Chapters › Kush: Napata & Meroe · Sudan – Middle Nile
Kingdom of Kush – Meroitic period
270 BCE – 350 CE
Approximate area of control ≈ approximate
- G. Mokhtar (ed.), UNESCO International Scientific Committee (1981) General History of Africa, II: Ancient Civilizations of Africa link [low]
Geometry: Natural Earth (NACIS) Natural Earth vector data (rivers, disputed areas)
Sources: G. Mokhtar (ed.), UNESCO International Scientific Committee (1981) General History of Africa, II: Ancient Civilizations of Africa; Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer Kunst München Das Grabungsprojekt | Naga; Natural Earth (NACIS) Natural Earth vector data (rivers, disputed areas)
Reference points
- Philae (reference marker) [low] — G. Mokhtar (ed.), UNESCO International Scientific Committee (1981) General History of Africa, II: Ancient Civilizations of Africa pp. 287
- Dakka (reference marker) [low] — G. Mokhtar (ed.), UNESCO International Scientific Committee (1981) General History of Africa, II: Ancient Civilizations of Africa pp. 287
- Sennar [low] — G. Mokhtar (ed.), UNESCO International Scientific Committee (1981) General History of Africa, II: Ancient Civilizations of Africa pp. 306
- Jebel Moya (reference marker) [low] — G. Mokhtar (ed.), UNESCO International Scientific Committee (1981) General History of Africa, II: Ancient Civilizations of Africa pp. 306
Dating note
Meroitic chronology uncertain (GHA II: 'particularly serious' for 2nd–1st c. BCE). Which kandake negotiated with Rome (Amanirenas vs Amanishakheto) is unresolved in GHA. End placed in the 4th century CE (350 is a placeholder year); cause debated: GHA II ascribes the overthrow to the Noba and concludes the kingdom 'had already collapsed at the time of Ezana's campaign'.
Key events
- Ergamenes/Arkamani (3rd c. BCE), friendly relations with Ptolemaic Egypt
- Queen Shanakdakhete (c.170–160 BCE): among earliest Meroitic hieroglyphic inscriptions (Naqa)
- Taniydamani (late 2nd c. BCE): first long Meroitic texts
- Iron working at Meroe; Meroitic script transliterated by Griffith 1909, language still not understood
- Kandakes Amanirenas and Amanishakheto; Prince/King Akinidad; war with Rome: Napata taken by Petronius 23 BCE (GHA), Treaty of Samos 21/20 BCE
- Natakamani & Amanitore (GHA: c.12 BCE–12 CE; dating debated): Naqa Lion Temple, Amara, restoration of Napata
- Collapsed in the 4th century CE; cause debated (Noba per GHA II; Aksumite campaign of Ezana)
Capitals / sites
Meroë, Naqa, Musawwarat es-Sufra, Wad ban Naqa, Hamadab, Sedeinga
Geopolitics
After Petronius took Napata (23 BCE), the Treaty of Samos (21/20 BCE) renounced Roman tribute and set the frontier at Hiera Sycaminos (GHA II). Naga is described as Meroe's southernmost city and a 'powerful rival' of Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt (Naga project). Collapse by the time of Ezana's campaign, c. mid-4th c. CE.
Culture
Local innovations: Meroitic writing, official cult of indigenous gods such as the lion-god Apedemak, ruling queens (Kandakes) (French national-museum text). Naga combines African, Egyptian and Hellenistic elements (Naga project).
Economy
Iron working at Meroe (large slag heaps, WHC/GHA); Red Sea trade with Greek merchants (PRC Embassy text); great hafir reservoirs (DAI Musawwarat).
Regional power
- Meroe/Kush: Research in progress sources describe Meroe as a 'powerful rival' of Egypt (Naga project) but give no measure
- Roman Egypt: Research in progress unscored
Cross-language checks
- fr · agree · Méroïtic dynasty takes power c.270 BCE (FR_MUSEE_MEROE)
- fr · partial · Méroé succombe vers 270 apr. J.-C. sous les assauts des Noubas (from the West) (FR_MUSEE_MEROE; agent agrees with GHA II (Noba); date differs (c.270 vs 4th c.))
- fr · partial · Amanirénas fought Petronius in a war of 25–21 BCE (FR_MUSEE_MEROE; French text names Amanirenas outright)
- de · no-conflict · Naga Blütezeit 200 v. Chr.–250 n. Chr. (NAGA_PROJ)
- zh · partial · 公元350年，库施被阿克苏姆王国所消灭 (destroyed by Aksum 350 CE) (ZH_EMB_HIST2020; date agrees (4th c.); attributing the destruction to Aksum conflicts with GHA II, which says Meroe had already collapsed by Ezana's campaign)
Open data flags
- sources describe Meroe as a 'powerful rival' of Egypt (Naga project) but give no measure
- unscored
Sources
- G. Mokhtar (ed.), UNESCO International Scientific Committee (1981) General History of Africa, II: Ancient Civilizations of Africa UNESCO / Heinemann / University of California Press link [en]
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre (2011) Archaeological Sites of the Island of Meroe UNESCO link [en]
- Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer Kunst München Das Grabungsprojekt | Naga naga-projekt.de link [de]
- Deutsches Archäologisches Institut (KAAK) / Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Musawwarat es-Sufra, Sudan (Musawwarat-Projekt) DAI link [de]
- Ministère de la Culture (France) / Musée national du Soudan (virtual) Méroé et les royaumes médiévaux archeologie.culture.gouv.fr link [fr]
- 中华人民共和国驻苏丹大使馆 (PRC Embassy in Sudan) (2020) 苏丹历史漫谈 (Notes on Sudanese history) sd.china-embassy.gov.cn link [zh]
- David N. Edwards (2011) From Meroe to 'Nubia': exploring culture change without the 'Noba' Presses de l'Université Paris-Sorbonne (PUPS), Paris link [en]
- Pleiades gazetteer Place 795855 ISAW, NYU link [en]
- Claude Rilly (2018) The QSAP Programme on the Temple of Queen Tiye in Sedeinga Sudan & Nubia 22, Sudan Archaeological Research Society link [en]
- K. Michałowski (1981) The spreading of Christianity in Nubia (General History of Africa II, ch.12) UNESCO link [en]
- Derek A. Welsby (1996) The Kingdom of Kush: The Napatan and Meroitic Empires British Museum Press link [en]
- Wikipedia contributors Meroë Wikipedia link [en]
- Wikipedia contributors Kingdom of Kush Wikipedia link [en]
- Wikipedia contributors Amanirenas Wikipedia link [en]