The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word PHARAOHS
P
H
A
R
A
O
H
S
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Egyptians" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case egyptians = pharaohs.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does PHARAOHS mean?
PHARAOHS noun- The supreme ruler of Ancient Egypt; a formal address for the sovereign seat of power as personified by the 'king' in an institutional role of Horus son of Osiris; often used by metonymy for Ancient Egyptian sovereignty
- The card game faro.