Kush: Encyclopedia II - Kush - Move to Meroe

Kush - Move to Meroe

It is clear from the records that Aspelta's successors had their capital at Meroe, considerably farther south than Napata. The exact date this change was made is uncertain but some historians believe it was during Aspelta's reign, in response to the Egyptian invasion of Lower Nubia. Other historians believe it was the attraction of iron working that drove the kingdom south: around Meroe, unlike Napata, there were large forests that could fire the blast furnaces. The arrival of Greek merchants throughout the region also meant that Kush was no longer dependent on trade along the Nile; rather, it could export its goods east to the Red Sea and the Greek trading colonies there.

An alternate theory is that two separate but closely linked states developed, one based at Napata and the other at Meroe; the Meroe-based state gradually eclipsed the northern one. No royal residence had been found north of Meroe and it is possible Napata had only been the religious headquarters. But Napata clearly remained an important centre, with the kings being crowned and buried there for many centuries, even when they lived at Meroe.

In around 300 BC the move to Meroe was made more complete as the monarchs began to be buried there, instead of at Napata. One theory is that this represents the monarchs breaking away from the power of the priests based a Napata. Diodorus Siculus tells a story about a Meroitic ruler named Ergamenes who was ordered by the priests to kill himself, but broke tradition and had the priests executed instead. Some historians think Ergamenese refers to Arrakkamani, the first ruler to be buried at Meroe. However, a more likely transliteration of Ergamenes is Arqamani, who ruled many years after the royal cemetery was opened at Meroe.

Another theory is that the capital had always been based at Meroe.

Kush continued for several centuries but we have little information on it. While earlier Kush had used Egyptian hieroglyphics, Meroe developed a new script and began to write in the Meroitic language, which has yet to be fully deciphered. The state seems to have prospered, trading with its neighbours and continuing to build monuments and tombs. In 23 BC the Roman governor of Egypt, Petronius, invaded Nubia in response to a Nubian attack on southern Egypt, pillaging the north of the region and sacking Napata (22 BC) before returning north.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Move to Meroe", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki