Episode A9 - Seventy Kings
From The Ancient World by Scott C.
January 18, 2026 · 32 min · Season 2 · Episode 9
About this episode
The episode discusses the power struggles in Egypt following the fall of the Old Kingdom, focusing on the Herakleopolitan and Theban dynasties.
Synopsis: With the fall of the Old Kingdom, power devolves to the various nomes. The Herakleopolitan House of Khety extends control over most of Egypt before eventually being defeated and deposed by the rival House of Thebes. “I took care of the towns of Hefat and Hormer in every situation of crisis, when the sky was clouded and the earth was parched and everybody died of hunger. The south came with its people and the north with its children; they brought the finest oil in exchange for the barley that was given to them. The whole of Upper Egypt died of hunger and each individual had reached such a state of hunger that he ate his own children. But I refused to see anyone die of hunger and gave to the north the grain of Upper Egypt. I brought life to the provinces of Nekhen and Edfu, Elephantine and Ombos.” – Tomb Inscription of the Nomarch Ankhtifi Episode Image: Painted osiride sandstone seated Ka statue of king Nebhepetre Mentuhotep II, on display at the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. By Prof. Mortel, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=118201367. Map of Egypt in the First Intermediate Period: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/A9_Egypt.png Episode Images…
People in this episode
Host: Scott C.
Topics covered
- Ancient Egypt
- Old Kingdom
- House of Khety
- House of Thebes
- First Intermediate Period
- Nomarchs
- Famine
Keywords
- Egypt
- Old Kingdom
- House of Khety
- House of Thebes
- Ankhtifi
- famine
- First Intermediate Period
- nomes
- Nebhepetre Mentuhotep II
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Egyptian Museum
Places: Egypt
More episodes of The Ancient World
- Episode A12 - The Flood · March 15, 2026 · 51 min
- Episode A11 - Behind the Mountains · March 1, 2026 · 52 min
- Episode A10 - The Sword of Sumer · March 1, 2026 · 42 min
- Episode A8 - Who Was King · January 7, 2026 · 43 min
- Episode A7 - The Abode of Clouds · December 21, 2025 · 40 min
- Episode A6 - The Reign of Ishtar · July 6, 2025 · 52 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Ancient World podcast page.