And now, my dear pupils, I shall terrorize you with the oppression of dates. No, dates. Yes, thank you. Historians have divided Egyptian history into three broad categories, each with their own numbered dynasties, but only hardcore Egyptologists know the dynasties, and we're not trying to become hardcore Egyptologists. The Old Kingdom lasted from 2649 to 2152, the Middle Kingdom from 2040 to 1640, and the New Kingdom, so-called because it is only 3,000 years old, lasted from 1550 to 1070 BCE. In between, you have a couple so-called intermediate periods. Okay, Old Kingdom.