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Ancient Egypt Timeline
Ancient Egypt was one of the world's first great civilizations, ruled by pharaohs along the Nile River for more than 3,000 years.
Put the Events in Order
The events shuffled, to number from first to last. With answer key.
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Ancient Egypt is one of the oldest civilizations in human history. For over three thousand years, pharaohs ruled the Nile Valley, building towering pyramids, carving temples out of rock, and creating one of the most distinctive and enduring cultures the world has ever seen. Egypt's story runs from the unification of the kingdom around 3100 BC all the way to the death of Cleopatra in 30 BC, when Egypt became part of the Roman Empire. In between, builders raised the Great Pyramid, scribes filled tomb walls with hieroglyphs, and soldiers and diplomats made Egypt a power that other nations had to reckon with.
- ~3100 BC
Egypt Unified
Pharaoh Narmer unites Upper and Lower Egypt into a single kingdom for the first time.
Why it mattered: Unification created one of the ancient world's first great civilizations, which would endure for more than three thousand years.
- ~2650 BC
Age of the Pyramids Begins
Pharaoh Djoser's architect Imhotep builds the first pyramid — the Step Pyramid at Saqqara.
Why it mattered: The Step Pyramid pioneered large-scale stone construction and launched the great age of pyramid building that followed.
- ~2560 BC
Great Pyramid of Giza
Pharaoh Khufu completes the Great Pyramid at Giza — the tallest structure humans had ever built.
Why it mattered: The Great Pyramid remained the tallest building on Earth for more than 3,800 years and still stands as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
- ~1550 BC
The New Kingdom
Egyptian rulers expel foreign invaders and begin the New Kingdom, the most powerful era of Egyptian history.
Why it mattered: Pharaohs like Thutmose III, Hatshepsut, and Ramesses II built a wealthy empire and left behind Egypt's most spectacular temples and monuments.
- ~1353 BC
Akhenaten's Radical Reign
Pharaoh Akhenaten bans Egypt's traditional gods and orders everyone to worship only the sun god Aten.
Why it mattered: His radical religious change was reversed after his death and Egypt returned to its many gods — one of history's most striking experiments in religious change.
- ~1323 BC
Tutankhamun Rules and Dies Young
The young pharaoh Tutankhamun rules for about ten years before dying at roughly eighteen years of age.
Why it mattered: Though a minor king in his own time, his nearly untouched tomb was found in 1922 and gave the world its most dazzling look inside an ancient Egyptian royal burial.
- ~1274 BC
Battle of Kadesh
Pharaoh Ramesses II fights the Hittites to a standstill at Kadesh and later signs a peace treaty with them.
Why it mattered: The resulting peace treaty is one of the oldest known written treaties in history — a record of two rival empires agreeing to stop fighting.
- 332 BC
Alexander the Great Conquers Egypt
The Macedonian king Alexander the Great takes Egypt from Persian rule and founds the city of Alexandria.
Why it mattered: Greek language and culture blended with Egyptian tradition, and Alexandria became one of the ancient world's great centers of learning and trade.
- 305 BC
Ptolemaic Dynasty Begins
One of Alexander's generals, Ptolemy, becomes pharaoh, founding a Greek-Egyptian royal dynasty.
Why it mattered: The Ptolemies ruled for nearly 300 years, blending Greek and Egyptian culture and making Alexandria home to a famous library and lighthouse.
- 30 BC
Cleopatra and the End of Pharaonic Egypt
Cleopatra VII, the last pharaoh of Egypt, dies after being defeated by Rome, and Egypt becomes a Roman province.
Why it mattered: More than three thousand years of pharaonic Egypt came to an end — the age of the pharaohs was over.
Ancient Egypt Quiz
Check what you learned — read on screen, or download the Quiz with Answer Key above for a worksheet version.
What did Pharaoh Narmer do around 3100 BC?
- A) Built the Great Pyramid at Giza as his own tomb
- B) United Upper and Lower Egypt into one kingdom
- C) Drove foreign invaders out and began the New Kingdom
- D) Signed a peace treaty with the Hittites after Kadesh
What record did the Great Pyramid of Giza hold?
- A) It was the tallest structure on Earth for over 3,800 years
- B) It was the largest temple ever built to the sun god Aten
- C) It was the first pyramid ever built, designed by Imhotep
- D) It was the only royal tomb never opened until 1922
What was the New Kingdom?
- A) Egypt's last era, when Greek kings ruled from Alexandria
- B) Egypt's earliest era, when Narmer first united the two lands
- C) Egypt's pyramid era, when the Great Pyramid rose at Giza
- D) Egypt's most powerful era, a time of empire and great monuments
What unusual thing did Pharaoh Akhenaten do?
- A) Fought the Hittites at Kadesh and signed a peace treaty
- B) Moved Egypt's capital to Alexandria and built a great library
- C) Banned Egypt's many gods and allowed only the sun god Aten
- D) Built the first pyramid and started the age of pyramids
Why is Tutankhamun famous today?
- A) His armies conquered more land than any other pharaoh
- B) His nearly untouched tomb was found in 1922 full of treasures
- C) His long reign of over sixty years outlasted every other pharaoh
- D) His Great Pyramid at Giza is one of the Seven Wonders
What is significant about the Battle of Kadesh?
- A) It led to the end of the New Kingdom and Hittite rule in Egypt
- B) It led to Egypt becoming a province of the Roman Empire
- C) It led to Alexander the Great taking Egypt from Persia
- D) It led to one of the oldest known written peace treaties
Who conquered Egypt in 332 BC and founded the city of Alexandria?
- A) Alexander the Great
- B) Ramesses the Great
- C) Cyrus the Great
- D) Darius the Great
Who was Cleopatra VII?
- A) The queen of Akhenaten, who helped him worship the sun god Aten
- B) The mother of Tutankhamun, who ruled Egypt until he came of age
- C) The last pharaoh of Egypt, whose defeat ended the age of pharaohs
- D) The first woman pharaoh, who built great temples in the New Kingdom
Show answer key
1. B · 2. A · 3. D · 4. C · 5. B · 6. D · 7. A · 8. C
Teaching packThe Ancient Egypt Teaching Pack, $7 — A two-week unit for grades 5 to 7: 23 lesson slides with guided notes, illustrated readings, maps, a city-building decision, mummification, the social pyramid, hieroglyphs, a primary source, a quiz and answer keys.See the pack
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For younger students
Ancient Egypt Timeline for Kids — 7 short events with a picture for each, written for grades 2–4. Open →
How to print
Every sheet above is a ready-to-print PDF sized for US Letter paper (8.5 × 11"). The fill-in version keeps the dates and gives students lines to write each event, with the events listed at the bottom to place — good for review. The ordering activity and the quiz each end with an answer key.
Frequently asked questions
How long did ancient Egyptian civilization last?
Ancient Egypt endured for more than 3,000 years — from the unification of the kingdom around 3100 BC to the Roman conquest in 30 BC. In that time it was ruled by more than 30 dynasties of pharaohs.
What happened to ancient Egypt?
Egypt was conquered by Alexander the Great in 332 BC and then ruled by a Greek dynasty called the Ptolemies. When the last Ptolemaic ruler, Cleopatra VII, was defeated by Rome in 30 BC, Egypt became a Roman province — ending the age of the pharaohs.
What paper size should I print this on?
The timeline is sized for standard US Letter paper (8.5 × 11 in.). The Download PDF button gives you a print-ready file that fits the page automatically.