LIST ALL YOU KNOW! Thanks!
Chosen Answer:
As every agrarian society, Egypt survival depended on the harvest they could reap in Nile valley and delta. Egypt was lucky to be located among the most fertile river banks in the world and the desert created perfect barriers from invaders. The geographical location and environment created opportunity for society to develop and prosper pretty much uninterrupted for centuries. However, this was not always the case. The invaders from south trailing the Nile or from Middle East (Hyksos, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians) following along Mediterranean coast did capture Egypt and ended its independence for several generations. Occasionally, Egypt was threatened from sea, as it happened during invasion of Sea people at the end of Bronze Age. Nonetheless, the most tensions were created within the state, and it is probable, that the class and dynastic struggles did more damage than foreigner invasions. The priest class had a lot of power, and often interfered to dynastic rivalries, and even caused the large warfare between Egypt and kingdom of Hittites.
Beside benefit of the natural surrounding, Egypt did faced problem with irregular floods, and failure of several years of periodic floods had brought wide spread famine. Kingdoms and states that were south from Egypt in present day Sudan, were devastated by years of failing periodical floods and often their civilization. This was less severe in Nile delta, since it was more interconnected into international markets. But there are numerous indications that the Indian Ocean monsoon rains failed for long period of time with consequences far downstream on Nile.
As you can imagine, tightly enclosed society had also numerous problems. Since Egypt wealth was created by agriculture, not by conquest like did other empires, or traded as did Greeks and Phoenicians, it stability depended on the demographic and social condition within the state. People were not sent oversea to found a colony or engage in conquest to gain a power or wealth. Overpopulation or lack of agricultural output could undermine stability very quickly. Epidemics are easily transmitted in densely populated area from which was difficult to escape. Also ruling class was depended on the labor, since the Egypt did not use coinage that would generate tax revenue. Labor on large building projects as pyramids, temples, and palaces were actual taxes that would subordinate pay to his master. If this system collapsed due famine, plague, war, it actually jeopardized the existence of the state all together.
by: moravianhawk
on: 14th November 08