How did people survive in ancient Egypt?

Ancient Egypt is one of the most fascinating civilizations in history, with its unique religion, advanced technologies, and unmatched structures that still stand to this day. It has been the focus of countless studies but because it fell so long ago and their language is so hard to understand, we don’t know nearly as much as we should about this amazing culture. One of the things we do know is how big the separation was between the rich and the poor, and how difficult it was for someone of the peasant class to survive in ancient Egypt.

If you weren’t born into a rich or important family, then life would be very difficult and consist of nothing but hard work, though having to do this in Ancient Egypt would have been very different from anywhere else. Before we learn how difficult it was to survive here, it’s important to know what the civilization referred to as ancient Egypt was.

What was Ancient Egypt?

The term refers to a vast empire built around the regions of the River Nile, mostly after the country was unified around 3,100 BCE. Egypt itself was settled around 6,000 BCE but was nothing more than small villages and isolated communities during the early years. The river Nile allowed for a huge amount of fertile farming land, and also floods once a year which leaves behind rich layers of nutrients to refresh the farmland.

People were able to mass produce grain, and with food no longer being a problem, this allowed them to focus on other things like construction and religion. They had many gods and built enormous temples, statues, and burial chambers, the most famous of which being the pyramids.

Who lived in Ancient Egypt?

There were five main classes of citizens in ancient Egyptian society. Each of which was significantly different from the other, and held levels of power and importance that the lower classes could never achieve. The main classes of Ancient Egyptian citizens are as follows:

Underclass – Peasents and slaves
This status would have applied to the majority of the population and would include everyone who had to work a normal job. They were looked down on by any of the above classes and were considered disposable, with the best example of this being the burial of dozens of servants who were sealed alive within the tombs of their masters so they could serve them again during the afterlife.

These would have been the class who built the pyramids, and all the other enormous structures spread across the country. They included farmers and animal herders, builders, servants, woodcutters, pottery makers, and anyone with a normal job or who didn’t belong to the other classes.

Soldier class
The best position someone from the underclass could hope to rise to would be that of a soldier. They were paid more, had more respect, and were given more food that they didn’t have to farm themselves. Even though it was better than working a normal job they still had a very limited and often risky place within society, frequently being called upon to fight in the various wars that constantly popped up over the years.

Upper class
These were normal civilians who acquired large amounts of wealth through whatever their trades were. They lived in the nicer areas of the city, had servants to tend to their every need, and often had a place within a local council or held a level of authority over the lower classes.

Specialist class
These included religious figures, people high up within the government, and anyone who held a special place in society who didn’t fall into any of the other groups. Many of the temples throughout ancient Egypt were dedicated to one particular god, and the temple would have people working there who dedicated their entire lives to it, becoming priests or priestesses of the temple was a position that didn’t fit into any of the other classes but still held a unique level of authority and respect throughout Egyptian society. There were many such positions of this nature like the personal advisors or aids to important people, and those with special skills or knowledge like chief architects and personal chefs.

Ruling class
There were two sections to the ruling class, those who made up the ruling government and the people who were in charge. The government was made up of many people who managed the various aspects of Egyptian society and made sure food was still being grown and buildings were still being constructed. Those in the government would have been more important and powerful than everyone other than the people at the top and had the authority to make laws and do almost anything they wanted.

(The entrance to the Temple of Ramesses II)

With all their power and influence, the members of the government were still just human and didn’t come close to the status of the god emperor. The pharos of Egypt were seen as being actual gods by many and held a level of importance that couldn’t be touched by any law made by normal man. Whatever they said would be done, and there were no questions about their rule, which also meant no way of them being voted out or overthrown by anyone who wasn’t seen as a potential pharaoh, something that could only be achieved by being born into the right family.

What were ancient Egyptian homes like?

The number one building material for anyone who couldn’t afford stone would be mud bricks. These were made by taking mud and mixing it with a type of binding material like straw or reeds, they would be mixed together and placed in a mold before being pressed into a brick shape. They would be laid out in the sun to dry and after a few days would be hard enough to build with. The materials for mud bricks could be found along the entire river Nile and because they were so easy to produce, the homes of the peasant class in Ancient Egypt were noticeably bigger than their counterparts across the rest of the world.

The bricks were soluble and only worked because it never rained in certain areas of the country, giving no need for an angeled roof or clay tiles to protect the structure. The rich would also often live in homes built from mud bricks, but they were much bigger and produced to a higher quality, often being sanded and painted so they looked bright and smooth.

Anyone who was rich enough would have a home made of carved stone, mostly just to show they could afford to do so. These were always built to look extravagant and show how much money the owner had but also offered an unmatched level of comfort to those living there. They would be the ancient equivalent of a mansion, and include their own stables and servant quarters, with some even having swimming pools and ponds in their gardens.

(The pyramids are the buildings most associated with ancient Egypt, with the oldest being constructed around 2630 BCE)

What did ancient Egyptians eat?

The poor and soldier classes would have the same food available to them, which was mostly grain, beans, and dairy products. Goats were herded in huge numbers and provided enough milk so it was available to everyone, and with the rich Nile River and large coastline of the country, seafood was also a main staple.

Breakfast for most classes would consist of bread and beer, which was usually made from barley. Goat and mutton were the most commonly eaten meat, but the richest in society would have access to meats like pigeons and wild game animals hunted across the desert. The more expensive foods included fruits, especially figs, honey, olives, cheese, and shellfish.

Religion in Ancient Egypt

Religion played a massive part in ancient Egypt and affected every single aspect of life. The success of a harvest would depend on how happy the governing god of that particular area was, and sacrifices and offerings would need to be made to each one. The gods were at the very top of the ladder within Egyptian culture but this also included their pharaoh, who was often seen as a living god and was therefore on the same level of importance.

Their religion consisted of many gods and was practiced for around 3,000 years until Emperor Theodosius adopted Christianity as the official religion of the country in 381 AD. This went on for 10 years until he made it a crime punishable by death the worship the old gods, and the country’s population quickly fell in line, putting an end to thousands of years of worshiping them.

What happened to Ancient Egypt?

Cleopatra was the last Pharaoh of Egypt when it was invaded by the Romans in 30 BCE, marking an end to its reign as one of the most impressive and long-standing civilizations throughout history. After this, it became the newest province of the Roman empire and the decline of the Egyptians’ religion, traditions, and way of life began.

Today, we see Ancient Egypt as one of the almost mythical civilizations in history, and even now people are still finding burial chambers and the foundations of temples and settlements that no one knew existed. After their fall, all the information about abandoned tombs and cities was simply just forgotten, and later invading forces made an effort to destroy information about opposing religions, like the Islamic invasion that took place between 639 and 642 AD. This attack on the country converted its population to yet another religion and saw the mass destruction of religious artifacts and scripture, many of which could reveal the locations of some of the things we are finding today.