The oldest structures in Cairo date back only to the last couple of centuries BC during Greco-Roman period; however, on the fringes of the city stand the Giza Pyramids, some of the oldest structures on Earth. Despite their proximity to Cairo, the difference in age between the pyramids and the city itself are proof of their different histories.
The pyramids at Giza and elsewhere in the desert near Cairo are a part of the legacy of an older city and civilization that fell into decline long before Cairo was founded. This civilization named this area Memphis, which was the seat of power to the Old Kingdom (2686—2181 BC) of Ancient Egypt, home to the pharaohs that raised the pyramids.
Memphis was the ancient capital of Inebu-hedj, the first nome of Lower Egypt that was known as mḥw ("north"). Its ruins are located near the modern town of Mit Rahina, 20 km (12 mi) south of Giza in Greater Cairo, Egypt.
According to legends related in the early third century BC by Manetho, a priest and historian who lived in the Ptolemaic kingdom during the Hellenistic period of ancient Egypt, the city was founded by King Menes. It was the capital of ancient Egypt (Kemet or Kumat) during the Old Kingdom and remained an important city throughout ancient Egyptian history.
It occupied a strategic position at the mouth of the Nile Delta, and was home to bustling activity. Its principal port, Peru-nefer, featured a high density of workshops, factories, and warehouses that distributed food and merchandise throughout the ancient kingdom. During its golden age, Memphis thrived as a regional center for commerce, trade, and religion.
Memphis was believed to be under the protection of the god Ptah, the patron of craftsmen. Its great temple, Hut-ka-Ptah (meaning "Enclosure of the ka of Ptah"), was one of the most prominent structures in the city. The name of this temple, by Manetho, is believed to be the etymological origin of the modern English name Egypt.
The history of Memphis is closely linked to that of the country itself. Its eventual downfall is believed to have been due to the loss of its economic significance in late antiquity, following the rise of coastal Alexandria.
Its religious significance was diminished after the abandonment of the ancient religion following the Edict of Thessalonica in 380 AD that enforced adoption of Nicene Christianity solely throughout the Roman Empire.
Today, the ruins of the former capital offer fragmented evidence of its past. Along with the pyramid complex at Giza, they have been preserved as a World Heritage Site since 1979. The site is open to the public as an open-air museum.
Name: we have various theories regarding its name as below:
Memphis has had several names during its history of almost four millennia. Its Ancient Egyptian name was Inebu-hedj (translated as "the white walls")
Because of its size, the city also came to be known by various other names that were the names of neighborhoods or districts that enjoyed considerable prominence at one time or another. For example, according to a text of the First Intermediate Period, it was known as Djed-Sut ("everlasting places"), which is the name of the pyramid of Teti.
At one point the city was referred to as Ankh-Tawy (meaning "Life of the Two Lands"), stressing the strategic position of the city between Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. This name appears to date from the Middle Kingdom (c. 2055–1640 BCE), and is frequently found in ancient Egyptian texts. Some scholars maintain that this name was that of an area that contained a sacred tree, the western district of the city that lay between the great Temple of Ptah and the necropolis at Saqqara.
At the beginning of the New Kingdom (c. 1550 BC), the city became known as mn-nfr (anglicized as Men-nefer, meaning "enduring and beautiful"), which became "Memfi" in Bohairic Coptic. The name "Memphis" is the Greek adaptation of the name that they had given to the pyramid of Pepi I, located west of the city.
While attempting to draw ancient Egyptian history and religious elements into that of their own traditions, the Greek poet Hesiod in his Theogony explained the name of the city by saying that Memphis was a daughter of the Greek river god Nilus and the wife of Epaphus (the son of Zeus and Io), who founded the city and named it after his wife.
In the Bible, Memphis is called Moph or Noph.
Location:
The city of Memphis is 20 km (12 mi) south of Cairo, on the west bank of the Nile. The modern cities and towns of Mit Rahina, Dahshur, Abusir, Abu Gorab, and Zawyet el'Aryan, in a village called "Meet Raheena" in Badrasheen, a city located 13 miles south of Giza. The site is over 5000 years old so little of the actual city remains, but it still boasts several impressive artifacts and an array of statues that have been uncovered in the past century.
History:
During the Old Kingdom, Memphis became the capital of Ancient Egypt for more than eight consecutive dynasties. The city reached a peak of prestige under the Sixth Dynasty as a centre for the worship of Ptah, the god of creation and artworks. The alabaster sphinx that guards the Temple of Ptah serves as a memorial of the city's former power and prestige. The Memphis triad, consisting of the creator god Ptah, his consort Sekhmet, and their son Nefertem, formed the main focus of worship in the city.
Memphis declined after the Eighteenth Dynasty with the rise of Thebes and the New Kingdom, but was revived under the Persians, before falling firmly into second place following the founding of Alexandria. Under the Roman Empire, Alexandria remained the most important Egyptian city. Memphis remained the second city of Egypt until the establishment of Fustat (or Fostat) in 641 AD. Afterward it was largely abandoned and became a source of stone for the surrounding settlements. It was still an imposing set of ruins in the twelfth century, but soon became little more than an expanse of low ruins and scattered stone.
The Open Museum in Meet Raheena:
Among the most important monuments in the open museum of Meet Raheena - ruins left from ancient Memphis - are the statue of Ramses II at the entrance and the huge statue of Ramses II which lies on the ground. There is also a statue of Alabaster in the image of the Sphinx and some other monuments.
Most impressive by far is the massive statue of Ramesses II that was uncovered there, measuring over 30 feet tall. Ramesses II ruled from Thebes, near present-day Luxor, long after the height of Memphis’s power had waned in the 13th century BC, but this huge statue shows that the city of Memphis remained important even 1500 years after the Giza Pyramids were completed.
Rameses II: Giant Statues and Great History:
Located in the remainings of ancient Memphis, a 10-meter length statue carved from limestone was discovered near the temple of god “Ptah” (god of craftsmen and architects) by the Italian archeologist Giovanni Caviglia in 1820. Another giant statue of Ramses II was also found in the temple of god “Ptah”, which was close to the original shape and it was used to be a central monument in Ramses Square in Cairo Museum until 2006. This statue is now the most remarkable icon at the entrance of the Grand Egyptian Museum. King Ramses II, often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated and most powerful pharaoh of the New Kingdom reigned -1279-1213 BC (19th Dynasty), gained his reputation and the love of the ancient Egyptians due to his many military expeditions that regained posse to Egyptian lands such as Nubia and Canaan. His successors and later Egyptians called him the "Great Ancestor."
The Necropolis of the Ancient City of Memphis:
Considered one of the most important archeological sites in the world, the Necropolis of Saqqara was used by ancient citizens of Memphis as a cemetery for Kings, non-kings, and also animals. The most important tombs found in the Necropolis of Saqqara was the Mastaba of Ti and the tomb for King Djoser - found in the Step pyramid of Djoser- the first pyramid ever built. The Mastaba of Ti - one of the most detailed and preserved tomb ever to be found - has helped the modern civilization to learn more about life in the Old Kingdom. It is one of the only resources of knowledge about life in that era. Saqqara Necropolis is also home to the largest complex of animal cemeteries and cult buildings. Ancient Egyptians had many pets and animals were very important to agriculture. Cats were believed to watch over their children while many other animals were considered sacred such as falcons, hawks, and scarab beetles.