|
|
  Ancient Egypt /
Cities and Villages
Ancient Egypt never developed any major cities. The reason was that the Nile valley constituted a continuous inhabitable area, in which few places had any advantages over others, whether in terms of communication or non-agricultural products. The cities that did emerge were wither the result of the need for effective administration, or the clustering of facilities around an important religious center.
The main urban places in Ancient Egypt throughout the major moments of its history, were Memphis and Thebes. Memphis' rise to importance came from its being the meeting point between the Nile valley and the Nile delta, with its many smaller rivers. Hence it was an effective market place which could work well in the control of taxation and internal security. Memphis evolved as the first capital of Egypt, to which Saqqara and Giza served as necropolises.
Thebes' rise to importance was slower than that of Memphis, and it appears that beyond the need to form an administrative and religious centre for southern Egypt, there were no distinct advantage to Thebes' region in comparison with other places. The region around Thebes, was, however, rich in agriculture and well-populated.
More short-lived as an important city was Akhetaten (now known as Tell el-Amarna), the planned city of Akhenaten.
|
