Lower Egypt

• Ancient Egypt had two Divisions, Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt.
• Lower Egypt consisted of the Nile Delta a flat and featureless land. Upper Egypt was the rocky canyon, consisting of two narrow strips of land on either side of the Nile.

History

• The emblem of Lower Egypt was a Bee and the emblem of Upper Egypt was a Lotus Flower.
• Ancient Egypt was originally two different Kingdoms with different dialects and customs, which were eventually united together by the Pharaohs, around 3,100 BCE.
• Each Division was then subdivided into Nomes based on City States. This system had remained virtually unchanged for 3,000 years until the Reforms of Diocletian in 307-8 CE, when they were subdivided into smaller units called Pagi.

Upper Egypt

• This started at Elephantine Island near the Cataracts of the Nile, and had 22 Nomes numbered 1 to 22, with Elephantine as Nome number 1.

Fort Babylon

• Located near Cairo was built on 30° N, and commanded the Border between Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt. It was the collection point for Tolls paid on the Nile in either direction. (The area between Cairo and the Qena Bend is sometimes known as Middle Egypt, although technically it is a part of Upper Egypt.)

The 20 Nomes of Lower Egypt

• Lower Egypt had 20 Nomes with Memphis, (near Cairo) as Nome number 1:
  1. Memphis
  2. Letopolis
  3. Apis
  4. Ptkheka
  5. Sais
  6. Xois
  7. Hermopolis Parva
  8. Pithom
  9. Busiris
  10. Athribis
  11. Leontopolis
  12. Sebennytos
  13. Heliopolis
  14. Tanis
  15. Hermopolis Parva
  16. Mendes
  17. Diospolis Inferior
  18. Bubastis
  19. Leontopolis Tanis
  20. Per-Sopdu

Fort Babylon