SỰ HÌNH THÀNH VÀ PHÁT TRIỂN CỦA VƯƠNG QUỐC KUSH (THẾ KỈ VIII TCN – THẾ KỈ I TCN)

Abstract

Based on the analysis of archaeological evidence and existing research on the history of Nubia, and by employing both historical and logical methods, this article examines the formation and development of the Kingdom of Kush from the eighth century BCE to the first century BCE. The findings indicate that Kush’s trajectory was shaped by three major factors: (1) favorable natural conditions and its strategic location along the Nile Valley, which facilitated the emergence of political and economic centers such as Napata and Meroe; (2) cultural interactions with Egypt, alongside processes of localization that fostered a distinctive Kushite identity expressed through architecture, script, and religious practices; and (3) diplomatic and commercial relations with major civilizations, including Egypt, Rome, and neighboring polities, which contributed to sustained prosperity. This study contributes to the scholarship by offering a renewed perspective on Kush as an independent political and cultural entity that played an active role in ancient African history, rather than viewing it solely through the lens of Egyptian influence.