The Egyptian Administration in the Bilad al-Sham during the New Pharaonic State (1550-1200 B.C.)

Abstract

This study aims at investigating the Egyptian administrative systems in the Bilad al-Sham ( Syria , Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon ) from the point-view of the Egyptian administrative influence. It has already been published that the Syro-Palestine area was divided into three administrative provinces and each of which had its capital-city as well as its governor, who was either an Egyptian commissioner or one from the allying local people. Furthermore, this research points out to the minor Egyptian influence in the administrative system of Syro-Palestine, because this region was very well urbanized, and thus the concept of an Egyptian "Empire" in this area, which was applied by some Egyptologists, would be unacceptable.Therefore, the comparison between the administrative systems in the two regions is very much unlikely. Thus this study reaches the conclusion that some of the earlier studies fell in the error of excessive, generilisation the present study emphasized the point that the Egyptian administrative influence in Syro-Palestine was not strong, and actually the Egyptians adapted the political and administrative system of Syro-Palestine.