The Theban war left Egypt united and battle-hardened. Ahmose (c. 1550–1525 BC) founded the 18th Dynasty and the New Kingdom, and over the next century his successors carried Egyptian armies farther than ever before: north into the Levant and south deep into Nubia.
Key idea
Ahmose founded the 18th Dynasty; his successors, above all Thutmose I and Thutmose III, pushed into the Levant and Nubia and built an empire: vassal kingdoms in Canaan and Syria, and Egyptian rule over Nubia under a viceroy.
Two directions of empire
| The Levant (north) | Nubia (south) | |
|---|---|---|
| How it was ruled | local kings as vassals, with Egyptian garrisons and officials in some towns | directly, by a viceroy called the "King's Son of Kush" |
| What Egypt wanted | tribute, trade routes, a buffer against rival empires | gold, ivory, ebony, cattle and soldiers |
| Rivals | Mitanni, later the Hittites | the kingdom of Kush at Kerma, defeated early in the dynasty |
| Signs of rule | princes of vassal kings raised at the Egyptian court | Egyptian temples and towns along the Nile |
Why it works
The Hyksos had shown that a threat could come from the northeast. Holding the Levant kept enemies far from the Delta, and it gave Egypt control of rich trade routes. In the south, Nubia had the gold that paid for temples, armies and diplomacy. Victory also brought wealth to the god Amun of Thebes, whose temple at Karnak grew enormously.
The early kings
- Ahmose drove out the Hyksos and campaigned in Canaan and Nubia.
- Amenhotep I consolidated the state; later the workmen of Deir el-Medina honored him as their patron.
- Thutmose I marched to the Euphrates in the north and far past the Fourth Cataract in the south, and was probably the first king buried in the Valley of the Kings.
- Thutmose III, after the reign of Hatshepsut, fought campaign after campaign and made Egypt the leading power of the region.
Worked example: When was the empire built?
A student says, "Ramesses II built Egypt's empire." Using the timeline, what is wrong with that?
- Thutmose I and Thutmose III campaigned in the Levant and Nubia c. 1504–1425 BC.
- Ramesses II reigned c. 1279–1213 BC, about two centuries later.
- He fought to keep and restore parts of an empire that already existed.
Answer: The empire was built mostly by the early 18th Dynasty kings; Ramesses II defended it.
Common mistake
Dating the empire to Ramesses II. He is the most famous New Kingdom king, but the empire was built mostly by the early 18th Dynasty, especially Thutmose I and Thutmose III. A check: look at who first reached the Euphrates.