Hatshepsut and the Caste System in Ancient Egypt
Hatshepsut was one of the very few women to rule Egypt. She reigned from 1479 to 1458 B.C.E, which was the New Kingdom. She was the only child of Thutmose I and Ahmose. When her father died and her half-brother Thutmose II ascended to the throne, she married him to keep their bloodlines pure. When he died, she became the pharaoh.
Hatshepsut had many accomplishments. Some of her more notable ones were organizing an expedition to the land of Punt from which brought back foreign trees. She also portrayed herself as a male. She built many monuments; one of the most notable ones being Deir el-Bahri.
Government officials were just a step below the pharaohs, so they lived lives of luxury.They usually came from the pharaoh’s family, and lived in large, fine homes. The most important officials were the vizier, the chief treasurer, and the general. They (in order) advised the pharaoh and acted as a chief judge, collected taxes and looked after the government’s money, and advised the pharaoh in war and security. They had plenty of time to go to banquets and socialize, and probably had happy lives. Priests were below government officials in the social ladder. Priests in ancient
Egypt held much power, because they controlled religion, like government officials.
Different priests had different jobs. For instance, the High Priest advised the pharaoh, the temple priests were in charge of their temples, and other priests dealt with the peasant’s religious problems. They lived in their respective temples, but needed to cleanse themselves to enter certain areas of it. Female priests were in charge of temples that were devoted to music and dancing. Scribes were below the priests in what we would call the middle class today.
Scribes were Egypt’s official writers and record keepers. Most boys went to school for up to twelve years to learn just one subject! Scribes recorded taxes, the food supply, how many weapons
Hatshepsut had many accomplishments. Some of her more notable ones were organizing an expedition to the land of Punt from which brought back foreign trees. She also portrayed herself as a male. She built many monuments; one of the most notable ones being Deir el-Bahri.
Government officials were just a step below the pharaohs, so they lived lives of luxury.They usually came from the pharaoh’s family, and lived in large, fine homes. The most important officials were the vizier, the chief treasurer, and the general. They (in order) advised the pharaoh and acted as a chief judge, collected taxes and looked after the government’s money, and advised the pharaoh in war and security. They had plenty of time to go to banquets and socialize, and probably had happy lives. Priests were below government officials in the social ladder. Priests in ancient
Egypt held much power, because they controlled religion, like government officials.
Different priests had different jobs. For instance, the High Priest advised the pharaoh, the temple priests were in charge of their temples, and other priests dealt with the peasant’s religious problems. They lived in their respective temples, but needed to cleanse themselves to enter certain areas of it. Female priests were in charge of temples that were devoted to music and dancing. Scribes were below the priests in what we would call the middle class today.
Scribes were Egypt’s official writers and record keepers. Most boys went to school for up to twelve years to learn just one subject! Scribes recorded taxes, the food supply, how many weapons