Ancient Nubia

Nubia, an enchanting region along the Nile River, stretches from the Nile's first cataract, just below Aswan, Egypt, to the confluence of the Blue and White Niles near Khartoum, Sudan, or more precisely, Al Dabbah.This historical land holds the remnants of the Kerma culture, a beacon of one of ancient Africa's earliest civilizations, flourishing from approximately 2500 BC until its subjugation by the New Kingdom of Egypt under Pharaoh Thutmose I in 1500 BC. The legacy of the Kerma culture endured for 400 years under the rule of the heirs of the New Kingdom of Egypt, shaping the cultural landscape of Nubia.A pivotal chapter in Nubian history unfolded with the rise of the Kingdom of Kush, a formidable empire that asserted dominance over Egypt in the ninth century BC, during the reign of Piye. This supremacy persisted through the 25th Dynasty, only to be succeeded by the native Egyptian 26th Dynasty a century later.The northern reaches of Nubia witnessed a transformative period when Greek and Roman forces invaded and annexed the territory from the 3rd century BC to the 3rd century AD. In the Greco-Roman world, this region bore the moniker Dodekaschoinos.The fourth century AD marked the intrusion of the Ethiopian Kingdom of Aksum into Kush, leading to the establishment of three Christian kingdoms—Nobatia, Makuria, and Alodia. Makuria and Alodia stood resilient for almost a millennium, their endurance etched in the annals of time. However, the sixteenth century ushered in a partition of Nubia, with the Ottomans claiming the northern half and the Sennar sultanate seizing the southern half. This era also witnessed the rapid Islamization and partial Arabization of the Nubian people.The nineteenth century brought about a reunification of Nubia with Egypt's Khedivate, further altering the historical landscape. Today, the Nubian region finds itself geographically divided between Egypt and Sudan.