In the sixth Dynasty (2,345-2,181BC) there were long stable reigns, with economic growth and colonial expansion. Another great King, Pepy I (2,321-2,287 BC), led military expeditions into Nubia and the Middle East, as did his son Merenre. Pepy I built many monuments and temples, but they are now lost. The world’s first life-sized copper statue is a remarkable version of Pepy I found at Hierakonpolis. Surprisingly it had a smaller statue encased within it, probably of his son. 

At the end of the Old Kingdom the now-hereditary Nomarchs (Provincial Governors) had become much more powerful, and the King, Pepy II, was old and losing power – he died aged 94, having reigned for some 60 years. Taxes collected were no longer sufficient as there were so many exemptions, external trade dried up, Egypt was bankrupt and food was in very short supply. This led in 2,181 BC to the First Intermediate Period - over 100 years of social and political decline, insurrection, anarchy and invasion of the Delta from the west by the desert tribes, and later by Asiatics from the east. Egypt broke into several regions, so it was no longer a united powerful State. Furthermore, towards the end of the Old Kingdom, the collapse of Egypt would have significantly damaged the Phoenician, Palestinian and Syrian economies

9.29 The Empires

City States throughout Greater Mesopotamia, Egypt, Anatolia, Persia and subsequently Crete, Greece and Rome, waxed and waned as strong leaders expanded their control. They often set up dynasties, only for others to displace them in due course. A number of these expansions became notable Empires, and are described below in approximate chronological order.

9.30 Akkadians (2334-2154)

Around 2,334 BC, Sargon, an Akkadian official based in the city-state of Kish killed its ruler and seized control. The Akkadians were a Semitic speaking people (the Afro-Asiatic language of the Jews, Phoenicians, Assyrians and Arabs, and ultimately the source of Hebrew and Arabic). Their language, Akkadian, became the language of Babylonia. The Akkadians were the immediate northern neighbours of the Sumerians. Sargon (2334-2279 BC) became their overall leader, invaded Sumer, ending the Early Dynasties of Ur, and went on to unify the Sumarian City States creating the first “Empire” known in history.

Map of Akkadian Empire - source txwes.edu

The Akkadians caused significant change to political thought and artistic style, although the previous Sumerian Culture greatly influenced them. A marked difference now was that a large proportion of the people, particularly the Semitic element, had personal loyalty to Sargon rather than their particular Akkadian or Sumerian City State. With a series of remarkable military campaigns he conquered Susiana, and parts of Syria and Anatolia. At its height his Empire stretched from South Anatolia to Byblos on the Lebanese Coast and to Susiana in South Iran (Persia). He was particularly interested in securing a supply of wood from Lebanon and North Syria. Sargon built himself a splendid new Capital City called Agade or Akkad, which has now completely disappeared and its location lost. He understood the need to have contact with his neighbours and sent trading missions to Egypt, Persia and India.