Also known as the Thutmoside Dynasty for the four pharaohs named Thutmose, marks the beginning of the New Kingdom, a period of approximately 350 years (c. 1550 to 1292 BC) during which ancient Egypt reached its apogee of power.
The Eighteenth Dynasty is considered one of the most prosperous and powerful periods in ancient Egyptian history. Beginning with the rise of Ahmose I, who expelled the Hyksos invaders, the dynasty witnessed a golden age of Egyptian culture and military might. Pharaohs such as Queen Hatshepsut, Amenhotep III and the "heretic pharaoh" Akhenaten ruled during this time, overseeing a significant expansion of the empire through both conquest and diplomacy. The most widely known pharaoh in modern times is arguably Tutankhamun, whose tomb, containing a vast array of treasures, was discovered in 1922.
The Eighteenth Dynasty is renowned for its artistic achievements, including the construction of monumental temples such as the Luxor and Karnak temples, as well as the development of the Amarna Period under Akhenaten.
The chronological order
It is important to note that the chronological order of the pharaohs is an evolving subject and should therefore be treated with a certain degree of caution. As new research is conducted, the order may be subject to change, which is a fundamental principle that applies to all Egyptian dynasties.
| № | Pharaoh | Also known as |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ahmose I | Amasis, Amosis |
| 2 | Amenhotep I | Amenophis I |
| 3 | Thutmose I | Tuthmosis I, Thutmosis I |
| 4 | Thutmose II | Tuthmosis II, Thutmosis II |
| 5 | Hatshepsut | Hatchepsut |
| 6 | Thutmose III | Tuthmosis III, Thutmosis III |
| 7 | Amenhotep II | Amenophis II |
| 8 | Thutmose IV | Tuthmosis IV, Thutmosis IV |
| 9 | Amenhotep III | Amenophis III |
| 10 | Amenhotep IV | Akhenaten, Akhenaton, Echnaton, Amenophis IV |
| 11 | Neferneferuaten | Nefertiti, Meritaten |
| 12 | Smenkhkara | Smenkhare, Smenkare |
| 13 | Tutankhamun | Tutankhamon, King Tut, Tutankhamen, Tutankhaton |
| 14 | Ay | Aja, Aya |
| 15 | Horemheb | Horemhab, Haremhab |
The Eighteenth Dynasty according to Manetho
Eighteenth dynasty of sixteen kings of Diospolis
- The first of them was Amos, during whose reign Moses went forth from Egypt, as we can prove.
Syncellus:
I am of the opinion that Africanus was unaware that his 'Amos' was also known as 'Amosis', identical as well with Tethmosis the son of Aseth, as will be shown. And we find that Misphragmouthosis, the sixth king in succession after him, is likewise called Amosis. But during the reign of this first Amosis (that is, Amos according to Africanus), or four years before his rule, Moses was born, as has been shown, in AM 3732. During the reign of this second Amosis, also known as Misphragmouthosis, Moses went forth from Egypt with his people in AM 3812, his eightieth year.
The remaining kings of the eighteenth dynasty of Egypt who succeeded Amos the first king, in Africanus
- According to Africanus, the second king of the 18th dynasty was Chebros13 years
- The third was Amenophthis21 years
- The fourth was Amensis22 years
- The fifth was Misaphris13 years
-
The sixth was Misphragmouthosis26 years
During his reign, the flood at the time of Deukalion occurred.
Total from Amos to the rule of Misphragmouthosis according to Africanus69 years
Those remaining of the eighteenth dynasty after Misphragmouthosis, according to Africanus, as follows
- Touthmosis9 years
-
Amenophis31 years
This is the one who is believed to be Memnon, a sounding stone. - Oros37 years
- Acherres32 years
- Rhathos 6 years
- Chebres12 years
- Acherres12 years
- Armesis5 years
- Rhamesses1 year
- Amenophath19 years
- Total263 years
Eighteenth dynasty of fourteen kings of Diospolis
- The first of them was Amosis25 years
Syncellus:
Before this Amosis, Eusebius erroneously made Aphophis the fourth and last ruler of the 17th dynasty, during whose reign there is universal agreement that Joseph was ruler of Egypt. According to him, he was king for fourteen years, even though all Eusebius' predecessors affirm that he reigned for sixty-one years. For by his illogical thinking–I dare not call it 'logic'–Ainosis preceded Moses and the Exodus by as many years. And Africanus also attests that Aphophis the sixth king in the 15th dynasty reigned over Egypt for sixty-one years.
Now if there is an apparent excess of years from Aphophis up to Amosis, this is the fault of disagreement among the Egyptians, since this is the way I found them in Manetho: for eighty years are more than the years from Joseph to Moses.
The remaining kings of the eighteenth dynasty of Egypt, who succeeded the first king Amosis, in Eusebius
- The second was Chebron13 years
- Ammenophis21 years
- Miphres12 years
- Misphragmouthosis26 years
Syncellus:
Altogether from Amosis, the first king of this 18th dynasty, down to the rule of Misphragmouthosis, there are, according to Eusebius,71 years
And there are five kings instead of six. For by omitting the fourth king Amenses, mentioned by Africanus, as well as everyone else, he thereby cut out the twenty-two years of his reign.
Those remaining of the eighteenth dynasty after Misphragmouthosis, according to Eusebius as follows
- Touthmosis9 years
- Amenophis31 years
This is the king believed to be Memnon, a sounding stone. - Oros36 yearsin another copy38 years
- Achencherses12 years
- Athoris39 years
- Chencheres16 years
About this time, Moses led the departure of the Jews from Egypt.
Syncellus:
Only Eusebius states that the Exodus of Israel under Moses occurred during his reign. For no argument supports him; rather all his predecessors oppose it, as he attests.
- Acherres8 years
- Cherres15 years
-
Armais, also known as Danaos5 years
After this, he was banished from Egypt and fleeing from his brother Aigyptos arrived in Greece. After seizing control of Argos, he ruled over the Argives. - Rhamesses, also known as Aigyptos68 years
- Menophis40 years
- Total348 years3
Syncellus:At the 18th dynasty, Eusebius adds 85 years more than Africanus.
Eighteenth dynasty of 14 kings from Diospolis
- Amovsēs25 years
- Kʻebron13 years
- Amovpʻis21 years
- Mempʻrēs12 years
- Miwspʻarmutʻovsis26 years
- Tutʻmovsis9 years
-
Amnovpʻis31 years
He is the one believed to be Memnon, the talking statue. - Ovros38 years
- Akʻenkʻērēs16 years In his reign, Moses as general of the Jews, took them out of Egypt.
- Akʻeṙēs8 years
- Kʻeṙēs15 years
- Armayis also called Danaos, 5 years Afterwards he was expelled from Egypt, and fled from his brother Aegyptus to Greece. He captured Argos and became king of the Argives.
- Ṙamessēs also called Egiptos, 68 years
- Amenovpʻis 40 years
- In total, reigned for 348 years
The epitomist did not understand that not only had this dynasty four kings named Amenhotep, but also four kings named Thutmose. The similarity of the names made it very difficult to separete the names from each other, especially for a non-native Egyptian. The individual reigns add up to 262 years, not 263 as per Africanus, and curiously there is no reign mentioned for the first king. Also included is a subtotal: Total 69 years from Amos to Misphragmouthosis, however, the sum of these four reigns is 72. This subtotal suggest the presence of a summation, or perhaps a longer narrative. Further indication that the epitomators misinterpreted the text is that at the last two kings can only be Ramesses I and Seti I of the Nineteenth Dynasty.
Egyptologists long have tried to reconcile the names of the four kings in 10-13 with the obscure Amarna kings, but there are too many discrepancies and inconsistencies to be conclusive. Josephus did not indicate a dynastic break in his list of the kings, but many of the names he supplied are spelled differently from Africanus and Eusebius. The order of kings is identical, however only Josephus indicate that Amesses and Akenkheres were actually female (see below.) All this, once again, suggest multiple and differing versions of Aegyptiaca.
New Kingdom king lists
There are no traces of the Eighteenth Dynasty in the Turin King List. All the other king lists, including the Abydos Canon all contain nine.
| № | Abydos | Saqqara | Ramesseum | Offering table |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||
| 2 | ||||
| 3 | ||||
| 4 | ||||
| 5 | ||||
| 6 | ||||
| 7 | ||||
| 8 | ||||
| 9 |
Other sources
Josephus, Contra Apion
1.15 But now I shall produce the Egyptians as witnesses to the antiquity of our nation. I shall therefore here bring in Manetho again, and what he writes as to the order of the times in this case. And thus he speaks: “When this people or shepherds were gone out of Egypt, to Jerusalem,
Tethmosis, the King of Egypt, who drove them out, reigned afterward twenty five years, and four months, and then died.
After him his son Chebron took the Kingdom, for thirteen years.
After whom came Amenophis, for twenty years, and seven months.
Then came his sister Amesses, for twenty one years, and nine months.
After her came Mephres, for twelve years, and nine months.
After him was Mephramuthosis, for twenty five years, and ten months.
After him was Thmosis, for nine years, and eight months.
After him came Amenophis, for thirty years, and ten months.
After him came Orus, for thirty six years, and five months.
Then came his daughter Acenchres, for twelve years, and one month.
Then was her brother Rathotis, for nine years.
Then was Acencheres, for twelve years, and five months.
Then came another Acencheres for twelve years, and three months.
After him Armais, for four years, and one month.
After him was Ramesses, for one year, and four months.
After him came Armesses Miammoun, for sixty six years, and two months.
After him Amenophis, for nineteen years and six months.
After him came Sethosis, and Ramesses; who had an army of horse, and a naval force. This King appointed his brother, Armais, to be his deputy over Egypt.”
Josephus provides a direct quotation from Manetho, and in contrast to the accounts provided by Africanus and Eusebius, there is no indication of a dynastic division between the last king of the Eighteenth Dynasty, Armais (Horemheb), and Ramesses I, the first king of the Nineteenth Dynasty.
Original text from:
https://pharaoh.se/ancient-egypt/dynasty/18/