Introduction
The king in ancient Egypt was at the top of the social pyramid and acted as a link between humans and the gods. Moreover, the king was considered the incarnation of the god Horus and “the central figure in the world view of the ancient Egyptians” (Ikmar 168). First of all, the king in Egyptian society performed a religious role, supporting the ma’at or the divine order.
In particular, being the personification of Horus on earth, the king was responsible for conducting rituals and acting as “the theological leader of the country” (Silverman 108). This religious position of the king is also in line with his secular role as ruler of the state. Thus, kingship was associated with both religious and government responsibilities. On the one hand, the king was a spiritual leader transmitting the will of the gods; on the other hand, a ruler managed the state’s economic, social, and political processes.
Examples of the Role
As the religious leader and personification of Horus on earth, the king had to participate in rituals and prayers. Thus, the main function of the king in spiritual terms was acting as a high priest (Ikmar 172). However, Silverman notes that most of the daily rituals and prayers were performed by temple priests (Silverman 108). One of the most important functions of the king as a secular ruler was to participate in battles. The king in ancient Egypt acted as the supreme commander-in-chief, leading the troops “inspired and emboldened by the gods” (Ikmar 173). Moreover, the king managed diplomacy, and foreign policy matters, as well as oversaw bureaucratic processes (Ikmar 173; Silverman 108). Finally, the king acted as an ultimatum judge when the courts could not decide on a legal issue, and all laws were issued in his name (Ikmar 173). Thus, the king acted as responsible for the administration of all spheres of the state’s functioning.
Changes from Pharaonic to the Greco-Roman Period
In the later periods of the existence of ancient Egypt, power over the state passed first to the Greeks and later to the Romans. After the capture of Egypt in 332 BC, Alexander the Great realized the traditional significance of the unity of state and church that existed in Egypt during the Pharaonic period (Bianchi 13). Thus, he performed the coronation according to the Pharaonic rites and had a religious experience with the god Ammon. This fact emphasizes that during the reign of Alexander and the Ptolemaic dynasty, the role of the king remained unchanged. Despite the change of rulers, the native Egyptians, including the descendants of the last Pharaoh of Egypt, Nectanebo II, continued to occupy offices, which became hereditary during the Ptolemies (Bianchi 13). This structure persisted until the arrival of Octavian in Egypt, who brought with him radical changes in the domestic policy of ancient Egypt.
Conclusion
With the seizure of control of Rome, the control of ancient Egypt drastically changed, along with the role of the kingship. In particular, with the arrival of Octavian, the administration of Egypt was transferred to a “government imposed upon all by officials appointed from abroad” (Bianchi 20). Even though the Romans tried to preserve the spirit of ancient Egypt in art and architecture, the role of the king as the leader of the state and religion was completely abolished.
Works Cited
Bianchi, Robert. “Ptolemaic Egypt and Rome: An Overview.” Egypt: Age of the Ptolemies, edited by Robert Bianchi, The Brooklyn Museum, 1989, pp. 13-20.
Ikram, Salima. Ancient Egypt: An Introduction. AUC Press, 2010.
Silverman, David. Ancient Egypt. AUC Press, 1999.