List of historical capitals of Egypt

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The current capital of Egypt is Cairo. Over the course of history, however, Egypt's capital has changed.

List of Egyptian capitals[]

  • Thinis/Memphis:(3150 BC - 2686 BC) - I and II dynasties
  • Memphis: (2686 BC – 2160 BC) – III dynasty to VIII dynasty
  • Herakleopolis Magna: (2160 BC – 2040 BC) – IX and X dynasties
  • Thebes: (2135 BC – 1985 BC) – XI dynasty
  • Itjtawy: (1985 BC – c.1700 BC) – XII dynasty and XIII dynasty before Merneferre Ay
  • Avaris: (1725 BC – 1550 BC) – XIV dynasty and XV dynasty (Hyksos)
  • Thebes: (c.1700 BC – c. 1353 BC) – XIII dynasty possibly starting from Merneferre Ay, then XVI dynasty to XVIII dynasty before Akhenaten
  • Akhetaten: (c. 1353 BC – c. 1332 BC) – Akhenaten of XVIII dynasty
  • Thebes: (c. 1332 BC – 1279 BC) – XVIII dynasty and XIX dynasty until Seti I
  • Pi-Ramesses: (1279 BC – 1078 BC) – XIX dynasty starting from Ramesses II and XX dynasty
  • Tanis: (1078 BC – 945 BC) – XXI dynasty
  • Bubastis/Tanis: (945 BC – 715 BC) – XXII dynasty
  • Leontopolis/Thebes: (818 BC – 715 BC) – XXIII dynasty
  • Sais: (725 BC – 715 BC) – XXIV dynasty
  • Napata/Memphis (715 BC – 664 BC): The Kushite XXV dynasty rulers were based in Napata, Sudan but ruled Egypt from Memphis
  • Sais: (664 BC – 525 BC) – XXVI dynasty
  • Memphis: (525 BC – 404 BC) – XXVII dynasty (first satrapy of Egypt under the Achaemenid Empire)
  • Sais: (404 BC – 399 BC) – XXVIII dynasty
  • Mendes: (399 BC – 380 BC) – XXIX dynasty
  • Sebennytos: (380 BC – 343 BC) – XXX dynasty
  • Memphis: (343 BC – 332 BC) – XXXI dynasty (second satrapy of Egypt under the Achaemenid Empire)
  • Alexandria: (332 BC – 641 AD) – Greco-Roman period

Muslim period:

  • Fustat: (641 AD – 750 AD)
  • Al-Askar: (750 – 868 AD)
  • Al-Qata'i: (868 – 905 AD)
  • Fustat: (905 – 972 AD)
  • Cairo: the current capital since 972 AD

See also[]

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