Time has passed, and the broad concept of "East" was deeply explored in Europe in the 19th century. They see it as synonymous with the Mediterranean coast from Morocco to Turkey, a land that is home to diverse civilizations that are older and more backward than Europe's flourishing. People used to view the rise and fall of civilizations in a living way, as if they also had a trajectory of life, experiencing growth, prosperity, and decay. And this perception still influences people's understanding of history today.
The "intermediate" period is considered a dull phase of history, and there seems to be no event worth recounting. However, in this so-called bland history, there is an important turning point in Egyptian history. During this period, it was widely believed that the formation of a state required a stable population and territory, as well as a legitimate ruler of the land. Thus, Egyptian history was divided, beginning in the 8th century BC, with a long hiatus. The Kush from Sudan defeated the Assyrian army from Iraq and seized control of Egypt. Then, kings from the Kush, Assyria, and ancient Persian empires ruled Egypt. During this period, there were rebels who claimed to be authentic "Egyptians" who briefly seized power in an attempt to restore the bloodline of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs.
In 332 BC, Napoleon's idol Alexander the Great led an expedition to Persia and Egypt. At that time, Egypt had become a satellite state of the ancient Persian Empire, and the central government had become almost a puppet. The indigenous Egyptians welcomed Alexander the Great and joined the Hellenistic Macedonian army in rebellion against the rule of the Persian Empire. Egypt thus entered the Ptolemaic era, marking the rise of new rulers in the land, and the Romans later incorporated Egypt into their sphere of influence. This period is seen as a "period of interruption" in Egyptian history, however, it is essentially a time of integration and continuation of ancient Egyptian culture.
In ancient times, human civilizations never stopped mingling. Historians in the 19th century attempted to divide different groups of people and peoples by geographical area and specific characteristics. However, this division is fraught with bias and affects the perception of the world. The definition of human civilization should not be limited to one way of life, and different civilizations differ in scale and lifestyle. Historians have regarded the development of human civilization as a linear evolution, but in fact, different stages of civilization may coexist, and the development of history is not a single straight line. The rise and fall of civilizations, blending and common memory have formed a rich and colorful historical picture.
Ancient Egypt has a long history of civilization, and at the end of the 19th century, British archaeologist Flinders Petri conducted large-scale archaeological excavations in Negade. He discovered the ancient quirky necropolis, revealing the complex structure of early Egyptian society. With the changes in society, culture and art were also adjusted, and faience and color palettes were replaced by new artistic styles. At this point, the first unified dynasty in Egyptian history rose and opened the curtain of the ancient kingdom of Egypt.