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You must be signed into the same Google account on both your phone and Chromebook. The Egyptian history podcast, Episode 23, Children of Pepi.

In the year 2,200 B.C. or thereabouts, Pepi II was reaching the end of his long and accomplished life.

He was now nearly 70 years of age and into his sixth decade on the throne.

By the standards of ancient Egyptian life this was an immense achievement and would not be replicated

for centuries until the long reign of Ramesses the second.

Ancient Egyptian records traditionally give Pepi the second a reign of 94 years, but this is not given much credence by modern historians.

For one thing, the number gives Pepi a suspiciously round number of a hundred total years in his life.

For another, the average Egyptian life expectancy was around 40 to 45. Now of course being a wealthy king with access to the royal physicians, the best

food possible and a generally comfortable lifestyle. Pepi certainly did live somewhat longer than the average Egyptian.

But 50 to 60 years longer?

I think not.

Today, Egyptologists think his reign may have lasted around 65 years, and this is the number I have gone with.

For the ancient Egyptians, who, as I've said, generally lived into their 40s this was still a

significant period of time. For Pepi and his kingdom it was both a blessing and a curse.

See the problem was that Pepi II had now outlived a great many of his children.

Many of his sons, probably fathered when the king was between the ages of

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