Ancient/Classical History/Succession of kings

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Expert: - 10/2/2006


Question
In the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt, I think that it was not
necessarily the _eldest_ son of a king who became the next one,
but the best-suited, or one chosen for some other reason. By
Biblical times, it is taken for granted that the eldest son should
succeed. How did this change come about, and is it a feature of
other civilisations too?

Answer
Egypt - always eldest son or daughter whether or not they were the best suited.

Ancient custom was the same during biblical times, eldest son in most cultures, eldest daughter in others and yet other cultures women were not permitted to inherit  so eldest male.

Ancient/Classical History

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Irulan Serena

Expertise

Along with teaching classical Literature for over thirty-eight years, I have also taught history of the Greco-Roman cultures. History and Mythology are, in my opinion, inseparable; it is necessary to have a background in both to have a clear understanding of both ends of the spectrum, the myth and the fact.

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Thirty-eight years of teaching.

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