Ancient Egypt: Chronicles of an Empire

Ever since Upper and Lower Egypt were united by warlike means around 3100 B.C., the military played a major role in the empire on the Nile. Wars were seen as a legitimate means to maintain the divine order, to protect the borders of the empire, and sometimes to expand it. At times, Egypt dominated an area that stretched from Nubia to Libya and as far as Asia Minor. Expansion was made possible by new military technologies such as the chariot, which the Egyptians perfected. Yet, the documentary also shows how Egypt, in moments of military weakness, became the target of foreign invaders. During peaceful periods, however, the pharaohs maintained extensive diplomatic contacts with neighboring empires.

Nothing represents the unique advanced civilization of ancient Egypt more than the pyramids. Much about them is still a mystery to researchers. Episode 5 of ANCIENT EGYPT – Chronicles of an Empire traces the history of Egyptian tomb architecture. We show how Egyptian tomb architecture evolved over the millennia. The journey begins about 5,000 years ago with the royal tombs in Abydos, where the first rulers of Egypt were buried in underground complexes. They are covered by a mound of earth, from which mastabas develop - impressive brick buildings. The climax of this development is the construction of the Pyramid of Khufu 4,500 years ago. With their pyramids, the Egyptians created monuments for eternity - and in the end, they actually became immortal.

In the realm of the pharaohs, some of mankind's oldest and largest cities are emerging. An urban revolution that has long been overlooked: For unlike the impressive stone temples, most traces of settlement have disappeared today. But research is gaining ever deeper insights into the urban life of the ancient Egyptians. The first major metropolis, Hierakonpolis, the ancient capital of Upper Egypt, emerges around 3,500 years B.C., when several villages coalesce into the oldest known urban settlement in Egypt. A city built of clay, the Egyptians' most important building material. However, for archaeologists, the perishable nature of the building material is a challenge. Thanks to modern methods, they can now form an astonishingly precise image of the structure of these cities and the everyday life of their inhabitants.

The Nile is Egypt’s lifeline. Its water transforms parched soils into productive farmland. The first houses and settlements are built from its mud. Yet, how did it all begin? From 5000 BC, desert nomads began to settle in the Nile Valley. Instead of wandering around as hunter-gatherers, they now practice agriculture and animal husbandry. The foundations for Egyptian civilization. As early as the 1st Dynasty, the land along the Nile is divided into smaller administrative units. But Egyptian administration would not have worked without another groundbreaking invention - writing - in the form of elaborately painted hieroglyphics. Yet, the pride and joy of the Egyptians is the Nile. It’s the country's most important trade route. Without this river, one of the most fascinating advanced civilizations in history would never have existed.