The first phase is over, and the war is heating up. Around 2055 BCE, a lord of Waset/Thebes/Luxor named Intef I promoted himself far above the established norms. Sending representatives to treat with the other rulers, Intef nonetheless began to push his military power further afield. Soon, he began to isolate and attack the loyalist governors nearby…

Episode details:

• The Qena Bend and locations referenced in this episode.


• Logo image: Model soldiers from a First Intermediate Period tomb (Brooklyn MFA).


• “Godfather” Walz theme by Andrea Giuffredi.


• “Declare Independence” by Björk, instrumental version.


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


• Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com.

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• Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com.


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Select Bibliography:

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• E. Brovarski, ‘Overseers of Upper Egypt in the Old to Middle Kingdoms’, Zeitschrift für ägyptische Sprache und Altertumskunde 140 (2013), 91—111. Available online.


• J. J. Clère and J. Vandier, Textes de la Première Période Intermédiare et de la XIeme Dynastie (1948).


• J. C. Darnell, Theban Desert Road Survey in the Egyptian Western Desert, I: Gebel Tjauti Rock Inscriptions 1-45 and Wadi el-Hôl Rock Inscriptions 1-45 (2002).


• J. C. Darnell and D. Darnell, ‘New Inscriptions of the Late First Intermediate Period from the Theban Western Desert and the Beginnings of the Northern Expansion of the Eleventh Dynasty’, Journal of Near Eastern Studies 56 (1997), 241—258. JSTOR.


• A. E. Demidchik, ‘The History of the Heracleopolitan Kings’ Domain’, in H.-W. Fischer-Elfert and R. B. Parkinson (eds), Studies on the Middle Kingdom in Memory of Detlef Franke (2013), 93—106. Online.


• H. G. Fischer, Inscriptions from the Coptite Nome: Dynasties VI-XI (1964).


• H. G. Fischer, Dendera in the Third Millennium BC Down to the Theban Domination of Upper Egypt (1968).


• W. Grajetzki, The Middle Kingdom of Ancient Egypt (2006 & 2024).


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


• M. Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Literature Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms (1973).


• S. Seidlmayer, ‘The First Intermediate Period (c. 2160--2055 BC)’, in I. Shaw (ed.), The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt (2000), 108—136.


• N. Strudwick, Texts from the Pyramid Age (2005).


• T. Wilkinson, The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt: The History of a Civilisation from 3000 BC to Cleopatra (2010).


• T. Wilkinson, Lives of the Ancient Egyptians (2019).


• H. Willems, ‘The First Intermediate Period and the Middle Kingdom’, in A. B. Lloyd (ed.), A Companion to Ancient Egypt, 1 (2010), 81—100.

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