Why Egypt's Third Intermediate Period is a misnomer for a complex era

History · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Beginning in 1077 BC after the death of Ramesses XI, the Third Intermediate Period is often dismissed as a time of decline and instability. Yet, scholars like Kenneth Kitchen have challenged this narrative, suggesting that the era was far more structured and resilient than its name implies.

The Third Intermediate Period emerged following the collapse of the New Kingdom. It is characterized by significant political fragmentation and the rule of foreign dynasties, including Nubian Kushite leaders. This era unfolded alongside the broader Late Bronze Age collapse, a time of widespread societal disruption across the ancient Near East and Eastern Mediterranean, which also saw the onset of the Greek Dark Ages.

The label itself is a product of modern historiography, drawing an analogy to earlier periods of instability. By 1978, the term became firmly established after British Egyptologist Kenneth Kitchen used it as the title for his seminal work on the era. Ironically, Kitchen intended to highlight the period's sophistication, arguing that it was far from chaotic. He preferred the designation 'Post-Imperial epoch' and hoped his research would lead scholars to abandon the 'Intermediate' label entirely, but his book only served to cement the term in academic discourse.

The era eventually concluded with the transition into the Late Period. While historians debate the precise start of this subsequent phase, it is most frequently marked by the year 664 BC. This transition occurred when Psamtik I established the Twenty-Sixth Dynasty, a development that followed the expulsion of the Kushite rulers by the Assyrian forces led by King Ashurbanipal. Despite the persistent reputation of this era as a time of decline, the period remains a subject of intense study regarding how ancient states navigate political division and foreign influence.

Ultimately, the period serves as a case study in how historical labels shape our understanding of the past. By grouping these centuries under a single, pejorative-sounding title, we risk overlooking the nuanced political and cultural developments that defined the lives of those living in Egypt between the fall of the New Kingdom and the rise of the Twenty-Sixth Dynasty.

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