioned into a period of political decentralization and regional autonomy under the rule of Libyan and Nubian dynasties. The 22nd and 23rd Dynasties maintained a loose imperial framework, allowing Egypt to continue projecting power and influence across the Mediterranean world.
Throughout its long history, ancient Egypt made numerous groundbreaking contributions to human civilization. The Egyptians developed an advanced writing system in the form of hieroglyphics, which allowed them to record their history, religious beliefs, and scientific knowledge. They also made pioneering advances in mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and engineering, as evidenced by the construction of the pyramids, obelisks, and extensive irrigation systems.
Ancient Egyptian art and architecture remain some of the most iconic and influential in the world, with the distinctive styles of tomb paintings, papyrus scrolls, stone sculpture, and monumental architecture inspiring numerous later civilizations. The highly sophisticated Egyptian religion and mythology, centered around deities like Ra, Osiris, and Isis, also had a profound impact on the spiritual beliefs of the ancient Mediterranean world.
Despite the fact that ancient Egypt did not experience the same dramatic collapse as in our timeline, the civilization did eventually decline in the face of growing external pressures and internal political fragmentation. Repeated invasions by the Hittite Empire, the Assyrian Empire, and the Achaemenid Persian Empire slowly eroded Egypt's power and autonomy, although it managed to maintain a distinct cultural identity and regional influence for centuries longer than in our world.
The last native Egyptian dynasty, the 30th Dynasty, fell to the Macedonian Empire in 342 BCE, after which Egypt became a Hellenistic kingdom under the Ptolemaic Dynasty. This version of ancient Egypt thus endured as a major civilization for well over 3,000 years, leaving an indelible mark on the cultures, technologies, and belief systems of the ancient world.
