Egypt and the Mediterranean

___________________________Egyptian Trade and

Interaction

When they first met… • Unknown when contact was first made between

Egypt and Greece• “Hau-nebu” used to describe Greece• Egypt regarded as an inexhaustible source of grain

for the entire Mediterreanean• Aegean Greeks needed Egyptian emmer-wheat and

barley – traded spices, oil, opium and exotic manufactured goods.

• New Kingdom (Ramses III ca. 1213-1156) pirate raids began between “Peoples of the Sea” and other groups – organized with a purpose

Early Interactions Between

Egypt and Greece• New Kingdom – fascination for Mediterranean

communities as a source of material and cultural riches.

• For Greeks, Egypt was a place for sight-seeing

• Visiting Greek scholars: Thales, Pythagoras, Solon (Athenian leader)

• In 630 BCE a consortium of Greek merchants established a trading post a Naukratis in the Nile Delta (with permission from Egyptian King Psamtik – 664-610 BCE.

Greek Soldiers in Egypt

• Through struggles with foreign invaders like the Assyrians and Babylonians (671-600BCE) Egypt came to appreciate military assistance.

• Also during Egypt’s final 60 years of independence, Greek hoplites (footsoldiers) were used to keep Persian invaders at bay (had already occupied Egypt twice).

• The Greek Period in Egypt, began in 332 BCE and lasted until 48BCE

• Alexander the Great seized control in 332 BCE

• After the death of Alexander (with no heirs), the Greek empire was eventually divided among his four generals.

• This began a new dynasty of kings in Egypt called the Ptolemies