Whose Rule Unified Ancient Egypt?

The pharaoh Narmer (often identified with the legendary Menes) is traditionally credited with unifying Upper and Lower Egypt around 3100 BC, founding the First Dynasty and establishing Memphis as the capital. The Narmer Palette, a carved slate slab discovered in 1898, depicts a king wearing the crowns of both Upper and Lower Egypt, symbolising unification. This event marked the beginning of dynastic Egypt, which lasted over 3,000 years through roughly 30 dynasties. Some historians believe unification was a gradual process rather than a single conquest.