The Hyksos (Egyptian heka khasewet) were an ethnically mixed group of Southwest Asiatic or Semitic people who appeared in the eastern Nile Delta during the Second Intermediate Period. They rose to power during the Second Intermediate Period, and ruled Lower and Middle Egypt for over one hundred years, forming the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Dynasties of Egypt, (ca. 1674-1548 B.C.E. See Egyptian chronology). Traditionally, only the six Fifteenth Dynasty rulers are called "Hyksos". The Hyksos had names that bear strong similar ...

Including:

• Hyksos - Who Were the Hyksos?
• Hyksos - Was There a Hyksos Invasion?
• Hyksos - Extent and Nature of Hyksos Rule
• Hyksos - The Thebean Offensive
• Hyksos - Under Sekenenra Tao II
• Hyksos - Under Kamose
• Hyksos - Under Ahmose
• Hyksos - Summary

Read more here: » Hyksos: Encyclopedia - Hyksos

See also:

Hyksos, Hyksos - Who Were the Hyksos?, Hyksos - Was There a Hyksos Invasion?, Hyksos - Extent and Nature of Hyksos Rule, Hyksos - The Thebean Offensive, Hyksos - Under Sekenenra Tao II, Hyksos - Under Kamose, Hyksos - Under Ahmose, Hyksos - Summary

Read more here: » Hyksos: Encyclopedia II - Hyksos - Was There a Hyksos Invasion?

The Hyksos kingdom, then, was centered in the eastern Nile Delta and Middle Egypt and remained limited in size, never extending south into Upper Egypt, which was under the evidently firm control of the Theban dynasts. Hyksos relations with the south seem to have been mainly of a commercial nature, although the Theban princes do seem to have recognized the Hyksos rulers and may possibly have submitted for a time to the payment of tribute. The Hyksos Fifteenth Dynasty rulers established their capital and seat of ...

See also:

Hyksos, Hyksos - Who Were the Hyksos?, Hyksos - Was There a Hyksos Invasion?, Hyksos - Extent and Nature of Hyksos Rule, Hyksos - The Thebean Offensive, Hyksos - Under Sekenenra Tao II, Hyksos - Under Kamose, Hyksos - Under Ahmose, Hyksos - Summary

Read more here: » Hyksos: Encyclopedia II - Hyksos - Extent and Nature of Hyksos Rule

Moses or Moshe (מֹשֶׁה, Standard Hebrew Moše, Tiberian Hebrew Mōšẹh, Syriac ܡܘܫܐ Muše, Arabic موسى Mūsa, Ethiopic ሙሴ Musse, Latin Moyses), son of Amram (Imran in Arabic) and his wife, Jochebed, a Levite, was a Legendary Hebrew liberato ...

Including:

• Moses - Moses in Judaism
• Moses - Moses in Christianity
• Moses - Moses in Islam
• Moses - Textual origin of the Torah
• Moses - Moses in history
• Moses - Ethical dilemmas
• Moses - The horned Moses
• Moses - Moses in media

Read more here: » Moses: Encyclopedia - Moses

Manetho, also known as Manethon of Sebennytos, was an Egyptian historian and priest from Sebennytos who lived during the Ptolematic era, circa 3rd century BC. Manetho recorded Aegyptiaca (History of Egypt) and has had The Book of Sothis, an astrological work, attributed to him falsely. His work is of great interest to Egyptologists, and is often used as evidence for the chronology of the reigns of Pharoahs. Manetho - Name. The original Egyptian version of his name is now l ...

Including:

• Manetho - Name
• Manetho - Life and work
• Manetho - Aegyptiaca
• Manetho - Transmission and reception
• Manetho - Sources and methods
• Manetho - Content
• Manetho - Similarities with Berossos
• Manetho - Impact of Aegyptiaca

Read more here: » Manetho: Encyclopedia - Manetho

Ugarit (modern site Ras Shamra رأس شمرة; in Arabic) 35°35´ N; 35°45´E) was an ancient cosmopolitan port city, sited on the Mediterranean coast of northern Syria a few kilometers north of the modern city of Latakia. Ugarit sent tribute to Egypt and maintained trade and diplomatic connections with Cyprus (called Alashiya), documented in the archives recovered from the site and corroborated by Mycenaean and Cypriot pottery found there. The polity was at its height from ca. 1450 BC until 1200 BC. Ugarit - T ...

Including:

• Ugarit - The site
• Ugarit - History
• Ugarit - Alphabet
• Ugarit - Ugaritic literature
• Ugarit - Ugarit religion
• Ugarit - Kings of Ugarit

Read more here: » Ugarit: Encyclopedia - Ugarit

Canaan or Knáʕan (Arabic کنعان, Hebrew כְּנַעַן, Septuagint Greek Χανααν) is an ancient term for a region roughly corresponding to present-day Israel/Palestine including the West Bank, western Jordan, southern and coastal Syria and Lebanon continuing up until the border of modern Turkey. Various Canaanite sites have been excavated by archaeologists, most notably the Canaanite town of Ugarit, which was rediscovere ...

Including:

• Canaan - Etymology
• Canaan - Phoenician Canaan
• Canaan - Canaan in Mesopotamian inscriptions
• Canaan - Egyptian Canaan
• Canaan - Biblical Canaanites

Read more here: » Canaan: Encyclopedia - Canaan

Babylonia, named for the city of Babylon, was an ancient state in Mesopotamia (in modern Iraq), combining the territories of Sumer and Akkad. Its capital was Babylon. The earliest mention of Babylon can be found in a tablet of the reign of Sargon of Akkad, dating back to the 23rd century BC. Babylonia - History. During the first centuries of the "Old Babylonian" period (that followed the Sumerian revival under Ur-III), kings and people in high position often had Amorite names, and supreme power rested at Is ...

Including:

• Babylonia - History
• Babylonia - Neo-Babylonian Empire
• Babylonia - Science and mathematics
• Babylonia - Literature
• Babylonia - Location

Read more here: » Babylonia: Encyclopedia - Babylonia

For a historical description of Biblical times see: History of ancient Israel and Judah The article concerns the historicity of the Bible. In other words, it addresses in what ways the Bible is historically accurate; the extent to which it can it be used as a historic source and what qualifications should be applied. This is intended to represent the academic viewpoint. For descriptions of religious beliefs, please go to the appropriate subject-matter page. The Bible and history - Introduction. ...

Including:

• The Bible and history - Introduction
• The Bible and history - Conservative religious views
• The Bible and history - Liberal/moderate religious views and secular views
• The Bible and history - Overview of Academic views
• The Bible and history - Old Testament/Hebrew Bible
• The Bible and history - Genesis
• The Bible and history - The Patriarchs
• The Bible and history - Exodus
• The Bible and history - Joshua
• The Bible and history - United Monarchy
• The Bible and history - Later kings
• The Bible and history - The Exile and after
• The Bible and history - New Testament/Greek Bible
• The Bible and history - Historicity of Christian beliefs
• The Bible and history - Historicity of Christian traditions
• The Bible and history - Marginal views
• The Bible and history - Schools of archaeological and historical thought
• The Bible and history - Biblical minimalism
• The Bible and history - Biblical maximalism
• The Bible and history - Increasing conflict between the maximalist and minimalist schools
• The Bible and history - Archaeology and modern Israeli politics

Read more here: » The Bible and history: Encyclopedia - The Bible and history

In compiling the history of ancient Israel and Judah, there are many available sources, including the Jewish Tanakh (partially the Old Testament, it also consists of the book of the prophets, and the five books of Moses) and other Jewish texts such as the Talmud, the Ethiopian book of history known as the Kebra Nagast, the writings of historians such as Nicolaus of Damascus, Artapanas, Philo of Alexandria and Josephus, other writings, and archaeological e ...

Including:

• History of ancient Israel and Judah - Early history
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - The patriarchal period
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - Egyptian domination
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - Period of the Judges
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - The United Monarchy
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - The period of the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - The period of captivity
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - Rebuilding the Temple
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - The legacy of Alexander the Great and the dawn of Rabbinic Judaism
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - Roman conquests
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - Notable people
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - Partial list of kings of Israel
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - Partial list of kings of Judah
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - Notable places
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - Religious places and objects

Read more here: » History of ancient Israel and Judah: Encyclopedia - History of ancient Israel and Judah

Damascus (Arabic officially دمشق Dimashq, colloquially ash-Sham الشام) is the capital city of Syria. It is often referred to as 'the oldest continuously-inhabited city in the world'. Its current population is estimated at about 2 million. Damascus - Name. In Arabic, the city is called دمشق الشام Dimashq ash-Sham. Although this is often shortened to Dimashq by many, the citizens of Damascus, and of Syria and some other Arab neighbors, colloquially call the city < ...

Including:

• Damascus - Name
• Damascus - Geography
• Damascus - History
• Damascus - Ancient
• Damascus - Greco-Roman
• Damascus - From the Muslim conquest to the Fatimids
• Damascus - Fatimids the Crusades and the Seljuks
• Damascus - Mamluk rule
• Damascus - Timurlank
• Damascus - The Ottoman conquest
• Damascus - Rise of Arab nationalism
• Damascus - Modern
• Damascus - Historical sites
• Damascus - The walls and gates of Damascus
• Damascus - Born in Damascus
• Damascus - Further References

Read more here: » Damascus: Encyclopedia - Damascus

Naturally, when, during the Second Intermediate Period the mysterious foreign Hyksos gained the rulership of Egypt, and ruled the Nile Delta, from Avaris, they chose Set, originally Lower Egypt's chief god, as their patron, and so Set became worshipped as the chief god once again. However, following this invasion, Egyptian attitudes towards foreigners could be best described as xenophobic, and eventually the Hyksos were deposed. During this period, Set (previously a hero), as the Hyksos' patron, came to embody all that the Egyptians disliked about the foreign rulers, and so he gradually absorbed the identities of a ...

See also:

Set mythology, Set mythology - Desert god, Set mythology - The Set animal, Set mythology - Contestings of Horus and Set, Set mythology - Saviour of Ra, Set mythology - God of Evil, Set mythology - Use in fiction, Set mythology - See

Read more here: » Set mythology: Encyclopedia II - Set mythology - God of Evil

The Middle Kingdom is the period from the end of the First Intermediate Period to be beginning of the Second Intermediate Period. In addition to blah blahTwelfth Dynasty, some scholars include the Eleventh, Thirteenth and Fourteenth Dynasties in the Middle Kingdom. The Middle Kingdom can be noted for the expansion of trade outside of the kingdom that occurred during this time. This opening of trade eventually led to the downfall of the Middle Kingdom, induced by an invasion from the Hyksos List of pharaohs - Twelfth Dynasty. The Twelfth Dynasty ruled from 1991 to 1802 BC, and is consi ...

See also:

List of pharaohs, List of pharaohs - Archaic period, List of pharaohs - Early dynastic: Lower Egypt, List of pharaohs - Early dynastic: Upper Egypt, List of pharaohs - First Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Second Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Old Kingdom, List of pharaohs - Third Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Fourth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Fifth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Sixth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - First intermediate period, List of pharaohs - Seventh and Eighth Dynasties combined, List of pharaohs - Ninth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Tenth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Eleventh Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Middle Kingdom, List of pharaohs - Twelfth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Second intermediate period, List of pharaohs - Thirteenth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Fourteenth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Fifteenth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Sixteenth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Seventeenth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - New Kingdom, List of pharaohs - Eighteenth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Nineteenth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Twentieth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - High Priests of Amun at Thebes, List of pharaohs - Twenty-first Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Third intermediate period, List of pharaohs - Twenty-second Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Twenty-third Dynasty, List of pharaohs - The Libu, List of pharaohs - Twenty-fourth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Late period, List of pharaohs - Twenty-fifth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Twenty-sixth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Twenty-seventh Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Twenty-eighth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Twenty-ninth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Thirtieth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Thirty-first Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Argead Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Ptolemaic Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Rome

Read more here: » List of pharaohs: Encyclopedia II - List of pharaohs - Middle Kingdom

Though the site is thought to have been inhabited earlier, Neolithic Ugarit was already important enough to be fortified with a wall early on, perhaps by 6000 BC. The first written evidence mentioning the city comes from the nearby city of Ebla, c. 1800 BC. Ugarit passed into the sphere of influence of Egypt, which deeply influenced its art. The earliest Ugaritic contact with Egypt (and the first exact dating of Ugaritic civilization) comes from a carnelian bead identified with the Middle Kingdom pharaoh Sesostris I, 1971 BC-1926 BC. A stela and a statuette from the Egyptian pharaohs Sesostris II and A ...

See also:

Ugarit, Ugarit - The site, Ugarit - History, Ugarit - Alphabet, Ugarit - Ugaritic literature, Ugarit - Ugarit religion, Ugarit - Kings of Ugarit

Read more here: » Ugarit: Encyclopedia II - Ugarit - History

The Biblical creation story, up to and including the Great Flood is generally regarded as pure myth both by most scientists and most religious followers. However, there is considerable opposition to this stance by creationists who view this account as factual, to varying degrees. The Patriarchs are also held generally to be myths, syncretisms of various local foundation stories, and, although supporters of Biblical inerrancy dispute this, it is very unlikely that evidence will surface of early first or ...

See also:

Criticism of the Bible, Criticism of the Bible - Translation issues, Criticism of the Bible - Ethics in the Bible, Criticism of the Bible - Internal consistency, Criticism of the Bible - The Bible vs. History, Criticism of the Bible - The Bible vs. Science

Read more here: » Criticism of the Bible: Encyclopedia II - Criticism of the Bible - The Bible vs. History

In the Bible, Pharaoh is treated as a name rather than a title, and is not otherwise named. Most prevailing theories fall into one of two categories: either the Pharaoh of the Oppression is Thutmose III (1490-1438 or 1479-1426 depending on the Egyptian dating scheme employed) or earlier (e.g. Amenhotep II, ruling immediately before him is also popular), or else it was Ramesses II (1290-1223 or 1272-1213). Note that the pharaoh of the Exodus need not necessarily be the same pharaoh the one for whom they built the Rameses and Pithom of Ex. 1:11, who need not necessarily b ...

See also:

The Exodus, The Exodus - Biblical Narrative, The Exodus - Route of the Exodus, The Exodus - Numbers involved in the Exodus, The Exodus - Dating the Exodus, The Exodus - Dating Theories, The Exodus - Two part invasion, The Exodus - Minimalist Theories, The Exodus - Current Dating Theories, The Exodus - Geographic Issues, The Exodus - Alternate Theories, The Exodus - Volcano theory, The Exodus - Lowered Egyptian Chronologies, The Exodus - Interpretation

Read more here: » The Exodus: Encyclopedia II - The Exodus - Dating the Exodus

The Third Intermediate Period marked the end of the New Kingdom after a suprise invasion from the Sea People. A number of dynasties of Libyan origin ruled, giving this period its alternative name of the Libyan Period. List of pharaohs - Twenty-second Dynasty. The pharaohs of the Twenty-second Dynasty were Libyans, ruling from around 945 to 720 BC: List of pharaohs - Twenty-third Dynasty. The Twenty-third Dynasty was a local group, again of Libyan origin, based at Leontopolis, that ruled from 836 to 720 ...

See also:

List of pharaohs, List of pharaohs - Archaic period, List of pharaohs - Early dynastic: Lower Egypt, List of pharaohs - Early dynastic: Upper Egypt, List of pharaohs - First Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Second Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Old Kingdom, List of pharaohs - Third Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Fourth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Fifth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Sixth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - First intermediate period, List of pharaohs - Seventh and Eighth Dynasties combined, List of pharaohs - Ninth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Tenth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Eleventh Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Middle Kingdom, List of pharaohs - Twelfth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Second intermediate period, List of pharaohs - Thirteenth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Fourteenth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Fifteenth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Sixteenth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Seventeenth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - New Kingdom, List of pharaohs - Eighteenth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Nineteenth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Twentieth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - High Priests of Amun at Thebes, List of pharaohs - Twenty-first Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Third intermediate period, List of pharaohs - Twenty-second Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Twenty-third Dynasty, List of pharaohs - The Libu, List of pharaohs - Twenty-fourth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Late period, List of pharaohs - Twenty-fifth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Twenty-sixth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Twenty-seventh Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Twenty-eighth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Twenty-ninth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Thirtieth Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Thirty-first Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Argead Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Ptolemaic Dynasty, List of pharaohs - Rome

Read more here: » List of pharaohs: Encyclopedia II - List of pharaohs - Third intermediate period

The Bible and history - Genesis. The Biblical creation story, up to and including the deluge, is generally regarded as a myth by most scientists and many religious believers (i.e., non-creationists). The arguments raised come from cosmology, geology, evolution (in particular fossil evidence), and textual analysis of the Bible itself— it is argued that this evidence indicates that the described events, if taken literally, are scientifically impossible.< ...

See also:

The Bible and history, The Bible and history - Introduction, The Bible and history - Conservative religious views, The Bible and history - Liberal/moderate religious views and secular views, The Bible and history - Overview of Academic views, The Bible and history - Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, The Bible and history - Genesis, The Bible and history - The Patriarchs, The Bible and history - Exodus, The Bible and history - Joshua, The Bible and history - United Monarchy, The Bible and history - Later kings, The Bible and history - The Exile and after, The Bible and history - New Testament/Greek Bible, The Bible and history - Historicity of Christian beliefs, The Bible and history - Historicity of Christian traditions, The Bible and history - Marginal views, The Bible and history - Schools of archaeological and historical thought, The Bible and history - Biblical minimalism, The Bible and history - Biblical maximalism, The Bible and history - Increasing conflict between the maximalist and minimalist schools, The Bible and history - Archaeology and modern Israeli politics

Read more here: » The Bible and history: Encyclopedia II - The Bible and history - Old Testament/Hebrew Bible

During the 2nd millennium BC the name Kan'an, favoured in Egyptian usage, was used for a province of the Egyptian empire bounded on the west by the Mediterranean Sea, on the north by the Pass of Hamath in southern Lebanon, on the east by the Jordan Valley and on the south by a line extended from the Dead Sea to the Gaza area. This region corresponds closely to the description given in the ...

See also:

Canaan, Canaan - Etymology, Canaan - Phoenician Canaan, Canaan - Canaan in Mesopotamian inscriptions, Canaan - Egyptian Canaan, Canaan - Biblical Canaanites

Read more here: » Canaan: Encyclopedia II - Canaan - Egyptian Canaan

During the first centuries of the "Old Babylonian" period (that followed the Sumerian revival under Ur-III), kings and people in high position often had Amorite names, and supreme power rested at Isin. A constant intercourse was maintained between Babylonia and the West — with Babylonian officials and troops passing to Syria and Canaan, while "Amorite" colonists were established in Babylonia for the purposes of trade. One of these Amorites, Abi-ramu or Abram by name, is the father of a witness to a deed dated in ...

See also:

Babylonia, Babylonia - History, Babylonia - Neo-Babylonian Empire, Babylonia - Science and mathematics, Babylonia - Literature, Babylonia - Location

Read more here: » Babylonia: Encyclopedia II - Babylonia - History