There was a lot of travel and empire-building around the Mediterranean. Greek historian Herodotus wrote extensively about the pyramids in the 5th century BC (500–400 BC). The Great Pyramid was already 2,000 years old. Travel was easy enough for him to see the pyramids himself, so certainly they were not news to the Greeks.

Egypt was later ruled by Greeks starting with Alexander the Great’s invasion in the 4th century BC. That lasted for 300 years and Cleopatra was the last Greek Pharoah. Then came Roman rule (think Caesar & Cleopatra and Antony & Cleopatra), but Greek was still the language of the elites.

Something I find astounding is that the Pyramids were 2,500 years old at Cleopatra’s time, while Cleopatra was born 2,100 years before our time.

So they were probably known well before that, but I knew about Herodotus and Greek Egypt off the top of my head.

GQ! I wonder about ancient China/India having knowledge of them from traders and what they must have thought?

There seems to be a mute at a certain point 3500 years ago…

@Call_Me_Jay That is a great answer to a great question! I am blown away by your knowledge. I do know, from attempted study of ancient Hindu civilizations (Harappa and Mohenjo-Dar) that the ancient Hindus did not have the writing skill developed to any extent. In fact, the first written record of Indian civilization is by the Greek ambassador to India in about 300 BC.

I have seen the Great Pyramid, among others. It is truly mind-boggling two imagine it could have been built over 4,500 years ago.