After the legendary first pharaohs unified Egypt around 3100 B.C., they built a new capital at Memphis.

From the royal city, strategically located between Upper and Lower Egypt, the pharaohs collected taxes from around the country and dispensed patronage to local lords.

The city is known for the nearby pyramids, where pharaohs were buried, as well as the Great Sphinx.

Memphis declined after the rise of Thebes and then Alexandria. Today it is preserved as a heritage site.