Pharaoh
- The pharaoh was always the most important and highest person in social classes of the ancient Egyptian times.
- He owned all of the land and maintain total control.
- The pharaoh would travel from each of his many temples in Egypt to make sure that everything was running smoothly.
- Pharaohs always had the assistance of nobles, priests, and government officials.
- In exchange though, pharaohs gave his “helpers” small pieces of land for their acts of service.
- Scribes
- People became scribes after they attended school to learn to read and write.
- Parents wanted their children attending these schools because becoming a scribe was a common way to become rich and wealthy.
- There were three levels of schools that you could attend .
- If you were wealthy and noble, you could attend the royal palace to be educated with the royal children.
- If you were middle class, you could go to temple schools or village schools.
- Scribes were employed to write legal documents throughout the country of Egypt.
- Artists, carpenters, and more skilled workers
- Artists and painters created art for the royal palace and also for other middle class citizens.
- Carpenters created furniture for the royal palace.
- Other common workers were for example jewelers that created many of the necklaces and earrings we see today.
- Laborers
- This was the largest and lowest social class in ancient Egyptian times.
- Many of them were farmers, but during flooding season they couldn’t work.
- Instead they helped the government build temples, pyramids, and other buildings.
- They also made large irrigation systems for the government from the Nile.
Citations
(Image) http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/people/social_classes.htm. 9/16/15. Web.
(Image) http://www.ushistory.org/civ/3b.asp. 9/16/15. Web.
Harris, Geraldine. Ancient Egypt. Equinox Publishing. 1990.
Harvey, Gill. Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt. Usborne Publishing. 2001.