S’étendant sur une période de plus de 500 ans, le royaume méroïtique a étendu son influence jusqu’aux bords du Nil Moyen. Bien qu’il soit difficile de déceler clairement les limites précises du royaume, ce dernier couvrait environ mille cinq cent kilomètres de la vallée du Nil, depuis la frontière égyptienne jusqu’au sud de l’actuelle ville de Khartoum, ainsi que des territoires annexes à l’est et à l’ouest. L’objectif premier de cette étude est de comprendre l’organisation des centres urbains en bord de Nil en établissant des comparatifs entre les sites précédemment fouillés, tel le palais de Ouad Ben Naga, les palais et les grandes demeures de la capitale antique de Méroé et le site de Mouweis actuellement fouillé par le musée du Louvre. Bien que l’on ne soit encore que peu au fait des évolutions politiques et culturelles marquant le milieu du premier millénaire avant Jésus Christ, à la naissance de l’empire méroïtique, il est évident qu’une nouvelle conception du pouvoir émergea à cette époque. Un nouveau noyau étatique est établi, quoique son étendue soit encore difficile à délimiter. La diversité manifeste à travers le matériel et l’architecture a donné lieu à des particularités régionales étonnantes. De tels exemples constituent une excellente source d’information quant au contrôle étatique pratiqué dans ces régions. Il semble que le pouvoir se soit diffusé par l’intermédiaire des grandes structures administratives et religieuses. L’apport de nouveaux sites demeure également un excellent moyen de parvenir à une appréhension plus précise de l’organisation des palais au tissu urbain associé, ainsi que leur zone d’influence dans la périphérie de leur implantation. / Extending over more than 500 years, the Meroitic kingdom extended its influence to the edges of the Middle Nile. Although it is difficult to identify clearly the specific limits of the kingdom, it covered approximately one thousand five hundred kilometers from the Nile Valley, from the Egyptian border to south of the present city of Khartoum and peripheral territories east and west. The primary objective of this study is to understand the organization of the urban centers along the Nile in establishing comparisons between sites previously excavated, such as the Wad Ben Naga palace, palaces and mansions of the ancient capital of Meroe and the site of Mouweis currently excavated by the Louvre Museum. Although there is still little awareness of the political and cultural developments marking the middle of the first millennium BC -the birth of Meroitic empire- it is clear that a new conception of power emerged at this time. A new state is established, although its extent is still difficult to define. The great cultural diversity of this kingdom is made clear through its material and architecture, which has led to amazing regional particularities. Such examples are an excellent source of information on state control practiced in these areas. It seems that power is developed through major administrative and religious centers. The addition of new sites is also a great way to achieve a more accurate understanding of the organization of palaces and their implementation inside an urban network, but also their area of influence on the rest of the city.

The thesis examined the roles and contributions of Black women during the African ancient civilization by analyzing the lives, roles and contributions of Queen Hatshepsut and Nefertiti as case studies and interrogates how Black women positioned themselves as political, military and spiritual leaders during the age of antiquity. The argument is that African women were more involved as leaders in the affairs of their communities as compared to the contemporary times. By using African centered paradigms, Afrocentricity and juxtaposing robust anti-colonial and Black feminist thoughts, the thesis investigates and recreates systematic narratives of the past roles of African women at the very height of African civilization, discussed the changes in sex-gender roles and explained why contemporary women continue to experience difficulties in assessing position of leadership and resources. The study reproduces measured facts to confront the blurred roles and contributions of African women and situates it at the centre of education.

The thesis examined the roles and contributions of Black women during the African ancient civilization by analyzing the lives, roles and contributions of Queen Hatshepsut and Nefertiti as case studies and interrogates how Black women positioned themselves as political, military and spiritual leaders during the age of antiquity. The argument is that African women were more involved as leaders in the affairs of their communities as compared to the contemporary times. By using African centered paradigms, Afrocentricity and juxtaposing robust anti-colonial and Black feminist thoughts, the thesis investigates and recreates systematic narratives of the past roles of African women at the very height of African civilization, discussed the changes in sex-gender roles and explained why contemporary women continue to experience difficulties in assessing position of leadership and resources. The study reproduces measured facts to confront the blurred roles and contributions of African women and situates it at the centre of education.