An essay on three documents studied in tutorials this semester, explaining a) their value to the historian, and b) problems with their use as historical documents.
There are many historical documents that allow historians to analyse the ancient world. Many of these documents are propagandise and subjective to the certain civilisation it was created in, however, even this tells historians something about certain societies and cultures.
Annals of Thut-mose III: Asiatic Campaigns.
Thut-mose III's Asiatic campaigns were recorded in annals, most likely, by the royal scribe in his 42nd year as king. These annals describe both the battles undertaken and the booty collected. The annals, recorded on the inside walls of a temple at Karnak, though retold in the boastful and extravagant terms thought befitting a king's exploits, leave little doubt of his ability as a soldier and statesman and as an aggressive king who wished to expand the Egyptian empire and it's wealth. His campaigns " caused Egypt to be in its condition as (it was) when Re was in it as king- indicating the prestige of Egypt during this period. His first campaign to Megiddo was for the purpose of subduing the rebellious Kadesh, who was turning loyal countries against Egypt. .
Records such as these provide historians with detailed accounts of the many different countries of that time period and their wealth and power in relation to other countries. For Egypt, the annals give historians an insight to the ruler Thut-mose III and his reign over Egypt, while also indicating the wealth of Egypt. These campaigns of Thut-mose III required a large military establishment including a hierarchy of officers and very expensive chariots. Not only does this aspect show Egypt's wealth but many of these campaigns were merely " parades of strength- or booty collections. His army collected 894 chariots, 200 suites of armour as well as over 200 horses and 25,000 other animals from his first campaign.
Thutmose III was a great warrior pharaoh. ... Thutmose III was very young when his father, Thutmose II, died and was the co-regent of his stepmother, Hatshepsut. Thutmose was given an education befitting his royal station. ... Thutmose played an active part in the government of Egypt. ... Thutmose III led 17 successful military campaigns. ...
Thutmose III committed one of the cruelest cases of this form of banishment. When his father died, Thutmose was too young to rule, so his mother, Hatshepusut, ruled Egypt for 20 years. After her death in 1482 B.C., Thutmose III had his mother's images removed from monuments, and in replace of those, he put pictures of himself, and his father. ...
However, questions have been raised over whether Thutmoses II continued this so called tradition. ... It suggests that either Thutmoses II differed from other Pharaohs in the respect or that no Pharaohs actually went into battle and the image was essentially only an image. ... However, Thutmoses III completely re-established the significance of military image though extensive campaigns such as Megiddoaganist Kadesh and against the Mittani. ... Breasted sees Thutmoses III as the perfect Pharaoh because of his extensive military campaigns and impressive claims of these campaigns. Amenhotep II ...
She was the daughter of Thutmose I, the 18th dynasty king, who was known for expanding Egypt's Empire in Nubia. She was one of five siblings but was the only one alive when Thutmose I died. Thutmose did have a son from a small marriage also named Thutmose II so to strengthen his demand on being king he married his half-sister Hatshepsut. After 14 years under power he became intensely ill and died, leaving behind a daughter from Hatahepsut and son Thutmose III from Isis. ... Hatshepsut's beautiful temple was damaged after her reign ended, when Thutmose III had her name scratched out o...
Daughter of Thutmose ( 1504-1492 BC) and Queen Ahmose Nefertari,who was married to her half-brother Thutmose the second (1492-1479 BC), the son of a secondary wife, perhaps in order to strengthen his claim to the throne. She had a daughter, Neferura, by Thutmose the second, the but the heir to the throne, the future Thutmose the third was the son of one of Thutmose the second`s concubincs. ... Because Thutmose the third was still young when his father died, Hatshepsut was appointed regent, and she took the further step of having herself crowned king, allowing her to continue to enjoy a long Co...
Hatshepsut took power after the death of the fourth pharaoh of the 18th dynasty Thutmose II, the title was originally supposed to be given to Thutmose III who was only 12 at the time of his original coronation, but his mother Hatshepsut proclaimed herself Pharaoh. During her time as ruler Hatshepsut commissioned numerous building projects as well as many portraits of herself, however after her death many were destroyed by her resentful successor Thutmose III, whose rise to kingship was delayed for twenty years. ...
Several centuries later, Thutmose IV (Akhenaten's grandfather) was fascinated by the idea of the Aten and was often called "the Sun disk" by his bureaucrats. ... Akhenaten's grandfather, Thutmose IV, father Amenhotep III and Ramose all used the term prior to Akhenaten taking the throne. ... Thutmose IV had earlier stated he had fought with the Aten and pushed the idea of making "the foreigners to be like the people, in order to serve the Aten forever," (The Culture of Ancient Egypt published by J.A Wilson). ...
When visiting the Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology, the Upper Egyptian Gallery on the third floor was the first gallery I chose to explore. It came to no surprise to me that throughout the visit of the different galleries I kept wanting to go back the Egyptian gallery. While the other galleries w...
The ancient Egyptians are considered among many to be the civilization upon which much of the western world's views and attitudes are based. From religion, to architecture, and art have been handed down generation to generation and improved along the way. Many of the ancient Egyptian traditions have been modified or altered, the majority of their core principles remain constant. Despite the Egyptians conservative nature, there were some changes within the infrastructure of their society. Throughout the ages known as the Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom modifications of Egyptian...