Ancient Egypt lasted over 3,000 years due to natural barriers protecting it. It was located along the middle and lower Nile River, surrounded by deserts to the east and west and the Mediterranean Sea to the north. Major cities included those along the Nile like Memphis, which became the early capital. Egyptian society was stratified, with pharaohs and nobles at the top and slaves at the bottom. Families, marriage, and childrearing were important cultural institutions.