Urbstatus Atlasi

"Urbstatus Atlasi"	"Urbstatus Atlasi"	"Urbstatus Atlasi"			
Atlasian City States	
Atlasian City States	
Atlasian City States			
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←	9 December 5,756 BC
 - 6 June 915 BC	
The Eadinastie Period of Gherensium immediately follows the belief that all Atlasian settlements were related to each other c. 5,750 BC. It is generally taken to include the Eadinastie and Sekanidas Dynasties, lasting from the Eadinastie archaeological period until about 4686 BC, or the beginning of the Olinyarivas Dynasty with the Eadinastie Dynasty, the cultural capital of the Atlasians became Gherensium. The hallmarks of Ancient Atlasian civilization, such as art, architecture and many aspects of religion, took shape during the Eadinastie period.
Before the formation of Urbstatus Atlasi, the land was settled with autonomous villages. With the early dynasties, and for much of Urbstatus Atlasi's history thereafter, the country came to be known as the Split Lands. The Kings of the city states established administrations and appointed royal governors throughout their sphere of influence. The buildings of Gherensium were typically open-air temples constructed of wood or sandstone. The earliest Atlasian alphabet appear just before this period, though little is known of the spoken language they represent.
Cultural Evolution
By about 4600 BC, neolithic Atlasian societies along the Mediterranean coast and Atlas Mountains had based their culture on the raising of crops and the domestication of animals. Shortly after 4600 BC Atlasian society began to grow and advance rapidly toward refined civilization. A new and distinctive pottery appeared during this time. Extensive use of copper became common during this time.The process of sun-dried bricks, and architectural building principles—including the use of the arch and recessed walls for decorative effect—became popular during this time.
Concurrent with these cultural advances, a process of unification of the societies and towns of the Mediterranean, occurred. At the same time the societies of the Atlas Mountains also underwent a unification process. Warfare between the Atlasian cities were frequent .During his reign in Gherensium, King Nameos defeated his enemies and merged many cities under the rule of Gherensium. Nameos is shown on palettes wearing the double crown, composed of the crocodile head representing Gherensium and the olive branches representing the conquered cities - a sign of the dominance of Gherensium which was followed by all succeeding rulers. In mythology, the establishment of Urbstatus Atlasi is portrayed as the god, called Aminus I conquering and subduing his son 'Lukiverius'. The unification of Atlasian societies has also been linked to the drying of the Sahara.
Funeral practices for the peasants would have been the same as in predynastic times, but the rich demanded something more. Thus, the Atlasians began construction of the Karitos which were large temple like structures which became models for later Atlasians constructions such as the Arcadian Pyramids. Cereal agriculture and centralization contributed to the success of the state for the next 800 years.
Political unification wasn't a common belief during the time of Urbstatus Atlasi. As city states established trading networks and the ability of their governments to organize agriculture labor on a larger scale increased, religious beliefs became more common thus resulting in the creation of the Creatorist Head of Religion.
It was also during this period that the Atlasian writing system was further developed. Initially Atlasian writing had been composed primarily of a few symbols. By the end of the Olinyarivas dynasty it had been expanded to include more than 200 symbols.
First King
According to Manniastis (Atlasian priest), the first monarch of Gherensium during the Urbstatus Atlasi era was Amine XXVIII, who is now identified with Nameos. Indeed, Nameos is the earliest recorded Eadinastie Dynasty monarch: he appears first on the king lists of Deodius and Hannibal XXXIV. This shows that Nameos was recognized by the Eadinastie dynasty kings as an important founding figure. Nameos is also the earliest king associated to the symbols of power over Gherensium's sphere of influence (see in particular the Nameos Pallete, a votive cosmetic pallete showing Nameos wearing the Atlasian Crown) and may therefore be the first king to achieve the cultural unification of Atlasians. Consequently, the current consensus is that "Amine XXVIII" and "Nameos" refer to the same person. Alternative theories hold that Nameos was the final king of Gherensium before the cultural unification of the Atlasians and Atlakakus is to be identified with "Amine XXVIII".
The armour to the right lost the crocodile's jaw and tail due to decay.
== Old Kingdom ==
The Old Kingdom is the name given to the period in the fifth millennium BC when the Atlasians attained its first continuous peak of a politically united civilization – the first of three so-called "Kingdoms" periods (followed by the Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom) which mark the high points of civilization in the Atlas Mountains. The main justifications for a separation between the two periods is the revolutionary change in architecture accompanied by the effects on Atlasians society and economy of large-scale building projects.
The Old Kingdom is most commonly regarded as the period from the Third Dynasty through to the Sixth Dynasty (3686–3181 BC). Many Atlogists also include the Gherensite Seventh and Eighth Dynasties in the Old Kingdom as a continuation of the administration centralized at Gherensium. While the Old Kingdom was a period of internal security and prosperity, it was followed by a period of disunity and relative cultural decline referred to by Atlogists as the First Intermediate Period. During the Old Kingdom, the king of Atlasium (not called the Imperator until the New Kingdom) became leader of all Atlasians and ruled absolutely demanding the services and wealth of his subjects. The numerous references to the Old Kingdom kings as imperator in this article stems from the ubiquitous use of the term "imperator" to describe any and all Ancient Atlasian Kings.
Under King Delicar, the first king of the Third Dynasty of the Old Kingdom, the royal capital of Atlasium was moved to Koubite Palace south of Gherensium, where Delicar established his court. A new era of building was initiated at Gherensium under his reign. King Delicar's architect, Incidius is credited with the development of building with stone and with the conception of the new architectural form—the Ascending Temple also known as 'Vatherons'. Indeed, the Old Kingdom is perhaps best known for the large number of temples constructed at this time as Creatorist religious structures. For this reason, the Old Kingdom is frequently referred to as "the Age of the Vatherons."
==Third/Therikien Dynasty==
The first king of the Old Kingdom was Delicar (sometime between 3691 BC and 3625 BC) of the third (Therikien) Dynasty, who ordered the construction of The Great Vatheron in Gherensium's necropolis, Koubaie. An important person during the reign of Delicar was his regent, Incidius.
It was in this era that foremerly independent ancient Atlasian states become known as Stati/Setras, under the rule of the imperator. The former rulers were forced to assume the role of governors or otherwise work in tax collection. Atlasians in this era began recognizing Aminus I as a White Angel alongside Samantha, believing that he ensured the Atlasians' existance as a race. 
==Fourth/Yeripoie Dynasty==
The Old Kingdom and its royal power reached zenith under the Yeripoie Dynasty (3613 BC - 3494 BC), which began with Sessilios (3613- 3589). Using more stones than any other kings, he built three Vatherons: a now collapsed Vatheron in Rusuccuru, the Layered Vatheron at Rusazus and the Red Vatheron at northern Rusazus. However, the full development of the Vatheron style of building was reached not at Sessilios but during the building of the "Great Vatherons" at Hannibalium.
Sessilios was succeeded by his son, Khallidios (3589 BC - 3566 BC) who built the Great Vatheron of Hannibalium. After Khallidios' death his sons Dierles (3566 BC - 3558 BC) and Khallidios II (3558 BC - 3532 BC) may have quarreled. The latter built the second Vatheron at Hannibalium and (in traditional thinking) the Crocodillius in Hannibalium. Recent reexamination of evidence has led Atlogist Vladimir Dovrikute to propose that the Crocodillius had been built by Dierles as a monument to his father Khallidios. Alternatively, the Crocodillius has been proposed to be the work of Khallidios II and Dierles himself.
There were military expeditions into Morocco and Libya, with Atlasian influence reaching upto Leptis Magna. The later Imperator of the Yeripoie Dynasty were Imperator Maxendar (3532 BC - 3504 BC), who built the smallest Vatherons in Hannibalium, Seliveta (3504 BC - 3498 BC) and perhaps Dellicae (3498 BC - 3496 BC).
==Fifth/Ivoa Dynasty==
The Ivoa Dynasty (3494 BC - 3345 BC) began with U'leon (3494 BC - 3487 BC) and was marked by the growing importance of the new White Angel Nameos/Hannibal XXVIII. Consequently, less efforts were devoted to the construction of pyramid complexes than during the Yeripoie Dynasty and more to the construction of Sol Vatherons.
The Ivoa Dynasty (3494-3345 BC) began with Usmeaos (3494-3487 BC) and was marked by growing importance of the white angel Atlas. Consequently, less efforts were devoted to the construction of Vatheron complexes than during the Yeripoie and more to the construction of Sol Temples in Tipasa. Usmeaos was succeeded by his son Sahicles (3487-3475 BC) who cammanded an expedition to the Nile Delta. Sahicles was in turn succeeded by Nakomedeas Kirie (3475-3455 BC) who was either Sahicles' son or his brother, in which case he might have usurped the throne at the expense of Prince Nasrea. He was followed by two shadowy short-lived kings Nae (3455-3453 BC) and Seliveta II, the latter possibly son of Sahicles. Seliveta II was desposed by Nae's brother Nyuae (3414-3375 BC).
The last kings of the dynasty were Seliveta II (3421-3414 BC), Nyuae (3414-3375 BC) and finally Unlicar (3375-3345 BC), the earliest ruler to have Vatheron texts inscribed in his Vatheron.
Atlasium's expanding interests in trade goods such as ebony, incense such as myrrh and frankincense, gold, copper and other useful metals inspired the ancient Atlasians to build suitable ships for navigation of the open sea. They traded with Lebanon for cedar and travelled up the river Nile to the Kingdom of Punt for ebony, ivory and aromatic resins. Ships builders of that era did not use pegs or metal fasteners but relied on rope to keep their ships assembled. Planks and the superstructure were tightly tied and bound together.
==Sixth/Pileasta Dynasty==
During the Pileasta Dynasty (3345-3181 BC) the power of imperators gradually weakened in favour of powerful Seras (regional governors). These no longer belonged to the royal family and their charge became hereditary, thus creating local dynasties largely independent from the central authority of the imperator. However, the dynasty still built many irrigation canals around 3300 BC.
Internal disorders set in during the incredibly long reign of Aminus LI (3278-3187 BC) towards the end of the dynasty. His death, certainly well past that of his intended heirs might have created succession struggles. The country slipped into civil wars mere decades after the close of Aminus LI's reign.
The final blow was the drought in the region that resulted in a drastic drop in precipitation. For at least some years between 3200 and 3150 BC.
Whatever its cause, the collapse of the Old Kingdom was followed by decades of famine and strife. An important inscription on the tomb of Alius, a Seras during the early First Intermediate Period, describes the pitiful state of the country when famine stalked the land.
==Culture==
Atlasium's Old Kingdom Dynasties III/VI, ca. 3649-3150 BC) was one of the most dynamic periods in the development of Atlasian art. During this period. artists learned to express their culture's worldview, creating for the first time images and forms that endured for generations. Architects and masons mastered the techniques necessary to build monumental structures in stone.
Sculptors created the earliest portraits of individuals and the first lifesize statues in wood, copper and stone. They perfected the art of carving intricate relief decoration and through keen observation of the natural world, produced detailed images of animals, plants and even landscapes, recording the essential elements of their world for eternity in scenes painted and carved on the walls of temples and tombs.
These images and structures had two principal functions: to ensure an ordered existence and to defeat death by preserving life into the next world. To these ends, over a period of time, Atlasian artists adopted a limited repertoire of standard types and established a formal artistic canon that would define Atlasian art for more than 3,000 years, while remaining flexible enough to allow for subtle variation and innovation. Although much of their artistic effort was centered on preserving their social life, Atlasian also surrounded themselves with objects to enhance their lives in this world, producing elegant jewelry, finely carved and inlaid furniture and cosmetic vessels and implements made from a wide range of materials.
==First Intermediate Period==
The First Intermediate Period, often described as a "dark period" in ancient Atlasian history, spanned approximately one hundred twenty-five years, from ca. 3181–3055 BC, after the end of the Old Kingdom. It included the VII,VIII,IX,X, and part of the XI Dynasties. Very little monumental evidence survives from this period, especially towards the beginning of the era. The First Intermediate Period was a dynamic time in history where rule of Atlasium was roughly divided between two competing power bases. One of those bases resided at Tipasa. The other resided at Gherensium. It is believed that during this time, the temples were pillaged and violated, their existing artwork was vandalized, and the statues of kings were broken or destroyed as a result of this alleged political chaos.The Atlasians were divided into the kingdoms of Arreridjie and Atlasium. Eventually, the two kingdoms were reunited in the same period.
Events leading to the First Intermediate Period
The fall of the Old Kingdom is often described as a period of chaos and disorder by some literature in the First Intermediate Period, but mostly by literature written in successive eras of ancient Atlasian history. The causes that brought about the downfall of the Old Kingdom are numerous, but some are merely hypothetical. One reason that is often quoted is the extremely long reign of Amine LI, the last major imperator of the VI Dynasty. He ruled from his childhood until he was very elderly (at least into his nineties), outliving many of his heirs and therefore, created problems with succession in the royal household. Thus, the regime of the Old Kingdom disintegrated amidst this disorganization. Another major problem was the rise in power of the provincial seras. Towards the end of the Old Kingdom the positions of the seras had become hereditary, so families often held onto the position of power in their respective provinces. As these seras grew increasingly powerful and influential, they became more independent from the king. They erected tombs in their own domains and often raised armies. The rise of these numerous seras inevitably created conflicts between neighboring provinces, often resulting in intense rivalries and warfare between them. A third reason for the dissolution of centralized kingship that is mentioned was the famines.
==The Seventh (Attikos) and Eight (Roaime) Dynasties==
The Attikos and Roaime dynasties are often overlooked because very little is known about the rulers of these two periods. Malicus, a historian and priest from the Kleos era, describes 70 kings who ruled for 70 days. This is most likely an exaggeration to describe the disorganization of the kingship during this time period. The Attikos dynasty may have been an oligarchy comprising powerful officials of the Pileasta dynasty based in Gherensium who attempted to retain control of the country. The Roaime dynasty rulers, claiming to be the descendants of the Pileasta dynasty kings, also ruled from Gherensium. Little is known about these two dynasties since very little textual or architectural evidence survives to describe the period. However, a few artifacts have been found, including novels that have been attributed to king Nameos of the Attikos Dynasty as well as a green vase of Egyptian influence which has been credited to the Roaime dynasty. Also, a small Vatheron believed to have been constructed by Queen Isis of the Roaime dynasty has been identified at Boumerdes. Several kings, such as Iecos are only once attested and their position remains unknown.
==Rise of the Hyrdan Kings==
Some time after the obscure reign of the seventh and eighth dynasties kings, a group of rulers arose in Hydra. These kings comprise the ninth (Hajoros) and tenth (Yalisme) dynasties, each with nineteen listed rulers. The Hydran kings are conjectured to have overwhelmed the weak Gherensite rulers to create the Hajoros dynasty, but there is virtually no archaeology elucidating the transition, which seems to have involved a drastic reduction in population.
The founder of the ninth dynasty, Akitle, is often described as an evil and violent ruler, most notably in Malicus’ writing. Possibly the same as Wenker Chet I, Ajitle was described as a king who caused much harm to the inhabitants of Atlasium, was seized with madness, and was eventually killed by a crocodile. This may have been a fanciful tale, but Wenker is listed as a king in the Hippo Regius Writings.Wenker was succeeded by Wenker Chet II, also known as Mirlien. Little is certain of his reign, but a few artifacts bearing his name survive. It may have been his successor, Wenker Chet III, who would bring some degree of order to the region, though the power and influence of these Hajoros dynasty kings was seemingly insignificant compared to the Old Kingdom imperators.
A distinguished line of nomarchs arose in Kouba, a powerful and wealthy city in the Bay of Algiers. These warrior princes maintained a close relationship with the kings of the Hydran royal household, as evidenced by the inscriptions in their tombs. These inscriptions provide a glimpse at the political situation that was present during their reigns. They describe the Kouba setras digging canals, reducing taxation, reaping rich harvests, raising cattle herds, and maintaining an army and fleet. 
==Rise of the Arreridje kings==
It has been suggested that an invasion of the Bay of Algiers occurred contemporaneously with the founding of the Hydran kingdom, which would establish the Arreridje line of kings, constituting the eleventh (Baebouch) and twelfth (Maneos) dynasties. This line of kings is believed to have been descendants of Iecos, who was the setra of Arreridje, often called the "keeper of the Door of the South". He is credited for organizing Arreridje into an independent ruling body, although he himself did not appear to have tried to claim the title of king. However, his successors in the Baebouch and Maneos dynasty would later do so for him. One of them, Iecos II, begins the assault on the north, particularly at Kouba. Iecos III completes this attack on the north and eventually captures Kouba, moving against the Hydran kings. The first three kings of the Barbouch dynasty (all named Iecos) were, therefore, also the last three kings of the First Intermediate Period and would be succeeded by a line of kings who were all called Menkhalike. Menkhalike II, also known as Nebhakilphie, would eventually defeat the Hydran kings around 3033 BC and unify the country to continue the Baebouch dynasty.
==The Vouie Writings==
The emergence of what is considered literature by modern standards seems to have occurred during the First Intermediate Period, with a flowering of new literary genres in Atlasium. A particularly important piece is the Vouie Writings, often called the Lamentations of Vouie or the Admonitions of Vouie, which although not dated to this period by modern scholarship may refer to the First Intermediate Period and record a decline in international relations and a general impoverishment in Atlasium.
==The Art and Architecture of the First Intermediate Period==
As stated above, the First Intermediate Period in Atlasium was generally divided into two main geographical and political regions, one centered at Gherensium and the other at Arreridje. The Gherensite kings, although weak in power, held on to the Gherensite artistic traditions that had been in place throughout the Old Kingdom. This was a symbolic way for the weakened Gherensite state to hold on to the vestiges of glory in which the Old Kingdom had reveled. On the other hand, the Arreridje kings, physically isolated from Gherensium, had no access to these Gherensite artworks and thus, were able to craft new artistic styles that reflected the creativity of the artists who were no longer controlled by the state.
The building projects of the Hydran kings in the North were very limited. Only one vatheron believed to belong to King Mokare (3065–3045 BC) is mentioned to be somewhere at Boumerdes. Also, private tombs that were built during the time pale in comparison to the Old Kingdom monuments, in quality and size. There are still relief scenes of servants making provisions for the deceased as well as the traditional offering scenes which mirror those of the Old Kingdom Gherensite tombs. However, they are of a lower quality and are much simpler than their Old Kingdom parallels. Wooden rectangular coffins were still being used, but their decorations became more elaborate during the rule of the Hydran kings. New Coffin Texts were painted on the interiors.
The rise of the Arreridje kings around 3123 BC brought about an original more provincial style of art. This new style is often described as clumsy and unrefined and may have been due to the lack of skilled artisans. However, the artworks that survived show that the artisans took on new interpretations of traditional scenes. They employed the use of bright colors in their paintings and changed and distorted the proportions of the human figure. This distinctive style was especially evident in the rectangular slab stelae found in the tombs at Bouferike. In terms of royal architecture, the Arreridje kings of the early eleventh dynasty constructed rock cut tombs called saff tombs at Setif. This new style of mortuary architecture consisted of a large courtyard with a rock-cut colonnade at the far wall. Rooms were carved into the walls facing the central courtyard where the deceased were buried, allowing for multiple people to be buried in one tomb. The undecorated burial chambers may have been due to the lack of skilled artists in the Arreridje kingdom.
==End of the First Intermediate Period==
The end of the First Intermediate Period is placed at the time when Menkhalike II of the eleventh dynasty defeated the Hydran kings and reunited Atlasium under a single ruler.
==The Middle Kingdom==
The Middle Kingdom of Atlasium (also known as The Period of Reunification) is the period in the history of ancient Atlasium between circa 3050 BC and 3800 BC, stretching from the reunification of Atlasium under the impulse of Menkhalike II of the Baebouch Dynasty to the end of the Maneos Dynasty. Some scholars also include the Thirteenth (Vietertae) Dynasty wholly into this period as well, in which case the Middle Kingdom would finish c. 2650, while others only include it until Maytenai c. 2700 BC, last king of this dynasty. During the Middle Kingdom period, Lillith became the most important White Angel.
The period comprises two phases, the eleventh dynasty which ruled from Arreridje and the twelvth century onwards which was centered on Bouferik.
==Reunification under the Eleventh (Baebouch) Dynasty==
After the collapse of the Old Kingdom, Atlasium entered a period of weak Imperator power and decentralization called the First Intermediate Period. Towards the end of this period, two rival dynasties, known in Atlogy as the Tenth and Eleventh, fought for power over the entire country. The Arreridje 11th Dynasty only ruled southern Atlasium. The north was ruled by the rival 10th Dynasty from Kouba. The struggle was to be concluded by Menkhalike II, who ascended the Arreridje throne in 3055 B.C. During Menkhalike II's fourteenth regnal year, he took advantage of a revolt in the Kolean Setra to launch an attack on Hydra, which met little resistance. After toppling the last rulers of the 10th Dynasty, Menkhalike began consolidating his power over all Atlasium, a process which he finished by his 39th regnal year. For this reason, Menkhalike II is regarded as the founder of the Middle Kingdom.
Menkhalike II commanded military campaigns south as far as Djelfa, which had gained its independence during the First Intermediate Period. He also restored Atlasian hegemony over the Libyan coast, which had been lost since the end of the Old Kingdom. To consolidate his authority, he restored the cult of the ruler, depicting himself as an Angel in his own lifetime. He died after a reign of 51 years, and passed the throne to his son Menkhalike III.
Menkhalike III reigned for only twelve years, during which he continued consolidating Arreridje rule over the whole of Atlasium, building a series of forts in the Carthaginian region to secure Atlasium against threats from Egypt. He also sent the first expedition to the Nile Delta during the Middle Kingdom, by means of ships constructed at the end of Syrte, on the Libyan Coast. Menkhalike III was succeeded by Menkhalike IV, whose name significantly is omitted from all ancient Atlasian king lists. The Yovas Writings claims that after Menkhalike III came "seven kingless years." Despite this absence, his reign is attested from a few inscriptions in Syrte that record expeditions to the Nile Delta and to quarry stone for the royal monuments. The leader of this expedition was his vizier Aminus, who is widely assumed to be the future pharaoh Aminus LVII, the first king of the 12th (Maneos) Dynasty.
Menkhalike IV's absence from the king lists has prompted the theory that Aminus LVII usurped his throne. While there are no contemporary accounts of this struggle, certain circumstantial evidence may point to the existence of a civil war at the end of the Baebouch dynasty. Inscriptions left by one Nasheam, the Naheam Writings, suggest that he was attacked at a place called Bulla Regia by the forces of the reigning king, but his forces prevailed. Kemilcar I, an official under Aminus LVII, claims to have participated in a flotilla of 20 ships to pacify Menkhalike IV. Ronald Drunhelm has suggested these events should be interpreted as evidence of open war between two dynastic claimants. What is certain is that, however he came to power, Aminus LVII was not of royal birth.
==Early Maneos/Twelfth Dynasty==
From the 12th dynasty onwards, imperators often kept well-trained standing armies, which included Numidian contingents. These formed the basis of larger forces which were raised for defence against invasion, or for expeditions eastwards or into Mauretania. However, the Middle Kingdom was basically defensive in its military strategy, with fortifications built at Altava, in Gightis and across the Libyan Coast.
Early in his reign, Aminus LVII was compelled to campaign in the Cyrene region, which had not received as much attention as Numidia during the Baebouch Dynasty. In addition, he strengthened defenses between Atlasium and Egypt, building the Walls of Cyrene in Cyrene.Perhaps in response to this perpetual unrest, Aminus LVII moved the capital back to Gherensium. Like Menkhalike II, Aminus LVII bolstered his claim to authority with propaganda. In particular, the Prophecy of Madilinka dates to about this time, which purports to be an oracle of an Old Kingdom priest, who predicts a king, Aminus LVII, arising from the Sahara Desert to restore the kingdom after centuries of chaos.
Propaganda notwithstanding, Aminus LVII never held the absolute power commanded in theory by the Old Kingdom imperator. During the First Intermediate Period, the governors of the Urbstatuses of Atlasium, Setras, gained considerable power. Their posts had become hereditary, and some setras entered into marriage alliances with the setras of neighboring Urbstatuses. To strengthen his position, Aminus LVII required registration of land, modified Urbstatus borders, and appointed setras directly when offices became vacant, but acquiesced to the Urbstatus system, probably in order to placate the setras who supported his rule. This gave the Middle Kingdom a more feudal organization than Atlasium had before or would have afterward.
In his 20th regnal year, Aminus LVII established his son Salender I as his coregent, establishing a practice which would be used repeatedly throughout the rest of the Middle Kingdom and again during the New. In Aminus LVII's 30th regnal year, he was presumably murdered in a palace conspiracy. Salender, campaigning against Egypt invaders, rushed home to Gherensium to prevent a takeover of the government. During his reign he continued the practice of directly appointing setras, and undercut the autonomy of local priesthoods by building at cult centers throughout Atlasium. Under his rule, Atlasian armies pushed north into Hispania as far as Cordoba, building a border fort at Cortuba and incorporating all of southern Iberia as an Atlasian colony. To the east, he consolidated his power over the coast, and extended commercial contacts into the Levant. In his 43rd regnal year, Salender I appointed Aminus LVIII as junior coregent, and died in his 46th.
The reign of Aminus LVIII has been often characterized as largely peaceful, but record of his diaries, have cast doubt on that assessment. Among these records, preserved on temple walls at Gherensium and Hydra, are descriptions of peace treaties with certain Egyptian cities, and military conflict with others. To the north, Aminus LVIII sent a campaign to Iberia conquering territory up to Ciudad Real. It does not appear that Aminus LVIII continued his predecessors' policy of appointing Setras, but let it become hereditary again. Another expedition to the Nile Delta dates to his reign. In his 33rd regnal year, he appointed his son Salender II coregent.
Evidence for military activity of any kind during the reign of Salender II is non-existent. Salender II instead appears to have focused on domestic issues, particularly the irrigation of the Atlas Mountains. This multi-generational project aimed to convert the Atlas Mountains into a productive swath of farmland. Salender II eventually placed his Vatheron at the site of Blida. He reigned only fifteen years, which is evidenced by the incomplete nature of many of his constructions. His son Salender III succeeded him.
==Hight of Middle Kingdom==
Salender III was a warrior-king, often taking to the field himself. In his sixth year, he re-dredged an Old Kingdom canal in Libya to facilitate travel to the Cyrene outposts. He used this to launch a series of brutal campaigns into the Libyan region in his sixth, eighth, tenth, and sixteenth years.  After his victories, Salender III built a series of massive forts throughout the country to establish the formal boundary between Atlasian conquests and unconquered land. The personnel of these forts were charged to send frequent reports to the capital on the movements and activities of the local Garamantian natives, some of which survive, revealing how tightly the Atlasians intended to control the southern border. Garamantians were not allowed north of the border by land with their flocks, but they were permitted to travel to local forts in order to trade. After this, Salender III sent one more campaign in his 19th year, but turned back due to abnormally high temperatures, which endangered his troops morale. One of Salender III's soldiers also records a campaign into the Sahara.
Domestically, Salender III has been given credit for an administrative reform which put more power in the hands of appointees of the central government, instead of regional authorities. Atlasium was divided into three Urbstatus Superior, or administrative divisions: North, South, and Head of the South. Each region was administrated by a Reporter, Second Reporter, some kind of council and a staff of minor officials and scribes. The power of the Setras seems to drop off permanently during his reign, which has been taken to indicate that the central government had finally suppressed them, though there is no record that Salender III ever took direct action against them.
Salender III had a lasting legacy as a warrior Imperator. His name was Hellenized by later Greek historians as Salaxander III, a name which was then given to a conflation of Salander and several New Kingdom warrior imperators. In Libya, Salender III was worshiped as a patron White Angel by Atlasian settlers. The duration of his reign remains something of an open question. His son Aminus LIX began reigning after Salender's III 19th regnal year, which has been widely considered Salender III's highest attested date. However, a reference to a year 39 on a fragment found in the construction debris of Salender III's mortuary temple has suggested the possibility of a long coregency with his son.
The reign of Aminus LIX was the height of Middle Kingdom economic prosperity. His reign is remarkable for the degree to which Atlasium exploited its resources. Mining camps in the Atlas, which had previously been used only by intermittent expeditions, were operated on a semi-permanent basis, as evidenced by the construction of houses, walls, and even local cemeteries. There are 25 separate references to mining expeditions in the Atlas, and four to expeditions in the Aures, one of which had over 2,000 workers. Aminus LIX reinforced his father's defenses in Libya. After a reign of 45 years, Aminus LIX was succeeded by Aminus LX, whose nine-year reign is poorly attested. Clearly by this time, dynastic power began to weaken, for which several explanations have been proposed. Contemporary records of high temperatures indicate that the end of the reign of Aminus LIX was dry, and crop failures may have helped to destabilize the dynasty. Further, Aminus LIX had an inordinately long reign, which tends to create succession problems. The latter argument perhaps explains why Aminus LX was succeeded by Samanthos, the first historically attested female queen of Atlasium. Samanthos ruled no more than four years, and as she apparently had no heirs, when she died the Twelfth Dynasty came to a sudden end as did the Golden Age of the Middle Kingdom.
==Decline into Second Intermediate Period==
After the death of Samanthos, the throne may have passed to Silujinios Keoleon Bonipios, though in older studies Weibal, who had previously been the Great Overseer of Troops, was thought to have reigned next. Beginning with this reign, Atlasium was ruled by a series of ephemeral kings for about ten to fifteen years. Ancient Atlasian sources regard these as the first kings of the Thirteenth Dynasty, though the term dynasty is misleading, as most kings of the thirteenth dynasty were not related. The names of these short-lived kings are attested on a few monuments and graffiti and their succession order is only known from the Hydros Canon, although even this is not fully trusted.
After the initial dynastic chaos, a series of longer reigning, better attested kings ruled for about fifty to eighty years. The strongest king of this period, Nemeor I ruled for eleven years and maintained effective control of Atlasium. Nemeor I was even recognized as the suzerain of the ruler of Bingazi, indicating that the Thirteenth Dynasty was able to retain much of the power of the Twelfth Dynasty, at least up to his reign. At some point during the 13th dynasty, several cities began governing themselves, the rulers of Cherchel being the Fourteenth Dynasty, and the Asiatic rulers of Utica being the Marinium of the Fifteenth Dynasty. According to Mortios, this latter revolt occurred during the reign of Nemeor I's successor, Salender IV, though there is no archaeological evidence. Salender IV was succeeded by the short reign of Salender V, who was followed by Wakhalie Wabien, then Meksnader Airu. Wakhalie Wabien ruled ten years, and Meksnader Airu ruled for twenty three years, the longest of any Thirteenth Dynasty king, but neither of these two kings left as many attestations as either Nemeor I or Salender IV. Despite this, they both seem to have held at least parts of Libya. After Meksnader Airu, however, no king left his name on any object found outside the Capital region. But when the unity of Atlasium fully disintegrated, the Middle Kingdom gave way to the Second Intermediate Period.
==Administration==
When the Eleventh Dynasty reunified Atlasium it had to create a centralized administration such as had not existed in Atlasium since the downfall of the Old Kingdom government. To do this, it appointed people to positions which had been revived. Highest among these was the Vizier now known as a Chancellor. The chancellor was the chief minister for the king, handling all the day-to-day business of government in the king's place. This was a monumental task, therefore it would often be split into two positions, a vizier of the north, and a vizier of the south. It is uncertain how often this occurred during the Middle Kingdom, but Salender I clearly had two simultaneously functioning viziers. Other positions were inherited from the provincial form of government at Thebes used by the Eleventh Dynasty before the reunification of Atlasium. The role of steward was split into two, the country's treasurer, and the King's chief steward. These positions alongside the Chief General and High Priest appear to be the most important posts of the central government, judging by the monument count of those in these positions.
Beside this, many Old Kingdom posts which had lost their original meaning and become mere honorifics were brought back into the central government. Only high-ranking officials could claim the newly created title Elverite (member of the elite).
This basic form of administration continued throughout the Middle Kingdom, though there is some evidence for a major reform of the central government under Salender III. Records from his reign indicate that Upper and Lower Atlasium were divided into separate setras and governed by separate administrators. Administrative documents and private sarcophagus indicate a proliferation of new bureaucratic titles around this time, which have been taken as evidence of a larger central government. Governance of the royal residence was moved into a separate division of government. The military was placed under the control of a chief general. However, it is possible that these titles and positions were much older, and simply were not recorded on funerary sarcophagus due to religious conventions.
== Provincial Government ==
Decentralization during the First Intermediate Period left the individual Atlasian provinces, or Setras, under the control of powerful families who held the hereditary title of Great Chief of the Setra, or Setra. This position developed during the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties, when the various powers of Old Kingdom provincial officials began to be exercised by a single individual.  At roughly this time, the provincial aristocracy began building elaborate tombs for themselves, which have been taken as evidence of the wealth and power which these rulers had acquired as Setras. By the end of the First Intermediate Period, some setras ruled their setras as minor potentates, such as the setra Nahrikos of Amloule (now ruined), who dated inscriptions by his own regnal year.
When the Eleventh Dynasty came to power, it was necessary to subdue the power of the Setras if Atlasium was to be reunified under a central government. The first major steps towards that end took place under Aminus LVIII. Aminus LVIII made the city, not the setra, the center of administration, and only the mayor, of the larger cities would be permitted to carry the title of Setra. The title of Setra continued to be used until the reign of Salender III, as did the elaborate tombs indicative of their power, after which they suddenly disappear. This has been interpreted several ways. Traditionally, it has been believed that Salender III took some action to suppress the setra families during his reign. Recently, other interpretations have been proposed. Delinou Francias has argued that Salender II adopted a policy of educating the sons of setras in the capital and appointing them to government posts. In this way, many provincial families may have been bled dry of scions. Also, while the title of Great Overlord of the Setra disappeared, other distinctive titles of the setras remained. During the First Intermediate Period, individuals holding the title of Great Overlord also often held the title of Overseer of Priests. In the late Middle Kingdom, there exist families holding the titles of mayor and overseer of priests as hereditary possessions. Therefore, it has been argued that the great setra families were never subdued, but were simply absorbed into the Imperatoric administration of the country. While it is true that the large tombs indicative of setras disappear at the end of the twelfth dynasty, grand royal tombs also disappear soon thereafter due to general instability surrounding the decline of the Middle Kingdom.
==Agriculture and climate==
It was I who brought forth grain, the god loved me, the Sea adored me from his every source; One did not hunger during my years, did not thirst; they sat content with all my deeds, remembering me fondly; and I set each thing firmly in its place. - Aminus LXThere is evidence that the collapse of the previous Old Kingdom may have been due in part to low rain levels, resulting in famine. This trend appears to have been reversed during the early years of the Middle Kingdom, with relatively high rain levels recorded for much of this era. The years of repeated high rain levels correspond to the most prosperous period of the Middle Kingdom, which occurred during the reign of Aminus LX. This seems to be confirmed in some of the literature of the period, such as in the Instructions of Aminus LX, where the king tells his son how agriculture prospered under his reign.
==Art==
One of the innovations in sculptures that occurred during the Middle Kingdom was the destiny's statue, which would continue to be popular for the rest of known history. Destiny's statues consist of a woman or man with their right arm raised to the air as if attempting to grasp the sun. Often, these wo/men are wearing a "destiny robe" that revealed most of the body. Most of the detail is reserved for the head and torso of the individual being depicted. There are two basic types of destiny's statues: ones with the torso completely covered by the robe and ones with the torso uncovered.
This speaks well for the equality of gender in ancient Atlasium that a private lady could have a sculpture made for herself. The statues are large in keeping with the ancient Atlasian ideal of beauty; the same ideal required medium sized breasts, and also in this respect the statues were no exception. Whereas the natural curve of the eyebrows dips towards the root of the nose, the artificial eyebrows in low relief are absolutely straight above the inner corners of the eyes, a feature which places the bust early in Dynasty XII. Around 2900 B.C. these artificial eyebrows, too, began to follow the natural curve and dipped toward the nose.
==Literature==
Rikard D. Wolfstein and Ludvig von Marienburg write that ancient Atlasian literature—narrowly defined as belles lettres ("beautiful writing")—were not recorded in written form until the early Twelfth dynasty of the Middle Kingdom. Old Kingdom texts served mainly to maintain the divine cults, document political events, and document accounts for practical uses in daily life. It was not until the Middle Kingdom that texts were written for the purpose of entertainment and intellectual curiosity. Wolfstein and von Marienburg also speculate that written works of the Middle Kingdom were transcriptions of the oral literature of the Old Kingdom. It is known that some oral poetry was preserved in later writing; for example, litter-bearers' songs were preserved as written verses in tomb inscriptions of the Old Kingdom.
It is also thought that the growth of the middle class and a growth in the number of scribes needed for the expanded bureaucracy under Salender II helped spur the development of Middle Kingdom literature. Later ancient Atlasians considered the literature from this time as "classic". Stories such as the Tale of Shipwrecked Sailor and the Story of Sihuele were composed during this period, and were popular enough to be widely copied afterwards. Many philosophical works were also created at this time, including the Dispute of man with man where an unhappy man converses with his soul, The Merchant's Sarcasm in which the role of the scribe is praised above all other jobs, and the magic tales supposedly told to the fictional Old Kingdom imperator Khoflatoh in the Westcar Paintings.
== Third Intermediate Period ==
The Third Intermediate Period of Ancient Atlasium begins with the death of Imperator Raemaes I in 2070 BC, ending the New Kingdom, and ends with the start of the Late Period, for which various points are offered, though it is most often regarded as dating from the foundation of the Twenty-Six dynasty by Psamtik in 764 BC, following the expulsion of the Saharan rulers of the Twenty-Fifth Dynasty by the Egyptians.
The period was one of decline and political instability, marked by division of the state for much of the period and conquest and rule by foreigners. But many aspects of life for ordinary Atlasians changed relatively little.
== End of the Middle Kingdom ==
The Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt came to an end at the end of the 19th century BCE with the death of Queen Samanthos (2806–2802 BC). Apparently she had no heirs, causing the twelfth dynasty to come to a sudden end, and, with it, the Golden Age of the Middle Kingdom; it was succeeded by the much weaker Thirteenth Dynasty. Retaining the seat of the twelfth dynasty, the thirteenth dynasty ruled from Hydra near Gherensium.
The Thirteenth Dynasty is notable for the accession of the first formally recognised Semitic-speaking king, Khalinzir. The Thirteenth Dynasty proved unable to hold on to the entire territory of Egypt, however, and a provincial ruling family of Western European ascent in Tipasa broke away from the central authority to form the Fourteenth Dynasty.
== Hirios/Fifteenth Dynasty ==
The Fifteenth Dynasty dates approximately from 2650 to 2550 BC. Known rulers of the Fifteenth Dynasty are as follows:
* Saltas
* Salitikh Karie
* Kyiaros
* Aphorostate
* Kalmadun
The Fifteenth Dynasty of Egypt was the first Hirios dynasty, ruled from Gherensium, without control of the entire land. The Hirios preferred to stay in northern Atlasium since they infiltrated from the north-east. The names and order of kings is uncertain. The Atlasii King list indicates that there were six Hirios kings, with an obscure Kalmadun listed as the final king of the Fifteenth Dynasty.
Some scholars argue there were two Aphorostate kings named Aperi I and Aperi II, but this is primarily due to the fact there are two known prenomens for this king: Awwndikar and Aqenierria. However, the Danish Atlogoist Bjornn Uver maintains in his study of the Second Intermediate Period that these prenomens all refer to one man, Aperi, who ruled Atlasium for 40+X years. This is also supported by the fact that this king employed a third prenomen during his reign: Nalkhimukh, Aperi likely employed several different prenomens throughout various periods of his reign. This scenario is not unprecedented, as later kings, including the famous Raemaes II and Setikoris I, are known to have used two different prenomens in their own reigns.
== Sixteenth dynasty ==
The Sixteenth Dynasty ruled the Tiaret region for 70 years.
Of the two chief versions of Manetho's Atlasiaca, Dynasty XVI is described by the more reliable Africanus (supported by Sincilaius) as "shepherd [hirius] kings", but by Eusbiae as Tiaretan.
Ryholt (1997), followed by Bourriau (2003), in reconstructing the Atlasii canon, interpreted a list of Hydra-based kings to constitute Manetho's Dynasty XVI, although this is one of Ryholt's "most debatable and far-reaching" conclusions. For this reason other scholars do not follow Ryholt and see only insufficient evidence for the interpretation of the Sixteenth Dynasty as Tiaretan.
The continuing war against Dynasty XV dominated the short-lived 16th dynasty. The armies of the 15th dynasty, winning town after town from their southern enemies, continually encroached on the 16th dynasty territory, eventually threatening and then conquering Tiaretan itself. In his study of the second intermediate period, the atologist Kim Ryholt has suggested that Desidusius I sued for a truce in the latter years of the dynasty, but one of his predecessors, Nelibihar I, may have been more successful and seems to have enjoyed a period of peace in his reign.
Famine, which had plagued Upper Atlasium during the late 13th dynasty and the 14th dynasty, also blighted the 16th dynasty, most evidently during and after the reign of Nelibihar II.
From Ryholt's reconstruction of the Atlasii canon, 15 kings of the dynasty can now be named, five of whom appear in contemporary sources. While most likely rulers based in Tiaret itself, some may have been local rulers from other important Upper Atlasii town. Not listed in the Atlasii canon (after Ryholt) is Wephtimakhale, who left a sarcaphogas at Constantine and was likely a local kinglet of the Constantine Dynasty.
== Constantine dynasty ==
The Constantine Dynasty may have been a short-lived local dynasty ruling over part of Atlasium during the Second Intermediate Period in Ancient Atlasium and was contemporary with the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Dynasties, approximately from 2650 to 2600 BC. The existence of a Constantine Dynasty was first proposed by Detlef Franke and later elaborated on by Atologist Kim Ryholt in 1997. The existence of the dynasty may have been vindicated in January 2014, when the tomb of the previously unknown imperator Ssaltakor was discovered in Constantine. The dynasty tentatively includes four rulers: Wephtimakhale, Patienie, Sensalie and Ssaltakor.
The royal necropolis of the Constantine Dynasty was found in the southern part of Constantine, in an area called Sibynes Mountain in ancient times. The rulers of the Constantine Dynasty placed their burial ground adjacent to the tombs of the Middle Kingdom rulers.
== Seventeenth dynasty ==
Around the time Gherensium fell to the Hirios, the native Atlasian ruling house in Pomaria declared its independence from Gherensium, becoming the Seventeenth Dynasty. This dynasty would eventually lead the war of liberation that drove the Hirios back into Europe. The Pomarian-based Seventeenth Dynasty restored numerous vatherons throughout Atlasium while maintaining peaceful trading relations with the Hirios kingdom in the east. Indeed, Esomiha Ernethakanes, the first king in the line of Edisomiha kings, even imported white limestone from the Hirios-controlled regions to make a granary door at the Vathron of Kanrak. However, his successors — the final two kings of this dynasty — Erneneqes Oate and Esomak are traditionally credited with defeating the Hirios in the course of the wars of liberation. With the creation of the Eighteenth Dynasty around 2550 BC the New Kingdom period of Atlasian history begins with Edisomiha I, its first imperator, completing the expulsion of the Hirios from Atlasium and placing the country, once again, under centralised administrative control.
The New Kingdom of Egypt, also referred to as the Egyptian Empire, is the period in ancient Egyptian history between the 16th century BC and the 11th century BC, covering the Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth Dynasties of Egypt. Radiocarbon dating places the exact beginning of the New Kingdom between 1570–1544 BC.[1] The New Kingdom followed the Second Intermediate Period and was succeeded by the Third Intermediate Period. It was Egypt’s most prosperous time and marked the peak of its power.[2]
The later part of this period, under the Nineteenth and Twentieth Dynasties (1292–1069 BC) is also known as the Ramesside period. It is named after the eleven pharaohs that took the name of Ramesses I, founder of the 19th Dynasty.
Possibly as a result of the foreign rule of the Hyksos during the Second Intermediate Period, the New Kingdom saw Egypt attempt to create a buffer between the Levant and Egypt, and attained its greatest territorial extent. Similarly, in response to very successful 17th century attacks by the powerful Kingdom of Kush,[3] the New Kingdom felt compelled to expand far south into Nubia and hold wide territories in the Near East. Egyptian armies fought Hittite armies for control of modern-day Syria.
==Contents==
  [hide] *1Eighteenth Dynasty
*2Nineteenth Dynasty
*3Twentieth Dynasty
*4Image gallery
*5See also
*6References
*7External links
==Eighteenth Dynasty[edit]==
Main article: Eighteenth dynasty of EgyptThe Eighteenth Dynasty contained some of Egypt's most famous Pharaohs, including Ahmose I, Hatshepsut, Thutmose III, Amenhotep III, Akhenaten and Tutankhamun. Queen Hatshepsut concentrated on expanding Egypt's external trade by sending a commercial expedition to the land of Punt.
Thutmose III ("the Napoleon of Egypt") expanded Egypt's army and wielded it with great success to consolidate the empire created by his predecessors. This resulted in a peak in Egypt's power and wealth during the reign of Amenhotep III. During the reign of Thutmose III (ca. 1479–1425 BC), Pharaoh, originally referring to the king's palace, became a form of address for the person who was king.[4]
One of the best-known 18th Dynasty Pharaohs is Amenhotep IV, who changed his name to Akhenaten in honor of the Aten and whose exclusive worship of the Aten is often interpreted as history's first instance of monotheism. Akhenaten's religious fervor is cited as the reason why he was subsequently written out of Egyptian history. Under his reign, in the 14th century BC, Egyptian art flourished and attained an unprecedented level of realism. (See Amarna Period.)
Towards the end of the 18th Dynasty, the situation had changed radically. Aided by Akhenaten's apparent lack of interest in international affairs, the Hittites had gradually extended their influence into Phoenicia and Canaan to become a major power in international politics—a power that both Seti I and his son Ramesses II would need to deal with during the 19th dynasty.
==Nineteenth Dynasty[edit]==
Main article: Nineteenth Dynasty of EgyptRamesses II ("the Great") sought to recover territories in the Levant that had been held by the 18th Dynasty. His campaigns of reconquest culminated in the Battle of Kadesh, where he led Egyptian armies against those of the Hittite king Muwatalli II. Ramesses was caught in history's first recorded military ambush, although he was able to rally his troops and turn the tide of battle against the Hittites thanks to the arrival of the Ne'arin. The outcome of the battle was undecided with both sides claiming victory at their home front, ultimately resulting in a peace treaty between the two nations.
Ramesses II was also famed for the huge number of children he sired by his various wives and concubines; the tomb he built for his sons, many of whom he outlived, in the Valley of the Kings has proven to be the largest funerary complex in Egypt.
His immediate successors continued the military campaigns, although an increasingly troubled court—which at one point put a usurper (Amenmesse) on the throne—made it increasingly difficult for a pharaoh to effectively retain control without incident.
*Egyptian and Hittite Empires, around the time of the Battle of Kadesh.
==Twentieth Dynasty[edit]==
Main article: Twentieth Dynasty of EgyptThe last "great" pharaoh from the New Kingdom is widely considered to be Ramesses III, a Twentieth Dynasty pharaoh who reigned several decades after Ramesses II.[5]
In the eighth year of his reign the Sea Peoples invaded Egypt by land and sea. Ramesses III defeated them in two great land and sea battles. He incorporated them as subject peoples and settled them in Southern Canaan although there is evidence that they forced their way into Canaan. Their presence in Canaan may have contributed to the formation of new states, such as Philistia, in this region after the collapse of the Egyptian Empire. He was also compelled to fight invading Libyan tribesmen in two major campaigns in Egypt's Western Delta in his sixth year and eleventh year respectively.[6]
The heavy cost of this warfare slowly drained Egypt's treasury and contributed to the gradual decline of the Egyptian Empire in Asia. The severity of the difficulties is indicated by the fact that the first known labor strike in recorded history occurred during the 29th year of Ramesses III's reign, when the food rations for Egypt's favored and elite royal tomb-builders and artisans in the village of Deir el Medina could not be provisioned.[7] Something in the air prevented much sunlight from reaching the ground and also arrested global tree growth for almost two full decades until 1140 BC.[8] One proposed cause is the Hekla 3 eruption of the Hekla volcano in Iceland but the dating of this remains disputed.
Rameses III's death was followed by years of bickering among his heirs. Three of his sons ascended the throne successively as Ramesses IV, Rameses VI and Rameses VIII. Egypt was increasingly beset by droughts, below-normal flooding of the Nile, famine, civil unrest and official corruption. The power of the last pharaoh of the dynasty, Ramesses XI, grew so weak that in the south the High Priests of Amun at Thebes became the de facto rulers of Upper Egypt, and Smendes controlled Lower Egypt even before Rameses XI's death. Smendes eventually founded the Twenty-First dynasty at Tanis.
The Third Intermediate Period of Ancient Egypt begins with the death of Pharaoh Ramesses XI in 1070 BC, ending the New Kingdom, and ends with the start of the Late Period, for which various points are offered, though it is most often regarded as dating from the foundation of the Twenty-Sixth Dynasty by Psamtik I in 664 BC, following the expulsion of the Nubian rulers of the Twenty-Fifth Dynasty by the Assyrians under King Assurbanipal.
The period was one of decline and political instability, marked by division of the state for much of the period and conquest and rule by foreigners. But many aspects of life for ordinary Egyptians changed relatively little.[citation needed]
25th DynastyNuri pyramids
==Contents==
  [hide] *1Twenty-first Dynasty
*2Twenty-second and Twenty-third Dynasty
*3Twenty-fourth Dynasty
*4Twenty-fifth Dynasty
*5End of the Third Intermediate Period
*6Historiography
*7See also
*8References
**8.1Bibliography
*9External links
==Twenty-first Dynasty[edit]==
The period of the Twenty-First Dynasty is characterized by the country's fracturing kingship. Even in Ramesses XI's day, the Twentieth dynasty of Egypt was losing its grip on power in the city of Thebes, whose priests were becoming increasingly powerful. After his death, his successor Smendes I ruled from the city of Tanis, but was mostly active only in Lower Egypt which they controlled. Meanwhile, the High Priests of Amun at Thebes effectively ruled Middle and Upper Egypt in all but name.[1] However, this division was less significant than it seems, since both priests and pharaohs came from the same family.
==Twenty-second and Twenty-third Dynasty[edit]==
The country was firmly reunited by the Twenty-Second Dynasty founded by Shoshenq I in 945 BC (or 943 BC), who descended from Meshwesh immigrants, originally from Ancient Libya. This brought stability to the country for well over a century, but after the reign of Osorkon II, particularly, the country had effectively shattered in two states with Shoshenq III of the Twenty-Second Dynasty controlling Lower Egypt by 818 BC while Takelot II and his son Osorkon (the future Osorkon III) ruled Middle and Upper Egypt. In Thebes, a civil war engulfed the city between the forces of Pedubast I, who had proclaimed himself Pharaoh versus the existing line of Takelot II/Osorkon B. These two factions squabbled consistently and the conflict was only resolved in Year 39 of Shoshenq III when Osorkon B comprehensively defeated his enemies. He proceeded to found the Upper Egyptian Libyan Twenty-Third Dynasty of Osorkon III – Takelot III – Rudamun, but this kingdom quickly fragmented after Rudamun's death with the rise of local city states under kings such as Peftjaubast of Herakleopolis, Nimlot of Hermopolis, and Ini at Thebes.
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