Social Mosticity Of Ancient Egypt

The social norms of Ancient Egypt were exceptionally atypical from those of other nations at the time. In ancient Egypt, incest, female legal authority, female education, divorce, and promiscuity were all socially acceptable. Despite that, the social hierarchy was very similar to those of other societies at the time.

Ancient Egypt had a “class” system. At the top was the pharaoh, or divine leader, and his family followed by the vizier, and then government officials, nobles, and priests. Below the priests soldiers, then scribes followed by merchants. After merchants were craftsmen and artists followed by fishermen and farmers, and at the bottom of all: the slaves, servants, and prisoners.

The pharaoh had the most power of all humans in Ancient Egypt. He had many critical responsibilities. It was his duty to make laws and keep order. It was also his responsibility to prevent attacks from Egypt’s enemies and keeping the gods happy. The people believed that he was a god on earth.

The vizier, also known as the High Priest, was the highest administrative official, only answering to the pharaoh. The vizier responsible for overseeing administration, approving official documents, overseeing the food supply and the operations and the defense of the Pharaoh’s household, and mediating quarrels between nobility.

Nobles were in charge of overseeing and running Nomes, or the provinces of Egypt. They made local laws and were responsible for keeping peace and harmony in their Nome. While the nobles saw to the needs of the people, the priests kept the gods satisfied. They spent their time performing rituals in their respective temples.

Since scribes were the only people who could read and write, they kept record of important information such as ...

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...est were almost always practiced to preserve the dynastic succession. In lower classes, it was not done as much and almost frowned upon. Any marriage was acceptable, as long as it produced children. A fertile woman was seen as a successful woman. Men felt the need to “prove themselves” by fathering as many children as possible. Because the infant morality rate was so high and many more children died before the age of five, there was not a concern for overpopulation.

Ancient Egyptian society was unlike any other ancient society. It was much more lenient toward licentiousness and did not ostracize those who would be considered prostitutes or whores at that time period in any other country. It did not have any particular marriage ceremony nor gender preference for children. Ancient Egyptian society was also, by far, he most female friendly society of the Ancient World.