Yes, despite Ramesses II long reign of 64 years. Pepy the Second has the longest reign yet found in Ancient Egypt. While Manetho states he ruled for 99 years, the highest date yet found by archaeology, for this Pharaoh is an amazing 67 years. While folks marvel at the 64 years of Ramesses who came to the throne as a young man with a family in the 13th century BCE. Pepy II came to the throne as a child on his mother's knee in the 23rd century BCE. Almost a thousand years before Ramesses II!

Pepy II came to the throne after the death of his older brother Pharaoh Merenre, both were sons of Pharaoh Pepy I. These boys were also cousins as well as half brothers. Their mothers were the daughters of Lord Khuni of Abydene. Upon their marriage to Pepy I they were renamed Ankhenesmerire I and II meaning "Merire lives for her". Ankhenesmerire II is famous in the sculpture of her holding her son Pharaoh Pepy II. While still a child his mother and uncle ruled in his name. It is his childish letter to the expedition leader bringing a Nubian drawf back to Pharaoh. That so delights the reader with his orders for the care of the drawf to make sure it survives the trip.

When Pepy II came to the throne, the Old Kingdom he ruled was still the a great power. During his long reign power began to shift from Pharaoh to the barons throughout the land. A lower standard of living is also noted in the remains of this time period. At his death the Old Kingdom collapsed. He left no male heir, and it is his successor who became the first true woman ruler of Egypt Queen Nitokerty, who is known only from later texts. From her Manetho says the next rulers of Egypt were 70 Pharaohs in 70 days. The Old Kingdom was in collapse and it would take until the 12th Dynasty before Egypt saw it's power return.

However long Pepy II ruled, 99 years or just 67 he remains the longest reigning Pharaoh Egypt knew.

Guest 2 ,

From what source did you find Manetho's 99 year reign of Pepi II? Everything I found he claims a 94 year reign of Pepi II. Also, what piece of evidence has his reign at a maximum 67 years? The Turin Kinglist, which was recorded during the reign of Ramses II, has Pepi II listed with a 90 year reign. http://www.ancient-egypt.org/glossary/turin_kinglist/

I'm quite curious!!!

Neb-Ma'at-Re is quiet right Pepy II is credited with a 94 year reign by Manetho. Not the 99 that i originally posted. All i can say about that is it must have been a transcriptional error that editing missed. Thank you Neb-Ma'at-Re for noticing it and bringing it to my attention.

For the 67 years of actual rule. Please see Egypt, Canaan and Israel in Ancient Times, by Donald B. Redford, Princeton University Press, 1992 pg 57-58. " The last dated text of the reign is dated to year 67."

For a less precise date please see A History of Ancient Egypt, by Nicolas Grimal, Blackwell Publishers, 1999 pg 89. "...but the latest known regnal date is that of the thirty-third census, which would suggest a definite lenght of about fifty to seventy years."

Again thank you very much Neb-Ma'at-Re for finding that error

Your list of sources is impressive, but the fact remains that:

the variously coventionally given dates for the Early and Old Kingdom are admittedly based on pure speculation. The calibrated carbon chronology that dominates all archaelogical surveys of today rather would date Pepi II around 2400-2350 BC on average, which I found to be correct and solving nigh all synchronism problems and anomalies egyptologists are currently faced with.

Regarding Pepi II's extreme reign-length of 94 years, and even his age of accession, it is only based on a single unattested statement of Manetho, and a similar entry of 90+ years found in the greatly flawed Turin Canon. The last attested year of Pepi II is the year after his 31st Count. Since the 1st Count always occured in a kings second year, it follows that the 31st Count, was Pepi II's year 62, and the year after must therefore have been year 63 (see Toby A.H. Wilkinson: 'Royal Annals of Ancient Egypt, the Palermo Stone and its associated fragments', Kegan Paul International, London & New York, 2000, p. 63 ff.). If you and your sources however insist on year 62 to be the last attested year, that's fine with me. Whatever the case, it shows that Pepi II rather reigned only 64 years than 94 years, which simply must have been a single scribal error already made by the authors of the Turin Canon. Egyptologists had to admit - much to their dismay - that the Turin Canon none of its reign-lengths correct and cannot be relied on at all (the author seems to be guessing most of the time), in stark contrast to Manetho who has nearly all of his reign-lengths bcorrect. The Turin Canon doesn't even have Pepi I's reign-length (20 years) correct, while the monuments give him at least 48-50 years, thus basically confirming Manetho's 53 years for Pepi I.
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Pepi II figured as a child sitting on his mother's lap.


Pepi II figured as a Horus-child in an unusual posture.[/url]

Pepi II figured as a child sitting on his mother's lap.


Pepi II figured as a Horus-child in an unusual posture.[/img]

Pepi II figured as a child sitting on his mother's lap.

Sambacats, I stand by my sources. If you had read my entry with more care, you would have found the following, which, basically, agrees with your assessment:

(c. 2278 BC - c. 2184 BC), though this figure has been disputed by some Egyptologists who favour a shorter reign length of 64 years, given the absence of attested dates known for Pepi after his 31st Count, which would equate to 62 years assuming the count to be biennial.

Hi Osiris,

Yes, of course, I'm not disputing any of that. I just want to stress that sources are not enough to convince me. I also recommend the use common sense and precision in details. Ninetynine percent of all sources are simply hands on one belly, copying without being critical each other or some commonly revered source. They and especially the media are generally copycats, with hardly any deep thought or research of their own, relying greatly on mere opinions (not the evidence). My point here is actually only regarding what is actually Pepi II's last attested year Pepi II (all the rest is pure speculation as all egyptologists know):

Is it the year of Count 31 or is it the year after Count 31, benial or not. Which is it? I must admit I do not know who has correct answer, since I didn't read this monumental text myself, and I am not a linguist to be able to do so, so in this case I myself would have to rely on the sources to my avail. If Count 31 was the last attested year, it would be year 62 if biennial. If the year after Count 31 was the last attested, it would be year 63 if biennial. Do you know who of all the known sources is right? It's a small detail, but I like such details. In this case it must be the one or the other.

Hi sambacats
Thank you a million for posting those wonderful images of Pepi II

nice sharing!

re: Years 63 to 94 not being attested - how many records are there of dates in years 1 to 62?. If there are only a few then the last 30 years could just be non attested.