History Ancient history and settlement. Cairo has its roots in the ancient settlement of Memphis, now 24km (15 miles) southwest of the city. It was founded in 2,000 BC and ruled by King Menes who united Upper and Lower Egypt. In the 1st century, the Romans built the Babylon fortress on the Nile, the oldest

History Ancient history and settlement. Giza is most famous as the location of the Giza Plateau, the site of some of the most impressive ancient monuments in the world, including a complex of ancient Egyptian royal mortuary and sacred structures, including the Great Sphinx, the Great Pyramid of Giza, and a number of other large pyramids and temples. Giza has always been

History Ancient history and settlement. Recent radiocarbon dating of seashell fragments and lead contamination show human activity at the location during the period of the Old Kingdom (27th–21st centuries BC) and again in the period 1000–800 BC, followed by the absence of activity thereafter. From ancient sources it is known there existed a trading post at this location during the

History Ancient history and settlement. Recent archaeological excavations have shown that there was an ancient Egyptian port and settlement in this area. The site was first brought to attention in 1999 by Professor Mahmud Abd El Raziq. French and Egyptian archaeologists have been investigating this area since that time. As early as the Old Kingdom,

History Ancient history and settlement. Aswan is the ancient city of Swenett, later known as Syene, which in antiquity was the frontier town of Ancient Egypt facing the south. Swenett is supposed to have derived its name from an Egyptian goddess with the same name. This goddess later was identified as Eileithyia by the Greeks and Lucina by the Romans during their occupation of Ancient Egypt

History Ancient history and settlement. The ancient capital of Thebes centered around the Temple of Amon, dedicated to the ancient Egyptian’s primary god. The temple was commissioned by King Amenhotep III in 1392 BC, completed by Tutankhamun (1336-27 BC), and then expanded by Rameses II (1279-13 BC). It is known today as the Temple of

History Ancient history and settlement. Marsa Alam used to be a sleepy fishing village but the area around it has a very interesting ancient history. Gold and emeralds were minded in the barren and the road leading from Marsa Alam west to Edfu in the Nile Valley follows an ancient route that was originally built

History Ancient history and settlement. Sharm el-Sheikh was uninhabited throughout most of historical time due to its prohibitive climate, but it gained modern importance because of its strategic situation commanding the narrow entrance to the Gulf of Aqaba. The entrance is 14 miles (23 km) northeast of Sharm el-Sheikh’s bay, at the Strait of Tiran. The

Egypt; Gate to Africa and Arab World