Slaves in Egypt

[MafiaMaster]

Did the Egyptian Pharoahs use slavery? I think I read on a post on this site from someone that they did not use slavery. If they did not use slavery, how were they able to build those massive pyramids? I mean...Did they pay people to do it and if so, then they would basically be paying people for their own deaths because weren't they killed after finishing it so that no one would have the plans to get into the pyramid and rob it? Were there slaves in Egypt? If not, does that mean the whole story of Moses is false too? I'm really quite curious. Thanks to whoever can help me out.

[Lord_Cronus]

I believe I'm the one you were referring to about no slaves. There was a very good show on the history channel a while back about building the pyramids. It told the story of one of the citizens who helped build it. The pyramids were built during a time when the Nile River was in flood stage and it was impossible to farm. The King's would then call upon his subjects to do the will of the Gods and provide him a place of eternal rest. It was the job of every citizen to serve the empire, and so they did. I'm not sure about killing the workers, the guy that was telling the story lived well beyond their completion. I'll have to look into it a bit further.

[fire_of_sekhmet]

Agree with you that the pyramids were built by citizens. I think I have seen that history channel special. I dont think slavery became big in egypt until Middle or New Kingdom period.

[Salah ad-Din]

Agree with you that the pyramids were built by citizens. I think I have seen that history channel special. I dont think slavery became big in egypt until Middle or New Kingdom period.

Agreed; the subjugation of Nubian, Libyan, and Semite tribes under the Middle and New kingdoms is what gave rise to slavery in Egypt of the kind we see in the Book of Exodus.