History glossary
First Intermediate Period
a period of divided rule and regional competition after the Old Kingdom weakened.
- Category
- Historical period
- Region
- Ancient Egypt
- Date range
- c. 2181-2055 BCE
What it means
The First Intermediate Period followed the decline of Old Kingdom central power. Egypt did not disappear, but authority fragmented among rival dynasties and regional elites before later reunification under Middle Kingdom rulers.
