Eras Tour of Egypt

The empire of Egypt spanned a large swath of time—around 3500 years. It is considered by many Egyptologists to have started around 3000 BCE, and to have ended in 30 BCE. Within that time, many powerful families, called dynasties, ruled Egypt. These dynasties were organized into “golden eras” by the Egyptian historian Manetho in the 3rd Century BCE. These eras are named the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom. They are both separated and bookended by periods that are generally shorter, and more unstable. While there are flaws to Manetho’s system, these eras define how the empire’s history is understood today.

Below is a timeline that gives a general overview of ancient Egyptian history, from its earliest origins, until its end in 30 BCE.