To know where we stand, to understand the man of our time, it is also important to understand where we come from. Of course, Western culture has always insisted, in this sense, on the Romans and the Greeks, but In ancient times there were other great cultures that greatly influenced the evolution of the different societies in the world, and among them one of the most important was the society of Ancient Egypt.. At we wanted to find out what this society was like and its main characteristics. Do you also want to know all the curiosities of Ancient Egypt? Join us in this article so you can find out the most curious facts about this ancient civilization.
Characteristics of the Ancient Egyptian Society
The first thing we have to clarify when addressing Ancient Egyptian society is what we mean by this. When we talk about Ancient Egypt we are referring to an ancient society that spanned more than 3,500 years, an extension of time that is not inconsiderable. Of course, during all that time there were important changes in Egyptian society, which was evolving towards more civilized ways of life, expanding its culture, forming its myths and establishing quite clear and delimited social structures. Being such a long-lived society, it is difficult to talk about just one Ancient Egypt, as well as a single society, but it is easier to see it as a culture that was constantly changing from the moment it emerged until it experienced its end.
However, what we can do is talk about the most important points of this society and, above all, refer to its last years, when this empire was already mature culturally, socially and politically. That is why, for the purposes of this article, when talking about how the Egyptians lived, their different classes, traditions and castes, we are going to refer to this stage of civilization in which they were already mature and its rules much more clear. Ready to learn all the curiosities of this ancient society? Let’s discover them!
1. Structure of social classes in Ancient Egypt
One of the most relevant features of Ancient Egyptian society was its social class structure. The ancient Egyptians had a very well-defined and very classist social structure, at least if we judge it with the parameters with which we judge societies today. Its structure, of course, revolved around the pharaoh, the main figure of this society, who more than an emperor was also a god. But the pharaoh was not the only important piece of this society, but rather he had to rely on various types of officials who often disputed his power, although his function was really to maintain order within society.
Who were these officials? There were several types. Among them the most important were the priests and scribes, behind them were the warriors and, finally, we find the people and the slaves, who were the Egyptian workforce. Of course, there were other types of officials as well, and they even had the Egyptian educational system, one of the most important systems in Ancient Egyptian society. That being said, it is time for us to learn a little more about the different classes and social groups that made up this historic society.
Priests
Behind the Egyptian pharaohs, there were always the priests. In fact, this was one of the most important castes in society, an issue that should not surprise us since Ancient Egyptian society was deeply religious. To begin with, the pharaoh, more than a man, was considered a god, and who are the closest servants of god in any religion? Exactly, the priests and those who dedicate their lives to religion. These were, therefore, one of the essential links in this society, and in many cases they accumulated so much power that they could compete with the powers of the pharaoh himself.
The priests, furthermore, were the owners of knowledge. These were the ones who taught education in Ancient Egypt, the ways of life and the basic lessons of their culture. Of course, it was not easy to become a priest. To begin with, you had to come from one of the important families in Egyptian society, since not everyone could afford the education necessary to be an important part of this society and this social caste. As with any religious structure, not all priests enjoyed the same power, but some of them dedicated themselves to a rather quiet life attached to the Egyptian religion, while others established themselves as important officials of the pharaoh. In any case, as a caste they enjoyed great privileges and were a fundamental piece of this society.
scribes
Secondly, just behind the priests, were the scribes. However, they should not always be understood as separate classes, but in many cases it was priests who ended up performing the work of scribes. The scribes were the great supporters of Egyptian culture, but what did they do and why were they so important? Well, the scribes of Ancient Egyptian society are not too far from those of today, it’s just that their role was much more relevant then. In essence, the scribes were dedicated to writing down the words of the pharaoh and other important figures in their society. They were the ones who transmitted the pharaoh’s orders and ensured their proper compliance and, in many cases, they were the bearers of royal authority.
In addition to being the ones who transmitted information, on many occasions the scribes were the figure closest to the pharaoh. These were the ones who kept the most important secrets of the empire, and who ensured the well-being of the pharaoh. The scribes, of course, came from the most important families of the empire and were recognized among Egyptian culture as officials of great importance. As was the case with the priests, not all scribes enjoyed the same importance within this society, since it was one thing to be a scribe, for example, of the pharaoh, and quite another to be a scribe of a low-ranking priest. In any case, these were considered officials of high cultural level and of great importance within Ancient Egypt.
Warriors
No matter where you look, in ancient times one of the most important figures was always that of the warrior. It is enough to look to Greece and look for the Spartans, or the role they played in Athens, or look in the east for the samurai or the ninjas. In any society, in ancient times warriors were essential for the survival and good management of any culture, and the Egyptians were no exception in this sense. The warriors of Ancient Egypt were considered mid-ranking officials, although in many cases they reached important ranks and their closeness to the pharaoh made them of great value. These were, of course, the armed hand of this society, and its first point of defense.
Unlike what happened with priests or scribes, you did not have to belong to an important family within Egyptian culture to become a warrior, but if you were looking to rise within the Egyptian military structure you should, at least, have the endorsement of some important families, the priestly caste or the pharaoh. In any case, The warriors we find in Ancient Egyptian society are not too far from the warriors of other cultures.: These responded to the interests of the high Egyptian hierarchy and were the first line of defense, as well as coercion against the rebels.
Slaves
This is another of the castes that we can find in almost any culture of antiquity, regardless of which region of the world we look at. Slaves, of course, were at the bottom of the food chain, so to speak, of Ancient Egyptian society. Nevertheless, Unlike what is usually shown in films or stories that have been made about that time, this group was never really very numerous within Egyptian society.. In essence, slaves were often former prisoners of war who were taken as merchandise. Yes, as merchandise, and as such they could be bought and sold or exchanged. The majority of these died as slaves, and had to earn a living doing the most arduous work that existed at that time.
Nevertheless, In some cases a slave could obtain his freedom, if his owner allowed it or if he was able to accumulate enough money to buy it.. This, of course, was never very common, but it was a phenomenon that was still present in Egyptian culture.
Town
Last on our list, although not on the Egyptian social scale, is the town, made up of people belonging to this society who did not belong to large families, but rather to the Egyptian middle class or lower class, so to speak. . The people were divided according to where they were located, and therefore they exercised different functions if they were from the more urban or more rural areas of Ancient Egyptian society. In any case, most of the functions they performed were labor-related: they usually worked as peasants, tilling the land, producing, or as artisans who worked with the raw materials to produce clothing from Ancient Egypt or other types of necessary implements. .
Some members of this caste They also worked alongside slaves, although under more favorable conditions, to carry out the most titanic creations of Ancient Egypt., like the great pyramids. In essence, this was one of the least powerful castes within Ancient Egyptian society.
2. Marriage in Ancient Egypt
Another of the most important features of this society was marriage. In fact, for the Egyptians marriage had great importance on a spiritual and religious level. Of course, marriage was only allowed or, at least, welcomed, within the same social classes, which is why a woman who came from a good family was not allowed to marry someone from a lower caste. Although marriage was considered a divine union, this did not prevent or prohibit divorces, which were practiced in Ancient Egyptian society, and it was not even frowned upon for a man to marry after a divorce or after losing his wife. spouse.
In any case, In Ancient Egyptian marriages, a mainly patriarchal system did prevail.as in the rest of this society, where it was the daughter’s father (or an uncle, in case of the father’s death) who had the power to decide whether his daughter married a man or not.
3. Ancient Egyptian Society vs Current Egyptian Society
Much has changed from those times to the present in Ancient Egyptian society, which does not mean that they do not still share some similarities. The evolution of Egyptian society goes hand in hand with the evolution of other societies, but its cultural roots remain…