An Ounce

Did Child Pharaoh Pepi Cause Ancient Egypt's Collapse?

Jim Fugate Season 7 Episode 18

 **Ancient Egypt, Pepi II, longest reigning pharaoh, weird history, crumbling pyramids** 
This is the story of the 6-year-old king who ruled for 94 years… and maybe forgot to do anything. Sticky servants? Check. Bizarre letters? Absolutely. Pepi II’s absurdly long reign might’ve helped bring down the Old Kingdom—one slow, sandy crumble at a time. Hit play and get a taste of history that’s weird, real, and unforgettable.
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👉 WATCH NOW: So, what about that curse on Tut’s Tomb? Is it for real? - https://youtu.be/OL2-xHNCNh8

➡️ VIDEOS TO WATCH NEXT: 
Just how much history do we really have? And how much have we lost? -   https://youtu.be/Lpo8qTPBhg4

You might wish you didn’t know this about the origins of toothpaste! - https://youtu.be/wq_H-8_pKKI

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➡️ Purchase my book, Firehouse Philosophy, on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Firehouse-Philosophy-Embers-Insight-Exceptional/dp/B0BJ58Q1FS 

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Inquiries: jim@anounce.org 

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📜 1. Pepi II’s Long Reign & Historical Timeline
Source: The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt via Ancient.eu (World History Encyclopedia)
Covers: Pepi II's reign duration, accession at a young age, and the start of the First Intermediate Period.
URL:
https://www.worldhistory.org/Pepi_II/
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🏺 2. The Letter to Harkhuf (The Dancing Pygmy Story)
Source: The British Museum / Ancient Egypt: The Harkhuf Autobiography
Covers: Translation and context of Pepi II’s letter to his governor, requesting the safe return of the pygmy.
URL:
https://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/texts/harkhuf.htm
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🐝 3. The Honey-and-Flies Story (Anecdotal Reference)
Source: The Smithsonian Magazine – “Bizarre Ancient Facts”
Covers: While not confirmed by ancient sources, this modern article mentions the fly anecdote and how it’s been passed down.
URL:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/ten-bizarre-facts-from-ancient-egypt-2318783/
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🏗️ 4. Pepi II’s Pyramid at Saqqara
Source: Digital Egypt for Universities – University College London
Covers: Dimensions, condition, and materials used in Pepi II’s pyramid.
URL:
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/museums-static/digitalegypt//saqqara/pyr_pepi2.html
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📉 5. Collapse of Central Authority and First Intermediate Period
Source: Khan Academy – Ancient Egyptian History: First Intermediate Period
Covers: How Pepi II’s long reign contributed to political decline and decentralization.
URL:
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/world-history-beginnings/ancient-egypt/a/the-first-intermediate-period

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Attributions and Credits:

Music: All music sourced from Cyberlinks Power Director 365 Ai music generator.
Images and Video from iStock, Getty, and generated with AI as noted in video.

0:00 Intro to Pepi the 2nd
1:03 Pepi Takes The Throne
1:44 Flies
2:36 Dancing Pigmy
3:16 Pepi’s Pyramid
4:22 Going No Where… Slow
5:10 Perspectives
5:49 An Ounce 

10 second pre-roll promo for An Ounce Podcast on YouTube