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Ancient Egypt

Cities

• Memphis - Memphis was the capital of Egypt from 2950 BC to 2180 BC. Some historians estimate that, during its peak, Memphis was the largest city in the world. Memphis continued to be a large and important city in Egypt even after the capital was moved to Thebes. It was also a center of religion with many temples. The main god of Memphis was Ptah, the creator god and the god of craftsmen.



• Thebes - Thebes first became the capital of Egypt around 2135 BC. It served off and on as capital until around 1279 BC. Thebes and Memphis generally rivaled each other as the largest and greatest cities in Egypt. Thebes was an important political and religious city. It housed several major temples including the Temple of Luxor and the Temple of Karnak. The Valley of the Kings is located near the city of Thebes.



• Alexandria - Alexandria served as the capital city from 332 BC to 641 AD. The city became the capital when Alexander the Great conquered Egypt and one of his generals established the Ptolemy Dynasty. Alexandria remained the capital for nearly a thousand years. In ancient times, the city was famous for the Lighthouse of Alexandria, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It was also known as the intellectual center of the world and home to the largest library in the world. Alexandria is located in northern Egypt on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It is the second largest city in Egypt today.



• Amarna - Amarna was the capital city of Egypt during the reign of the Pharaoh Akhenaten. The pharaoh created his own religion that worshiped the god Aten. He built the city to honor Aten. It was abandoned shortly after Akhenaten died.

• Abydos - Abydos is a very old Egyptian city dating back to before the Old Kingdom. The city was considered one of the most holy places in Egypt because it was believed that the god Osiris was buried there. As a result, several temples were built in the city. The most famous surviving building is the Temple of Seti I. Also, some of the first pharaohs of Egypt were buried near Abydos.



• Hermopolis - The city of Hermopolis, also called Khmunu, was located on the border between Upper and Lower Egypt. it was a wealthy resort town, but also a center of religion. Egyptian mythology said that the first sunrise occurred over this city. The primary god worshiped here was Thoth.



• Crocodilopolis - Crocodilopolis was the Greek name for the city of Shedet. It was home to the cult of the crocodile god Sobek. Archeologists believe this city was founded around 4000 BC. Today the city is called Faiyum and it is the oldest city in Egypt.



• Elephantine - This city was on an island at the border between Nubia and Egypt. The city served as both a defensive fort and a trade center. It was home to the god of the waters, Khnum.



• Kom Ombo - Kom Ombo was a trade center where many trade routes passed from Nubia to the rest of Egypt. The city later became famous for the Temple of Kom Ombo. The Egyptians first called the city Nubt, which meant "city of gold."

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