Geography of Ancient Egypt Trivia Quiz

Answer: Memphis

Cairo today lies near the ruins of several ancient Egyptian cities, including Giza and Memphis. Kerma was the capital of Nubia, a kingdom to the south of Egypt. Aswan lies further upstream on the Nile, and so does Abydos.

Answer: Saqqara

It is widely held by Egyptologists that the Pharaoh Djoser ordered the construction of the first pyramid, a relatively small step pyramid at Saqqara in 2667 BCE . Hope you didn't fall for Giza - it is well known for its pyramids, but did not have the first in Egypt. Memphis and Thebes did not really have any pyramids (at least at the time).

Answer: Pi-Ramesses

Ramesses II moved the capital here to be better able to rule the Egyptian vassal states in Mesopotamia and to be able to mobilize troops in the event of a Hittite invasion. The city was largely abandoned after the capital was moved again. Alexandria, the 'pearl of the Mediterranean', was not built by Ramesses II. Tanis was another city located on the eastern branch of the Nile Delta, which has long since silted up. Djanet is the Egyptian/Arabic name for Tanis.

Answer: West

The ancient Egyptians believed that the west was the land of the dead, since the sun 'died' (set) in west. They built their tombs and pyramids on the west side of the Nile accordingly.

Answer: True

All major Egyptian cities were located on the Nile or the Nile Delta. The harsh desert climate prevented effective settlement beyond the banks of the Nile or the Nile Delta.

Answer: Nomes

The nome is a Greek unit, which came to replace the older Egyptian 'sepat'. Egypt was divided into 42 nomes, twenty lower and twenty-two upper. Each was headed by a Nomarch, a ruler who was sometimes hereditary and sometimes appointed by the Pharaoh.

Answer: Semabedhet

In this case, the nome shares its name with the capital, unlike the vast majority of the other nomes. Per-Sodpu was the capital of Sodpu, Abdju (Abydos) was the capital of Abydos, and Shashotep was the capital of Set.

Answer: Henen-Nesut

The Greeks were fascinated with Egypt, and studied it avidly. As a result, many Egyptian locations also have Greek names. Sometimes the Greek name is used, other times, the Egyptian name is used. Per-Bastet is Bubastis, Menfe is Memphis, and Lunu is Heliopolis.

Answer: The area near Nubia.

Egyptians called the area near Nubia Upper Egypt, because it was upstream from the Nile Delta. They called the area near the Nile Delta Lower Egypt, because it lay downstream from Upper Egypt. There are no excessively mountainous regions in Egypt, and the Ancient Egyptians did not call the area near Mt. Sinai Upper Egypt.

Answer: Swenet

Swenet lies just downriver from the first cataract. Aswan is incorrect because that is the modern Arabic name of the city. Napata is in Nubia and lies near the fourth cataract. Elephantine lies just upriver of the first cataract.