An examination of the rise and fall of ancient Egypt as an Imperial power, ca. 1550 - 1000 BC, the first age of internationalism in world history. Egyptian political and social history remain the primary emphasis, although this must now be placed in a much larger context. International relations of the period include extensive contacts with the Hittite, Mitannian, Assyrian, and Babylonian empires and the resulting cultural contacts and exchanges. Click here for course meeting times and exam group.
Closer study shows it to be eventful and rich in artistic expression.
Offered Semester I. Click here for course meeting times and exam group. Owing to the many papyri preserved in desert sands, daily life in this period is better documented for Egypt than for any part of the Roman empire. Click here for course meeting times and exam group. Almost anything Egyptian is immediately recognizable today, but developments in most areas were steady and pronounced. To do justice to this subject, a number of experts will cooperate in presenting various topics including monumental buildings and lavishly decorated tombs, as well as the sculpture, painting, and minor arts of all periods from Predynastic to Nubian.