History of Nubia

Introduction
Nubia has had a long history spanning thousands of years.  Its name comes from the ancient Egyptian word nub, which meant "gold."

The presence of gold in the African region may have been one of the main reasons why the ancient Egyptians colonized Sudan.  Whether the gold's presence was the reason or not, either way, Ancient Egypt's New Kingdom took away hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds of gold each year after it conquered the southern Nubian kingdom of Kush. (http://www.homestead.com/wysinger/ancientafrica.html)

Here are some highlights from ancient Egyptian and Nubian history...

NEOLITHIC PERIOD (5000-3100 BCE): Early to Middle Neolithic; signs of domestication, agriculture and hunting.

EARLY DYNASTIC PERIOD (3100-2686): During Dynasties I and II... Upper and Lower Egypt are united, Pharoahs are absolute rulers, and the pyramids are built; meanwhile, Kerma becomes the capital to Nubia, the homeland of Africa's earliest black culture with a history which can be traced as far back as 7000 BC.

OLD KINGDOM (2686-2181): During Dynasties III through VI... the Step Pyramid at Saqqara is built, as are the pyramids at Dahshur and Giza, and Egypt is reunified by Theban rulers.

FIRST INTERMEDIATE PERIOD (2181-2050): During Dynasties VII through X... there is a powerful central government, and an expansion into Nubia Capital at Lisht, near Memphis.

MIDDLE KINGDOM (2050-1786): During Dynasties XI and XII... more tombs and temples are built, the country is in decline during a rapid succession of rulers, and the Hyksos occupy Egypt from Syria and Palestine; meanwhile, the number of pyramids in Nubia total at 223, which was double the number of pyramids of its neighbor Egypt.

SECOND INTERMEDIATE PERIOD (1786-1567): During Dynasties XIII through XVII... Theban dynasty begins reunification process.

NEW KINGDOM (1567-1085): By this time, the kingdom of Kush has been established to the south of Egypt.  During Dynasty XVIII, the Armana Period, and Dynasties XIX and XX... Egypt has an age of conquest from Syria to the Sudan.

LATE DYNASITC PEROD (1085-332): During Dynasties XXI to XXXI... Weak Egyptian kings rule from the delta during economic and political decline amidst civil and workers' strikes, as well as royal tombs being robbed.  Egypt falls into chaos and becomes fragmented into rival states.  Napata becomes center of Nubian Kingdom from around 800 BC and lasts for over 400 years.  In 747 BC, the city of Thebes in southern Egypt is threatened by northerners, and the Egyptians call upon the Nubian King for protection.  The Kushite king, Piye, marches north from the capital and Napata, rescues Thebes and reunifies Egypt.  Nubians then start cultural revival.

MACEDONIAN RULERS (332-304): Alexander the Great founds the city of Alexandria but never lives to see the city.  Cleomenes and Naukratis in charge of the territory after he leaves in 331 BC, although this position was later claimed by Ptolemy.  Ptolemy's generals divide the kingdom after Alexander dies.

PTOLEMIC PERIOD (304-30): The Hellenistic Ptoelmaic Dynasty begins.

ROMAN PERIOD (30 BC-c.450 AD): Last ruler, Cleopatra VII, allies with Mark Antony against Rome, but are defeated at the Battle of Actium by Octavian.

ARAB PERIOD (starts at 636 AD): Arab conquest starts in 636 AD, and Egypt is under their total control by 642, and the Arabic language and Islam are introduced.  Meanwhile, Queen Amanirenas (24 BC) presided over the kingdom of Meroe; she and her son, Akinidad, led a fierce attack on a Roman fort at the Egyptian city Aswan.

(For a more detailed timeline: you can go here.)

However, Nubian civilization certainly does not end there.

The Nubians still live today in their own community, which today is still mostly in Africa.  They even have their own website here.

(For a list and history of rulers in Ancient Nubia, go here.)