Decline of the Old Kingdom (jan 1, 2500 BC – jan 1, 2130 BC)
Description:
Administrative posts are made hereditary under the Fifth Dynasty (Freeman, Pg 25); individuals occupying these positions reside in and administer the provinces as local educated nobility ("); this system leads to a power transfer away from the centre, with this transition indicated by the building of grand tombs for local officials in the provinces (") - a practice contradicting that of tradition, whereby the king himself is the only figure who has a tomb for himself (with officials buried in the grounds) ("); rainfall in Northern Africa diminishes, leading to reports of famine ("); long reign of Pepy II at approximately 70 years leads to the "fossilisation of politics" ("), and thus ensures that royal power continues to decline as the power of provincial nobility becomes entrenched and gain in relative strength (");
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History of Civilisation
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