6.3 Theban resistance and the expulsion of the Hyksos

The Theban resistance against Hyksos rule marked a pivotal moment in ancient Egyptian history. As the 17th Dynasty emerged in Thebes, they championed traditional Egyptian culture and launched military campaigns against the foreign rulers who controlled Lower Egypt.

The expulsion of the Hyksos led to Egypt's reunification under Ahmose I, ushering in the New Kingdom era. This period saw Egypt's expansion into the Near East, a strengthened military, and lasting cultural changes, including a more defensive worldview and the adoption of new technologies.

The Rise of Theban Power and the 17th Dynasty

Rise of Theban power

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• The Hyksos, a Semitic people from the Levant, established control over Lower Egypt during the Second Intermediate Period (c. 1650-1550 BCE)
  • Established their capital at Avaris in the Nile Delta
  • Extended their rule as far south as Cusae in Middle Egypt
• The native Egyptian 17th Dynasty, based in Thebes, emerged as a major force in the resistance against Hyksos rule
  • Gradually increased their power and influence in Upper Egypt
  • Maintained the traditional Egyptian culture, religion, and language at the Theban court
• Theban rulers of the 17th Dynasty, such as Seqenenre Tao II and Kamose, actively opposed Hyksos rule
  • Seqenenre Tao II engaged in military campaigns against the Hyksos, evidenced by his mummy bearing signs of a violent death in battle
  • Kamose, the last ruler of the 17th Dynasty, launched aggressive campaigns against the Hyksos and their allies, recorded in the Kamose Stelae

Military campaigns against Hyksos

• Kamose, the last ruler of the 17th Dynasty, initiated a series of military campaigns against the Hyksos
  • The Kamose Stelae, discovered at Karnak, provide a detailed account of his campaigns
  • Captured the Hyksos-controlled city of Nefrusy
  • Intercepted a message between the Hyksos king Apophis and the Nubian ruler of Kush, revealing their alliance
  • Kamose's campaigns weakened the Hyksos' power and paved the way for their eventual expulsion
• Ahmose I, the founder of the 18th Dynasty, completed the expulsion of the Hyksos and reunified Egypt
  • Besieged and captured the Hyksos capital of Avaris after a series of battles
  • The Rhind Mathematical Papyrus, dated to Ahmose I's reign, mentions the "Year of the Hyenas," likely referring to the chaotic aftermath of the Hyksos expulsion
  • Pursued the fleeing Hyksos into southern Canaan, besieging and capturing the city of Sharuhen after a three-year siege

Factors in Theban resistance success

• Theban rulers of the 17th Dynasty promoted a revival of traditional Egyptian culture and religion
  • The worship of Amun, the patron deity of Thebes, gained prominence during this period
  • Portrayed themselves as the legitimate rulers of Egypt and the defenders of Maat (cosmic order)
• The Theban resistance movement benefited from the support of the local population and the priesthood
  • Seen as the protectors of Egyptian culture and religion against foreign domination
  • The priesthood of Amun, based in Thebes, provided ideological and economic support to the Theban rulers
• The Hyksos' rule was weakened by internal divisions and a lack of centralized control
  • Hyksos kings were primarily concerned with maintaining control over Lower Egypt and the Levantine trade routes
  • Decentralized rule allowed the Theban rulers to gradually expand their influence in Upper Egypt

Consequences of Hyksos expulsion

• Led to the reunification of Egypt under the rule of the Theban-based 18th Dynasty
  • Ahmose I, the founder of the 18th Dynasty, became the first pharaoh of the New Kingdom (c. 1550-1069 BCE)
  • Reunification marked the beginning of a period of political stability, economic prosperity, and military expansion
• Significant expansion of Egyptian power and influence in the Near East
  • Egyptian army, reformed and strengthened during the wars against the Hyksos, became a formidable force in the region
  • Established a network of vassal states and trading partners in the Levant and Nubia
• The experience of foreign rule during the Second Intermediate Period had a lasting impact on Egyptian culture and ideology
  • Developed a more xenophobic and militaristic worldview, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the boundaries of the "Two Lands" (Upper and Lower Egypt)
  • New Kingdom pharaohs, particularly those of the 18th Dynasty, were portrayed as divine warriors and the protectors of Egypt against foreign threats
• The Hyksos introduced new technologies and cultural elements that were adopted and adapted by the Egyptians
  • Adopted the horse and chariot, which became key elements of the New Kingdom military
  • Adopted new musical instruments, such as the lute and the lyre, introduced by the Hyksos