Why did the Old Kingdom disappear? Was it an overnight "collapse," or something more long term? In this episode, and the next, we explore the question in overview. This chapter focusses on the historical sources including King Lists, Classical authors like Herodotos and Manetho, and the fragmentary evidence for some of the "shadow kings" of this period…

Chronology and Historical Studies:

• Overview of all sources and scholarship at Pharaoh.se.


• M. Baud, ‘The Relative Chronology of Dynasties 6 and 8’, in E. Hornung et al. (eds), Ancient Egyptian Chronology (2006), 144—158. Available in pdf at Digital Giza.


• J. von Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999).


• W. Helck, ‘Anmerkungen zum Turiner Königspapyrus’, Studien zur Altägyptischen Kultur 19 (1992), 150–216. English translation available at Pharaoh.se.


• R. J. Leprohon, The Great Name: Ancient Egyptian Royal Titulary (2013). Available at Internet Archive.


• K. Ryholt, ‘The Turin King-List’, Ägypten und Levante / Egypt and the Levant 14 (2004), 135—155.

The History of Egypt Podcast:

• Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com.


• Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast.


• Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments.


• Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net.


• Logo image: The damaged visage of Pepy II from his pyramid at South Saqqara (Jéquier 1936).

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