The City of Meroe

Abstract

Meroe, the ancient Medewi/Bedewi, was a capital city of the kingdom of Kush. Its remains were discovered by the late 18th- to early 19th-century European travelers who relied on descriptions left by Classical authors such as Herodotus and Strabo. Thanks to the excavations carried out by British, Sudanese, Canadian, and German archaeologists we know the general layout of the city and have a basic grasp of its historical development. The earliest remains go back to the 10th century bce, but the main period of its development was from the 6th century bce to the 2nd century ce. The site of Meroe comprises four main areas: the walled Royal City, the Temple of Amun and surrounding religious complex, and two large mounds covering the domestic remains. Among the most important finds were numerous palaces, an astronomical observatory and iron production facilities. The inhabitants of Meroe relied on agriculture and cattle breeding. The gradual decline of the city began in the 3rd century ce but was given a final blow with the Axumite invasion in the 4th century ce.