What is it about?
In ancient Egypt, both everyday life and political ambitions took place within a very narrow ribbon of land along the Nile River. The realities and opportunities of this constraint had a psychological and social effect on Egypt's inhabitants that was distinctly different from the experiences of people living in Mesopotamia, China, the Indian subcontinent, and the New World where states and empires could expand in any geographic direction.
Featured Image
Photo by Joshua Michaels on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Today we think of borders and boundaries as part of our national identity. In ancient times, borders and boundaries were much more fluid, yet the sense of a cultural "home" was still important. Egypt's intense political and social integration started around 5,000 years ago in which the natural environment provided a particularly distinct boundary for interactions. Geography alone is not predictive of "destiny," of course, but it does provide a shared experience for everyone living in a place. Local inhabitants and political authorities alike made use of knowledge about the land and its resources to create multiple overlapping strategies for daily life.
Perspectives
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Linear Statecraft along the Nile: Landscapes and the Political Phenomenology of Ancient Egypt, Journal of Egyptian History, February 2021, Brill,
DOI: 10.1163/18741665-12340058.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page