Ancient Egyptian society was divided into classes in a pyramid structure. The pharaoh and nobles made up the ruling class at the top as the religious and political leaders. Priests, scribes, merchants and artisans comprised the middle class of educated professionals and skilled workers. Farmers and laborers formed the largest lower class, which included slaves at the very bottom who worked for the pharaoh and nobles.

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2. Egyptian Life
Class Structure:
• Like other ancient societies, Egypt
had a class structure of various
groups of people
• At the top was the ruling elite and at
the bottom was the unskilled workers
or slaves.
• There were more people at the
bottom than top and so a diagram of
the social groups would create a
pyramid.
• Egypt’s upper class was made up of
nobles, priests and other wealthy
merchants. The middle class were
the people who owned businesses
while the lower class were those who
did the physical labor.

3. Pharaoh
• Born into being the ruler of the WORLD!
• The Pharaohs were the Kings & Queens of
Egypt.
• They were the head of government and high
priest of every temple.
• The Pharaoh owned all of Egypt.
• He or she decided what was right or what was
wrong and their word was law.
• The people of Egypt considered the pharaoh
to be half-human and half-god.
Thutmose III
1504-1450 B.C.
Tutankhamon
1336-1327 B.C.
Ramses II
1279-1212 B.C.

4. Priests
• Priests were very important people in
Egyptian times.
• Besides serving the gods, they had other jobs
such as teaching, or even helping with the
harvest.
• Priests had to be pure and clean. They
shaved their heads and bodies and washed
four times a day.
• Dem bee some clean homies.

5. Nobles
• Court officials and Noblemen held high office
in ancient Egypt and helped the Pharaoh to
rule the country. Totally BFF4L
• The Pharaoh would often reward loyal nobles
with gifts of land so that they would earn their
own money from taxes.
• They were the upper class dressed in white
linen clothes with heavy makeup and jewelry.

6. Scribes
• Scribes were the few Egyptians who knew
how to read and write.
• They were highly regarded in ancient Egypt
and had training that could last as long as
twelve years.
• This is because there were hundreds of
different hieroglyphs to remember.

7. Traders, Artisans, and
Merchants
• Egypt’s middle class included people who ran
businesses or produced goods.
• The Egyptian artisans were highly skilled
craftsmen who produced all kinds of linen
cloth, jewelry, pottery and metal goods.
• They learned their trade from their fathers
and, in turn, taught their sons.
• The Pharaoh, government, or temples often
employed them to produce things.
• Kept the country running and money flowing.

8. Farmers
• Farmers made up the largest group of ancient
Egyptians.
• Some rented their land from the ruler, paying
with a large portion of harvested of crops
while others simply worked the land of the
wealthy nobles.
• The farmers lived in villages along the Nile
River in simple one-room huts.

9. Laborers and slaves
(unskilled workers)
• Slaves were at the bottom of society.
• In Egypt, people became slaves if they owed
debt, committed a crime, or were captured in
war.
• The most famous Egyptian story of slaves
was that of the Israelites (or Jews).
• Slaves were used on building projects but also
toiled at the discretion of Pharaoh and the
Nobles.
• Life was simple as a slave. Work. That’s it.

10. Laborers and slaves
(unskilled workers)
• Slaves were at the bottom of society.
• In Egypt, people became slaves if they owed
debt, committed a crime, or were captured in
war.
• The most famous Egyptian story of slaves
was that of the Israelites (or Jews).
• Slaves were used on building projects but also
toiled at the discretion of Pharaoh and the
Nobles.
• Life was simple as a slave. Work. That’s it.