Ancient Egyptian civilizations first began along the Nile River when nomads grew tired of the dangers of traveling and settled into villages for safety. With a gift for building, they began to create their own bricks and later discovered a way to build from stone; this lead to the construction of the great pyramids. Pharaohs ruled the society and were highly respected. Because of its location Pharaohs had a difficult time protecting the land from intruders and Egypt was eventually conquered by the Roman Empire.