11 things you may not know about Ancient Egypt-

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Ancient Egypt stood as one of the world’s most advanced civilizations for nearly 3,000 years and created a culture so rich that it has spawned its own field of study.

11 things you may not know about Ancient Egypt –

1. Cleopatra was not Egyptian

Along with King Tut, perhaps no figure is more famously associated with ancient Egypt than Cleopatra VII. But while she was born in Alexandria, Cleopatra was actually part of a long line of Greek Macedonians originally descended from Ptolemy I, one of Alexander the Great’s most trusted lieutenants. The Ptolemaic Dynasty ruled Egypt from 323 to 30 B.C., and most of its leaders remained largely Greek in their culture and sensibilities. In fact, Cleopatra was famous for being one of the first members of the Ptolemaic dynasty to actually speak the Egyptian language. (SEE AT THE END OF THIS POST AN INTERESTING FACT ABOUT ZENOBIA AND CLEOPATRA.)

2. The ancient Egyptians forged one of the earliest peace treaties on record

3. Ancient Egyptians loved board games

After a long day’s work along the Nile River, Egyptians often relaxed by playing board games. Several different games were played, including “Mehen” and “Dogs and Jackals,” but perhaps the most popular was a game of chance known as “Senet.”

4. Egyptian women had a wide range of rights and freedoms

5. Egyptian workers were known to organize labor strikes

6. Egyptian pharaohs were often overweight

7. The pyramids were not built by slaves 

These ancient construction workers were a mix of skilled artisans and temporary hands, and some appear to have taken great pride in their craft. Graffiti found near the monuments suggests they often assigned humorous names to their crews like the “Drunkards of Menkaure” or the “Friends of Khufu.”

8. King Tut may have been killed by a hippopotamus 

Scans of the young king’s body show that he was embalmed without his heart or his chest wall. This drastic departure from traditional Egyptian burial practice suggests that he may have suffered a horrific injury prior to his death. According to a handful of Egyptologists, one of the most likely causes for this wound would have been a bite from a hippopotamus.

9. Some Egyptian doctors had specialized fields of study

10. Egyptians kept many animals as pets 

The Egyptians saw animals as incarnations of the gods and were one of the first civilizations to keep household pets. Egyptians were particularly fond of cats, which were associated with the goddess Bastet, but they also had a reverence for hawks, ibises, dogs, lions and baboons. Many of these animals held a special place in the Egyptian home, and they were often mummified and buried with their owners after they died.

11. Egyptians of both sexes wore makeup 

Both men and women were known to wear copious amounts of makeup, which they believed gave them the protection of the gods Horus and Ra. The Egyptians believed their makeup had magical healing powers, and they weren't entirely wrong: Research has shown that the lead-based cosmetics worn along the Nile actually helped stave off eye infections.

Interesting fact is Zenobia claimed to be descendant of the Ptolemaic Greek Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt. According to Augustan History, an imperial declaration in 269 was sent by  Zenobia to the citizens of Alexandria, Egypt, describing the city as “my ancestral city”.

Picture by http://www.howarddavidjohnson.com/Z97.htm