Posted by Chester Morton / Sunday, 22 April 2018 / No comments
The political organization of ancient Egypt
THE POLITICAL
ORGANIZATION OF ANCIENT EGYPT
Introduction
In the course of their
history, the ancient Egyptians developed a political organization that can be
described as very efficient for their day. The political structure included
appointed officers who, through a hierarchy, reported to the overall leader of
the land called Pharaoh.
The Pharaoh
At the very top of the
political structure was The Pharaoh. He was the supreme leader of the land. He
was the Head of Government as well as the head of the religious order that had
been developed at the time. He was, in fact, equated to a god and accorded that
respect by all. It was his responsibility to appoint officers to particular
positions to carry out specific duties that helped in the smooth administration
of the empire.
The Vizier
Directly below the
Pharaoh was the position of the Vizier. He was an appointee of the Pharaoh and
worked as his right-hand man. It was his responsibility to oversee the entire
land and ensure that the citizens were happy. The position of the vizier can be
likened to that of the Prime Minister in a modern political system.
It was his duty to
adjudicate cases that were brought before him. He was enjoined to pass judgment
in a way that was fair to all parties involved.
He could not act outside
the law. Every action he took was measured by the stipulations of the laws of
the land. He could also not act according to his whims and caprices.
He reported to the
Pharaoh directly.
The Nomarks
The position of the
Nomark was the third highest in the land of ancient Egypt. The land was divided
into forty “nomes” or local districts and each was administered by a Nomark.
The position of the nomark was equal to that of a Governor of a province today. Their
responsibility, as local governors, was to administer the divisions they were
assigned to.
The Army commander
The Army Commander was
appointed by the Pharaoh. He was the head of the entire military set of the
state and he reported directly to him. He was responsible for the training and
retraining of the troops and went to war alongside the Pharaoh.
The Chief Treasurer
The Chief Treasurer was
also an appointee of the Pharaoh. He was responsible for the financial affairs
of the state. He ensured that all taxes were efficiently collected so that the
king did not lose any money that was due the state.
Minister of Public Works
He was in charge of all
public works such as the construction of buildings, pyramids, etc. He was appointed by the Pharaoh and reported to him directly.
Scribes
The scribes were the
record-keepers of the land. They kept every record of taxes paid by the people
and the general finances of the state.
Overseers
These officers were also
appointed by the Pharaoh and reported to him. It was their duty to keep record
of farming activities of the land. They recorded names of farmers and what they
need to properly function in their field.
