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Egypt in the Third Intermediate Period
(1069-664 BC)

The Third Intermediate Period covers the centuries between the New Kingdom (about 1550-1069 BC) and the Late Period; for much, but not all, of this time, the country was divided into two or more segments. The 21st Dynasty (click here to see a family tree of the early 21st Dynasty) was a military family originally from the western deserts ('Libyans'), and nominally ruled all Egypt from Tanis in the Delta. During this time another branch of the family at Thebes took the title high priest of Amun, and ruled almost independently in Upper Egypt. Around 945 BC another military man of 'Libyan' origin, from Bubastis, established direct control over the entire country as king Sheshonq I, marking the beginning of the 22nd Dynasty. This new line also ruled from Tanis; some kings placed sons and other members of their family in important positions around the land. From the middle of the Dynasty the country gradually fell apart in civil strife, and many local rulers became independent. The '23rd Dynasty' is used by different Egyptologists to refer to different groups of kings, and expresses the phenomenon of disintegration of the state. The 24th Dynasty was the line of rulers at Sais in the western Delta, also of 'Libyan' origin. From about 725 BC the kings of Napata (in what is now Sudan) invaded Egypt, preventing the rise of the 24th Dynasty to domination, and ruled Egypt as its 25th Dynasty. The exact duration and nature of their rule is still disputed.

Kings of the Third Intermediate Period

Further Reading:

  • Fazzini 1988 (summary on politics and culture of the second half of the Third Intermediate Period)
  • Gomaà 1974 (the history of Lower Egypt in the second half of the Third Intermediate Period, German)
  • Kitchen 1986 (the major study on the Third Intermediate Period, in some points already out of date)
  • Taylor 2000 (a summary, including the results of most recent research)
UC 13002, scarab

 

For the culture of the Third Intermediate Period see Late Period | compare burials customs


 

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