Ancient Egypt: The Social Structure and Its Features

Ancient Egypt is the civilization of the East. And the great importance here is not the geographical component, but the cultural and civilizational one. Here the predominant role in the development of the society was played not by private property, but by the royal and temple economy. Thus, the social structure of the society of Ancient Egypt, the country where one of the first states originated, developed very little. And this is a characteristic difference not only of this civilization, but also of other Eastern ones. What were the features of the social structure of Ancient Egypt? Let's look at the article.

Ancient Egypt: general information

Before starting a conversation about social life, I want to make a brief digression into the history of the kingdom. So, on the way of development, Egypt passed through several epoch-kingdoms: Early (beginning of the III millennium BC), Ancient (from XXVIII to XXIV century BC), Middle (from the end of III thousand to XVII Century BC), New (from the XVI-XII to XI-VIII centuries BC) and Later (from VII to IV-I centuries BC).

All these periods are characterized by extremely slow development of statehood. It should be noted that throughout its history, the civilization of the ancient Egyptians was then divided into two parts (the Upper and Lower kingdoms), then merged into one powerful state, all through internecine strife. In addition, there were constant wars of conquest. Against the backdrop of these events, the power of the pharaoh was only strengthened, and class inequality resulted in a slave system.

The population of the country - Afrikan-Hamitic Libyans, Nubians and Semites - comes from Africa. All these peoples chose to live in the valley of the lower Nile - this was the natural boundary of the settlement, which provided seclusion and, to some extent, security.

Rich in not only fertile land, but also minerals, the land was fully provided for by the people. The first social relations arise at a time when there is a need to regulate the floods of the Nile by the construction of irrigation facilities. The society is divided into those who work supervises, and those who execute it.

Education and development of the state

So, approximately in V in. BC. E. Ancient Egypt begins to exist. It consists of several nomas (this is how primitive settlements were called in the country), and by the 4th century. BC. E. Of them form two kingdoms - the Upper and Lower. Their unification is connected with bloody internecine wars. It all happens during the Early Kingdom. The ancient kingdom was a purely centralized period of the country's existence. Afterwards, Egypt again breaks up into nomas, and each of them claims to be independent. Again, wars begin between the city-states of the country.

Unite the country was only possible during the Middle Kingdom. The center was the city of Thebes. In the end - again collapse, wars and unification into the strongest empire, claiming dominance in the Ancient Eastern world (the period of the New Kingdom). This time is an aggressive warrior. After - again the decline, from which Ancient Egypt has not already come out - it is conquered by the Persians, then by A. Macedonian. Ends with its isolated existence: now once a mighty civilization - just a province of the Roman Empire.

Political system

What was the state of ancient Egypt? The social structure always comes from a political system. It should be said that in times of centralization and disunity, there has always been a division of the country into two districts - the Northern and the Southern. Governed there by the governors of the pharaoh. He himself secured his administrative power with the title, which noted: "The Lord of the Two Countries."

The state has always been strictly centralized, the periods of disunity in time were insignificant. On the basis of unconditional authority of the pharaoh, there is an extensive bureaucratic apparatus, also centralized. The main role in the government of the state after the pharaoh was assigned to the Tsar's Court, where the vizier was the main one. It was he and the pharaoh who were subordinated to the heads of departments having a large staff of small and large officials.

On the ground, the Nomarchs ruled. They had unconditional power, but exclusively in their subject. The nomarchs were also subordinated to local officials. At the lowest level in this system there were communal councils with the elected elder in charge. They were responsible for judicial and administrative matters, as well as for economic activities.

Development of public relations

Let us consider how the social structure of the society of Ancient Egypt developed throughout its history. Initially, the young country was a disparate city-state, and each lived by its own laws and had its own ruler.

The state of the Early Kingdom period was a kind of tribal alliance. The population of the country was a free peasant, united in communities. The land for cultivation was allocated to them by the authorities. Part of the income from agricultural products had to be paid to the state.

It was during the period of the Old Kingdom that a rift broke out in society, dividing it into slaves and slaveholders. The structure of the society of Ancient Egypt becomes heterogeneous: all determine social and property relations. The priests come to the forefront after the pharaoh. It is with their status and authority for the people associated with the allocation of the pharaoh unlimited power, equating to the deity.

The Age of the Middle Kingdom is characterized not only by the large-scale expansion of the slave system (now slaves are also used in subsidiary farms). The social structure of Ancient Egypt of this period is characterized by the fact that the society increasingly separates. So, there are nedes, small proprietors. They, as well as scribes, farmers and merchants, live in abundance, but peasants and other lower strata barely find the means for food.

The conquest wars in the New Kingdom period primarily affect the increase of the slave class. All lands are finally fixed to the state and temples. Therefore, landowners disappear as a class. And no one is allowed to work on the priestly lands, it is given to the guilty members of their own estate. The priesthood is now a closed class, which can be accessed only by a related principle.

General characteristics of ancient Egyptian society

So, let's draw preliminary conclusions that in the social structure was Ancient Egypt. Its social structure had the following features:

• At the head was a pharaoh, who was revered as a deity.
• The form of government is despotism, and it is precisely for Egypt that the ministry to the tsar is set up in a religious cult.
• A special role was assigned to the priests.
• The basis of society - the rural community, which relied on power in the field.
• Clear class division.
• The social structure of ancient Egypt in a hierarchical order from the upper to the lower layers is represented as follows: Pharaoh - priests and court nobles - soldiers - peasants and artisans - slaves. And the latter were turned off from public life completely, because they were not considered as people, but called "a living commodity". We'll talk about this a little later.
• The bureaucracy was numerous, but it was poorly divided in responsibilities. One person could be responsible for administrative activities, for economic activities, and even for performing certain religious rites.

The power of the pharaoh

Now let's talk separately about each social group. Ancient Egypt, whose social structure was based on despotism, was ruled by Pharaoh. The cult was positioned as equal to the gods. Accordingly, a special ritual of worshiping the god-king was developed by the priesthood. And the names of the pharaohs reflect the divine origin. For example, Amenhotep - "Amon pacified", Thutmose - "born of God Toth". The ancient Egyptians believed that the harvests, prosperity, absence of wars depends on the god-pharaoh.

It was the king who was the main owner of the Egyptian lands, who could give or take. In his hands, the judicial power was concentrated, he appointed high-ranking officials.

The power was inherited according to the birthright, for Pharaoh had other wives and concubines besides his first wife, usually blood related to him (often there were marriages even with his own sisters). Here all were in the same position. But what about the times of trouble when one dynasty succeeded another? And here the priests found an "excuse". According to the beliefs of the Egyptians, one relationship within the divine family is not enough, it is also necessary that the deity be moved into the king. So there was a change in the ruling clans. Moreover, the "entrance of God" could be produced not only in the heir, but also in the sister, wife and others.

Priests

The peculiarities of the social structure of Ancient Egypt are such that Pharaoh, for all his oppressive power, could not rule alone. He relied primarily on the priests, as well as on the officials-grandees.

The first - the legislators of standards of conduct and life guides. Since the priests belonged to the function of communication between society and the gods, even pharaohs listen to them. It was not so easy to get the priest's dignity: it was necessary to study long and hard. Since four years, accumulated knowledge began to be passed on to the future generation.

The institution of service to the gods was very developed: temple ministers and those working in the secular field, keepers of secrets and manuscripts, seers - interpreters of all sorts of signs, and even astronomers.

In short, the priests played a very important role in the life of ancient Egyptian society. Their knowledge of rituals, the will of the gods, medicine and even about agriculture and cattle breeding, passed down from generation to generation, were considered sacred, hidden from ordinary inhabitants. Until now, Egyptologists have continued to discover what the ministers of religion have been aware of.

Aristocracy

The social structure of the civilization society of Ancient Egypt, its top, was not limited to the priesthood. Pharaoh also relied on his court nobles. It was an aristocracy, those who actually controlled all spheres of the country's life. Chief among them was the vizier, or jati. This man was Pharaoh's right hand. As a rule, he was elected from the ruling dynasty. There were cases when the seat of the vizier was occupied by a member of the aristocracy, not related to the pharaoh, this happened during periods of weakening the integrity of the country, the so-called transitional ones.

So, what functions were assigned to jati? In his hands virtually all of Ancient Egypt. The social structure was built in such a way that all the nobles, heads of various industries, reported to him. In addition, the vizier headed:

• Financial departments.
• Public works (for example, irrigation facilities).
• He ruled the life of the capital and supervised it.
• He was in charge of the army.
• He headed the judiciary.

The rest of the aristocracy was subject to jati and pharaoh. They were rich people who built their own tombs and lived in luxurious houses.

Office

Scribes deserve special attention. They belonged to the highest aristocracy and enjoyed universal respect. Most illiterate people inhabited Ancient Egypt. The social structure of society, thus, allowed to allocate scribes a separate niche.

These employees not only recorded his decrees for Pharaoh, but also knew how to calculate the water level in the Nile, estimated the consequences in case of floods, knew the reserves in the reservoirs. They were important in agriculture and cattle breeding. After all, only a competent person is able to assess after the flood of the Nile, what will be the harvest, and to calculate the number of cattle or cooked wine. The scribes were responsible for tax collection.

They were approached for help to write a letter (including a personal one), to write a ritual prayer.

What constituted bureaucracy as a social structure of Ancient Egypt? In a nutshell, you can say that they were divided according to their ranks. Each nominee was headed by a certain person, who in turn was subordinated to others, responsible for specific areas of the economy.

Army

A powerful alliance between the pharaoh, nobles and priests could only be strengthened by military force. So the army arises.

The place of the warrior in ancient Egyptian society was very honorable: they had their own houses, property, lands. The only thing they did not dispose of was their life. After all, by the decision of the pharaoh, backed by the priests, at any moment the war could begin. It is worth noting that the army entered the battle with a hunt. After all, as a result of wars of conquest, people acquired their property.

The army was also used to solve internal internecine conflicts.

At the peak of the development of the Ancient Egyptian civilization, the army numbered 100 thousand people, it was the strongest in the world.

Peasants and artisans

The most numerous social stratum of Ancient Egypt is the peasants. They fed the above-described classes and ensured their comfortable existence. The peasants themselves could not boast of a comfortable existence. Rather, on the contrary: the land they cultivated was not their property, accordingly, most of the harvest and livestock from the peasants were taken. Beggars, hungry, they were often used in public works.

Exactly the same life was with artisans of Ancient Egypt. Workshops, where they produced products, they did not belong. And the owner-grandee as a rent took away almost all production and resold afterwards exorbitantly with the help of familiar merchants and traders.

Slaves

But the most unenviable position was of course the slaves. Egypt is not the only state in the ancient world with a slave system. This was the usual social order for that time.

Slaves were not considered to be people, they were a "living commodity", sold, bought and captured as a trophy. The fate of each slave was in the hands of the slaveholder: it could be killed, crippled. Moreover, the violation of the law was the murder of another's slave (the same "spoilage" of property).

Weddings between slaves legally meant nothing: a husband and wife could easily be separated, for example, to resell to different masters.

Of course, slavery revolts broke out in the country. So, "thanks" to one of them, the country weakened by the suppression of the riot was easily able to get Arab nomads.

Public causes of the decline of civilization

After analyzing all the estates of Ancient Egypt, one can draw an unequivocal conclusion: there was no unity between them, rather, on the contrary, cruel enmity and hatred. And the confrontation was not limited to the line "slaves, peasants - to know". Having made a fortune, the aristocracy wants power and starts political games against Pharaoh. This is always the case in social systems with oppressors and oppressed. The result of the imperfection of the social order was the decline of the civilization of Ancient Egypt.