Table of Contents
When did the Old Kingdom collapse?
2150 B.C.
Conventional wisdom holds that Egypt’s Old Kingdom collapsed around 2150 B.C., soon after the death of pharaoh Pepi II, whose pyramid is now a pile of rubble.
What happened Old Kingdom?
The Old Kingdom period is most famous for building pyramids. This includes the first pyramid, the Pyramid of Djoser, and the largest pyramid, the Great Pyramid at Giza. The peak of the Old Period was during the Fourth Dynasty when pharaohs such as Sneferu and Khufu ruled.
What caused the rise and fall of ancient Egypt?
The empire flourished through the reign of Ramesses III (1186-1155 BCE) when invasions (primarily by the Sea Peoples), over-spending which depleted the treasury, corruption of government officials, loss of faith in the traditional role of the king, increased power of the priesthood, and a decline in its international …
What happened in the Old Kingdom Egypt?
The Old Kingdom of Egypt (c. 2613-2181 BCE) is also known as the ‘Age of the Pyramids’ or ‘Age of the Pyramid Builders’ as it includes the great 4th Dynasty when King Sneferu perfected the art of pyramid building and the pyramids of Giza were constructed under the kings Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure.
What was the cause of the collapse of the Old Kingdom?
Now that we know that the drought of the Nile River was one major cause in which led to the destruction of the Old Kingdom, we can focus on the second reason which was the aftermath of the drought, the famine.
When did the Old Kingdom of Egypt decline?
The Old Kingdom of ancient Egypt declined during the rule of the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties, finally dissolving in the 22nd century BCE.
What was the cause of the collapse of ancient Egypt?
The Nile River being the main cause to the downfall. As long as the annual rainfalls were able to keep the Nile River from running dry, there would be no problem with harvests. Unfortunately that would not be the case for many years in Egypt.
Where was the capital of the Old Kingdom?
The Old Kingdom began with the Third Dynasty of kings in 2686 B.C. and ended with the Eighth Dynasty, more than 500 years later. Memphis (also a Greek name) was the capital of the Old Kingdom. It was located on the banks of the Nile where Upper and Lower Egypt joined (near modern Cairo).