The concept of dynasties—the grouping of a sequence of rulers based on family—originated with Aegyptiaca, and is still in use to this day. This is an attempt to consolidate (and comment) on the dynasties of Manetho.
Mythological kings
Neither Africanus nor Eusebius preserve any names or dates for the mythological era. According to Syncellus, the Book of Sothis was written by Manetho, though modern scholars consider it a much later forgery, used by Panodorus of Alexandria.
The lists begin with a number of mythological kings that include Gods, demigods and spirits of the dead. The Gods reigned 11,985 years. The only original number presented in Table 1 is the 9,000 years reign of Hephaistos. The incredible time-spans presented by Manetho was considered impossibly high by Christian authors, so a numerical contortion was necessary whereby it was assumed that Manetho's figure was referring to solar days, not years. That meant that the 9,000 years was converted into 29.5-day months, yielding a total of 265,500 days, or 727.75 years. The formula: (Panodorus figure) × 365 / 29.5 = original Sothis figure.
| № | Name | Original | Panodorus | Egyptian equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Dynasty (Gods) | ||||
| 1 | Hephaistos | 9,000 | 727 3/4 | Ptah |
| 2 | Helios | 992 | 80 1/6 | Ra |
| 3 | Agathadaemon | 700 | 56 7/12 | Good spirit? |
| 4 | Kronos | 501 | 40 1/12 | Khnum |
| 5 | Oriris & Isis | 433 | 35 | Oriris & Isis |
| 6 | Typhon | 359 | 29 | Set |
| TOTAL | 11,985 | 969 | ||
| Second and Third Dynasties (Demigods) | ||||
| 7 | Horus | 100 | 25 | |
| 8 | Ares | 92 | 23 | Anhur |
| 9 | Anubis | 68 | 17 | |
| 10 | Herakles | 60 | 15 | |
| 11 | Apollo | 100 | 25 | |
| 12 | Ammon | 120 | 30 | Amun |
| 13 | Tithoes | 108 | 27 | Tutu |
| 15 | Sosos | 128 | 32 | |
| 16 | Zeus | 80 | 20 | Amun? |
| TOTAL | 12,841 | 1,183 | ||
The first column of the badly fragmented Turin King List contain seven of nine partial names of Gods: Geb, Osiris, Set, Horus, Thoth, Ma'at, and Haroeris. The partial total number of years reigned by the Gods is preserved as x7718 years, followed by a number of sacred spirits. Then follows a second group of Gods, including Set, Thoth, and Horus. The mythological section of the king list concludes with two large totals: 13420+x years, and 23200+x years.
The Ancient Chronicle, apparently in circulation during the time of Syncellus, was partly based on Manetho, but was a forgery created in the centuries before Syncellus. The mythological section mentions the gods:
| № | Name | Reign | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hephaistos | Infinite | because he shines by night and day |
| 2 | Helios | 30,000 years | the son of Hephaistos |
| 3-15 | Kronos + 12 Gods | 3984 years | and the remaining 12 gods who succeeded him |
| 16-23 | 8 demigods | 217 years |
- Diodorus (Diod. 1.44.1)
Some of them [the priests] give the story that at first gods and heroes ruled Egypt for a little less than 18,000 years, the last of the gods to rule being Horus, the son of Isis; and mortals have been kings over their country, they say, for a little less than 5,000 years down to the 180th Olympiad, the time when we visited Egypt and the king was Ptolemy, who took the name of The New Dionysus.
Mortal kings
Mortal kings are the historical rulers who ruled Egypt, while legendary or mythic kings are characters from folklore and mythology with symbolic significance. Both types of kings play distinct roles in society and history, with one based on verifiable reality and the other on mythology and legends.
Comparision of the dynasties of Africanus and Eusebius, including the Armenian translation. Josephus and Jerome are also included where appropriate. My comments or remarks are my attempt to make sense of the clearly corrupted information provided by the ancients.
Dynasty 1
The First Dynasty of 8 kings.
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |
Menes of Thinis Menes of Thinis Mēmēs | 62 60 30 |
| 2 | | Athothis Athothis Atʻovtʻis | 57 27 27 |
| 3 | |
Kenkenes Kenkenes Kenkenis | 31 39 39 |
| 4 | |
Ouenephes Ouenephes Vawēnepʻis | 23 42 42 |
| 5 | |
Ousaphaidos Ousaphais Usapʻayis | 20 20 20 |
| 6 | |
Miebidos Niebais Niēbayis | 26 26 26 |
| 7 | |
Semempses Semempses Mēmpʻsēs | 18 18 18 |
| 8 | |
Bienekhes Oubienthes Vibētʻis | 26 26 26 |
| TOTAL | | ||
| 1 Gardiner 1961: 430 n.1 (Manetho uses the adjective Thinite; the corresponding Thinis is not found in Greek, but is demanded by the Egyptian original. Near Girga North of Abydos.) 2 The correct total is 263 years, not 253. The culculation error was probably not made by Africanus, but introduced by a later copyist. 3 The correct total is 258 years, not 252. The error was probably not made by Eusebius, but by a later copyist. 4 The correct total is 228 years, it is likely that an Armenian copyist carelessly copied a 30 instead of a 60 for Menes. | |||
- 450 BC: Herodotus (Hdt. 2.99)
The priests told me that Min was the first king of Egypt, and that first he separated Memphis from the Nile by a dam. All the river had flowed close under the sandy mountains on the Libyan side, but Min made the southern bend of it, which begins about twelve and one half miles above Memphis, by damming the stream, thereby drying up the ancient channel, and carried the river by a channel so that it flowed midway between the hills.
Then, when this first king Min had made dry land of what he thus cut off, he first founded in it that city which is now called Memphis, and outside of it he dug a lake from the river to its north and west; and secondly, he built in it the great and most noteworthy temple of Hephaestus [Ptah]. After him came 330 kings, whose names the priests recited from a papyrus roll. - 275 BC: Manetho
...After the spirits of the dead, the demigods, the first royal line is numbered at eight kings. Known for his strong leadership, King Menes was killed by a hippopotamus. His son Athothis built the palace at Memphis, practiced medicine and wrote books on anatomy. During the reign of Ouenephes, a severe famine gripped the land, and he also had pyramids built near Kochome/Cho [Saqqara?]. There were several omens and a massive plague during the reign of Semempses.
- 60 BC: Diodorus
(Diod. 1.45.1) After the gods the first king of Egypt, according to the priests, was Menas.
(Diod. 1.45.3) And it is said that the descendants of this king, 52 in number all told, ruled in unbroken succession more than a thousand and forty years, but that in their reigns nothing occurred that was worthy of record.
- 95 CE: Josephus (Ant. VIII 6.2)
Now Solomon the King was at this time engaged in building these cities. But if any enquire why all the Kings of Egypt, from Menes who built Memphis, and was many years earlier than our fore-father Abraham, until Solomon, where the interval was more than 1,300 years, were called Pharaohs, and took it from one Pharaoh that lived after the Kings of that interval, I think it necessary to inform them of it: and this in order to cure their ignorance, and to make the occasion of that name manifest. Pharaoh in the Egyptian tongue signifies a King. But I suppose they made use of other names from their childhood: but when they were made Kings, they changed them into the name which in their own tongue denoted their authority ..... I suppose also that Herodotus of Halicarnassus, when he said there were 330 Kings of Egypt after Menes, who built Memphis, did therefore not tell us their names, because they were in common called Pharaohs ..... As for my self, I have discovered from our own Books, that after Pharaoh, the father-in-law of Solomon, no other King of Egypt did any longer use that name.....
Remarks
The eight kings from the archaeological records of the First Dynasty align with Manetho and also with the Turin king list. The reigns of the first four kings differ, while the last four are identical, suggesting corrupted information in one (or both?) of the epitomes used, unless the error was caused by Syncellus or his copyists. Interestingly, the names are the opposite; the names of the first four are identical, while the last four differ.
It seems unlikely that both Africanus and Eusebius made simple errors in adding up the reigns. Instead, the discrepancies in the totals are easily explained by errors made by later copyists.
Dynasty 2
Africanus: The Second Dynasty of 9 kings of Thinis.
Eusebius: The Second Dynasty of 9 kings.
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Boethos Bochos Bovkʻos | 38 — — |
| 2 |
Kaiekhos Choös Kēkʻovos | 39 — — | |
| 3 | |
Binothris Biophis Biopʻis | 47 — — |
| 4 | | Tlas — — | 17 — — |
| 5 | | Sethenes — — | 41 — — |
| 6 | | Khaires — — | 17 — — |
| 7 | | Nephercheres — — | 25 — — |
| 8 | |
Sesochris Sesochris Sesovkʻris | 48 48 48 |
| 9 | | Kheneres — — | 30 — — |
| Total for Dynasty 2 | | ||
| Total for Dynasties 1-2 | | ||
- Manetho
The Egyptian Second Dynasty was ruled by nine kings (from Thinis). During Boethos' rule, a chasm appeared in Bubastis, killing numerous people. The bulls Apis at Memphis and Meneus in Heliopolis, as well as the Mendesian goat, were considered as gods during Kaiechos' rule. Binothris granted women royal privileges. For eleven days under Nephercheres' reign, the Nile River flowed with honey. Sesochris was a big man, five cubits tall and three cubits wide.
The Second Dynasty in Ancient Egypt is shrouded in obscurity, making it one of the most enigmatic chapters in the country's history. The scarcity of evidence and information concerning this period is notably reflected by the divergent accounts found in various king lists.
Remarks
The nine kings are the same number as in the Turin king list, although the Abydos Canon only has six, while the Saqqara Canon has eight. The individual reigns of Africanus add up to 302 years, while Eusebius’ total is 297. Interestingly, Africanus and Eusebius both summarise the first two dynasties, reminiscent of the Turin King List summations, which does not feasture a summation at this point.
The total of Africanus First and Second dynasties are stated as 555 years (253+302), however, the actual total for the individual kings is 565 (263+302), due to the 10-year discrepancy from the First Dynasty. According to Eusebius, the total for the two dynasties is 549 (252+297), but the individual reigns cannot be counted as there is obviously a lacuna in Second Dynasty records of his epitome of Aegyptiaca. The Armenian translation does not include the summation for the first two dynasties of Eusebius.
Dynasty 3
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Necherophes Necherochis Nekʻerovkʻis | 28 — — |
| 2 | | Tosorthros Sesorthos Sesortʻos | 29 — — |
| 3 | | Tyreis — — | 7 — — |
| 4 | | Mesochris — — | 17 — — |
| 5 | | Soyphis — — | 16 — — |
| 6 | | Tosertasis — — | 19 — — |
| 7 | | Aches — — | 42 — — |
| 8 | | Sephouris — — | 30 — — |
| 9 | | Kerpheres | 26 |
| Total for Dynasty 3 | | ||
| Total for dynasties 1-3 | | ||
- Manetho
In the reign of Necherophes the Libyans revolted against Egypt, but when the moon unexpectedly grew in size, they surrendered in terror. Sesorthus was called Asklepios by the Egyptians because of his medical skill. The inventor of the art of building with hewn stone, he also pursued the craft of writing. The remaining six accomplished nothing worthy of mention.
Remarks
Eusebius only give details of two kings, noting that “The remaining six kings achieved nothing worthy of mention”, and the Armenian version give no total for the first three dynasties. The nine kings of Manetho’s Third Dynasty does not agree with the archaeological record, nor with the main New Kingdom king lists, which only support 4-5 kings reigning for less than 100 years, not the seemingly inflated total of 214 years of Africanus.
According to Africanus, the total sum for the First through Third dynasties amount to 769 years (253+302+214), however the correct sum is 779 (263+302+214).
Dynasty 4
| № | Greek | Name | Reign | Pharaoh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Soris — — | 29 — — | Sneferu |
| 2 | | Souphis — — | 63 — — | Khufu |
| 3 | | Souphis Souphis Supʻis | 66 — — | Khafra |
| 4 | | Mesochris — — | 63 — — | Menkaura |
| 5 | | Rhatoises — — | 25 — — | Radjedef |
| 6 | | Bikheres — — | 22 — — | Baufra |
| 7 | | Seberkheres — — | 7 — — | Shepseskaf |
| 8 | | Thamphthis — — | 9 — — | Thamphthis |
| Total for Dynasty 4 | | |||
| Total for dynasties 1-4 | | |||
Remarks
The eight kings is the same number of kings present in the Turin king list, but the Abydos Canon only have six, while the Saqqara Canon gives nine. This is a clear indication that the New Kingdom records of the first dynasties were corrupted, which would explain the confused records in Manetho a thousand years later. The sum for the individual reigns amount to 284 years, not 277 as stated by Africanus (emending the 274 years of MS A to 277, following MS B).
According to Africanus, the first four dynasties ruled for a total of 1046 years (253 + 302 + 214 + 277); however, the actual number for the individual reigns is 1063 (263 + 302 + 214 + 284).
Dynasty 5
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Ouserkheres Othoes Otʻios | 28 — — |
| 2 | | Sephres — — | 13 — — |
| 3 | | Nepherkheres — — | 20 — — |
| 4 | | Sisires Phiops Phiops | 7 94 94 |
| 5 | | Kheres — — | 20 — — |
| 6 | | Rhathoures — — | 44 — — |
| 7 | | Menkheres — — | 9 — — |
| 8 | | Tankheres — — | 44 — — |
| 9 | | Onnos — — | 33 — — |
| Total for Dynasty 5 | | ||
| Total for dynasties 1-5 | | ||
| * Phiops belong to the Sixth Dynasty. | |||
Remarks
Eusebius’ fifth dynasty kings actually belong to the sixth, and Eusebius simply added 100 years for this dynasty in the total with the previous dynasties. This suggests that the epitomist misread, misunderstood, or accidentally skipped to the subsequent dynasty while copying the text.
The summation have 8 kings ruling for 248 years, however, this is contradicted by listing 9 kings – the same number of kings present in Turin king list. The Abydos- and Saqqara- canons each contain 8 kings, albeit with differing names. The reign total sum amount to 218 years, not 248 as stated. According to Africanus, the total sum for the kings of the First through Fifth dynasties amount to 1294 years (1046+248), however the correct sum is 1281 (1063+218).
These differences is a clear indication that even the New Kingdom sources were corrupted.
Dynasty 6
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Othoes | 30 |
| 2 | | Phios | 53 |
| 3 | | Methusouphis | 7 |
| 4 | | Phiops | 94 |
| 5 | | Menthesouphis | 1 |
| 6 | | Nitokris | 12 |
| ? | | Nitokris Nitovkris | — — |
| Total for Dynasty 6 | | ||
| Total for dynasties 1-6 | | ||
| * No mention of number of kings, nor the capital. Only names Nitocris as part of the Sixth dynasty, not her position, nor years reigned. | |||
Remarks
The sum of the individual reigns is 197, however, Phiops “whose reign began at the age of 6, ruled continuously up to his hundredth year”, was calculated as 100 instead of 94. The Turin king list detail 13 sequential kings of the Sixth Dynasty without any indication of a dynastic break between the Sixth and Eleventh dynasties. At the same place, the Abydos Canon contain the names of 23 kings, while the Saqqara Canon only have 4. This further reinforce that the New Kingdom records were corrupted, or at the very least, incomplete.
According to Africanus, the total sum for the kings of the First through Sixth dynasties amount to 1497 years (1294+203), however the correct sum is 1478 (1281+197). The summation for the same six dynasties in the Turin king list give a total of 955 years, and only 13 kings from Teti to the Ninth Dynasty kings.
The administrative records from the First Intermediate Period appear to have suffered greatly, whether as a result of conflict or just bad luck, as even Manetho failed to piece together the disjointed parts into a cohesive chronology. However, it is impossible to rule out that an epitomist misinterpreted the whole section of the narrative and caused mayhem.
Dynasty 7
Africanus
Seventh dynasty of 70 Memphite kings, who reigned 70 days
Evdómi dynasteía Memfitón vasiléon 70, oí evasílefsan iméras 70.
Eusebius
Seventh Dynasty of five Memphite kings, who reigned 75 days
Evdómi dynasteía Memfitón vasiléon pénte, oí evasílefsan iméras 75.
Armenian Eusebius
Seventh Dynasty of five Memphite kings reigned for 75 years.
Septima dynastia Memphitarum regum V, qui annis LXXV dominati sunt.
Remarks
The huge number of kings and dynasties for the First Intermediate Period suggest that a redactor of an Epitome misunderstood and distorted the summation(s) for the rival kings of Memphis and Herakleopolis that followed the Sixth Dynasty. The scarce archaeological record seems to only support one Memphite dynasty, and one Herakleopolite dynasty. The '70 kings ruled for 70 days' is of course an impossibility, and is most likely a corruption of a summation or narrative.
Dynasty 8
No names, reigns, or other details about the kings.
Remarks
The preserved summation “together with the aforementioned years (1294), there are 1639 years for these eight dynasties” is incorrectly calculated. The erroneous sum of Africanus for those eight dynasties comes to 1643 (1497+146), curiously 4 years more than the preserved numbers, and ignores the Seventh Dynasty completely. Furthermore, the correct sum for the first eight dynasties come to 1630 (1484+146), more evidence of distorted records. Like the other summations for the FIP, the 27 kings recorded in the heading for this dynasty is probably corrupted too.
Dynasty 9
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Achthoes Achthoes Okʻtʻovis | — — — |
Remarks
The fact that two Herakleopolitan dynasties only contain the name of one king suggests a lacuna. There was probably some indication that the records had been corrupted or lost, which the epitomists mistook for another dynasty. The difference in the number of kings and years between Africanus and Eusebius for dynasties 9 and 10 is another clear indication that their epitomes differed substantially.
Dynasty 10
No names, reigns, or other details about the kings.
Remarks
It seems likely that the epitomist(s) misunderstood the summation for the Herakleopolitan dynasty, and mistook it for a separate dynasty. Africanus give 19 + 19 kings for the two dynasties, while Eusebius give 4 + 19 kings. The number of years also differ, and It stands to reason that the an epitomist misinterpreted a summation of the Herakleopolitan Dynasty and multiplied it as a new dynasty, substantiated by the same number of kings (19) for both dynasties, with no names mentioned.
Dynasty 11
No names, reigns, or other details about the kings.
Remarks
Incomplete, added at later date.
Between dynasties
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Ammenemes Ammenemes Ammenemēs | 16 16 16 |
Remarks
Sixteen kings ruling 43 years is clearly another error by the redactor of the epitome. Yet another indication is that Ammenemes was king Ammenemes was not included in the Eleventh or Twelfth dynasties, but rather as an intermediary between the two. Africanus presents a summation of Manetho’s first book at this point, stating that a total of 192 kings had ruled the kingdom for 2300 years and 70 days. These numbers are problematic. If we add the number of kings recorded in each dynasty heading, including the 70 kings of the Seventh Dynasty, the total is 200. If we count the individual kings recorded, the total is 201. The total sum of years for the individual kings is 2259, while the total from the dynasty headings is 2280.
| Africanus | Eusebius | Armenian | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dyn. | Kings | Reigns | Total | Kings | Reigns | Total | Kings | Reigns |
| 1 | 8 | 253 | 253 | 8 | 252 | 252 | 8 | 258 |
| 2 | 9 | 302 | 555 | 9 | 297 | 549 | 9 | 297 |
| 3 | 9 | 214 | 769 | 8 | 198 | 747 | 8 | 197 |
| 4 | 8 | 277 | 1046 | 17 | 448 | 1195 | 17 | 448 |
| 5 | 8 | 248 | 1294 | 31 | 100 | 1295 | 31 | — |
| 6 | 6 | 203 | 1497 | — | 203 | 1498 | — | 203 |
| 7 | 70 | — | — | 5 | — | — | 5 | 75 |
| 8 | 27 | 146 | 1639 | 5 | 100 | 1598 | 5 | 100 |
| 9 | 19 | 409 | 2048 | 4 | 100 | 1698 | 4 | 100 |
| 10 | 19 | 185 | 2233 | 19 | 185 | 1883 | 19 | 185 |
| 11 | 16 | 43 | 2276 | 16 | 43 | 1926 | 16 | 43 |
| — | 1 | 16 | 2292 | 1 | 16 | 1942 | 1 | 16 |
| Tot | 192 | — | 2300 | 192 | — | 2300 | 192 | 2300 |
| Sum | 200 | 2292 | 123 | 1942 | 123 | 1922 | ||
According to modern Egyptology, some 90 kings reigned from the First through Eleventh dynasties (approximately 1100 years). The figures by Africanus for dynasties 7-10 are in all likelihood based on a misunderstanding of the text. It is clear that the Seventh Dynasty is a mistake. The line of kings of Memphis continued rule past the Sixth Dynasty - this could be the 27 kings of Africanus’ Eighth Dynasty. According to Africanus, the next two dynasties were Herakleopolitan, both with 19 kings. It seems probable that the redactor mistook the summation of the Eighth Dynasty and erroneously created a duplicate of the dynasty. The corresponding dynasty in the Turin king list holds 18 kings (5.18-6.9).
Disregarding the duplicated dynasties, Africanus recorded 49 kings from the First through Sixth dynasties, 27 kings of the Memphite Eighth Dynasty, and 19 kings of the Herakleopolitan Ninth Dynasty, and finally, 16 kings of the Eleventh Dynasty, for a total of 111 kings. The 16 kings of the Eleventh Dynasty is an aberration, as contemporary sources show that only seven kings reigned in this dynasty. Removing the 9 extraneous kings, would bring the total down to 102 kings.
Here ends the First Book of Manetho.
Dynasty 12
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Sesonkhosis Sesonkhosis Sesonkʻovsis | 46 46 46 |
| 2 | | Ammanemes Ammanemes Ammenemēs | 38 68 38 |
| 3 | | Sesostris Sesostris Sēsovstris | 48 48 48 |
| 4 | | Lakhares Lamaris Łamparēs | 8 8 8 |
| 5 | | Ammeres — — | 8 * * |
| 6 | | Ammenemes — — | 8 * * |
| 7 | | Skemiophris ♀ — — | 4 * * |
| Total for Dynasty 12 | | ||
| * The succeeding kings (i.e. the last three kings) ruled for 42 years. | |||
Remarks
According to Africanus and Eusebius both, seven kings belong to Dynasty 12. While Africanus name all seven, Eusebius only name the first four. This is a clear indication that the epitome used by Africanus was more complete. The summation of Eusebius also give a total of 245 years for the dynasty, while the total of the four named kings amount to 170, with no account of the last three kings. Perhaps the epitomist of Eusebius did not understand that there were multiple kings named Amenemhat and Senusret, rejecting similar names as a copying error. The redactor of the Epitome failed to understand that Manetho’s narrative contained not only four kings named Amenemmes, and three kings named Sestoris, but most of them also had coregencies with their sons. This confusion of the identity of the kings and their reigns resulted in disarray – from Ammenemes to Skemiophris.
Dynasty 13
No names, reigns, or other details about the kings.
Remarks
The 453 years figure for this dynasty is clearly excessive, probably a simple copying error, and should probably be emended down to 153. The figures given for the Second Intermediate Period as a whole were likely due to a redactor not understanding the text. According to Africanus, the SIP looks like this:
------------------------------------------------------
Dynasty 13: 60 kings of Thebes for 453 years
Dynasty 14: 76 kings of Xois for 184 years
Dynasty 15: 6 foreign kings for 284 years
Dynasty 16: 32 shepherd kings for 518 years
Dynasty 17: 86 shepherd and Theban kings for 151 years ------------------------------------------------------
The sheer number of kings and length of the reigns shows that the texts of Manetho were not properly understood by the redactor. It could well be that there was a longer summation of all the kings up to this point, but the context was lost in translation, which would help explain the large number of kings attributed to this period. Perhaps the records available to Manetho was full of lacunae, just like the tattered Turin king list, and further distorted by an incorrect translation.
Dynasty 14
No names, reigns, or other details about the kings.
Remarks
The figures for this dynasty by Eusebius are identical, though the Armenian version of Eusebius give 484 years for this dynasty, indicating some sort of corruption or perhaps just a simple copying error. The lower figure seems more plausible.
Dynasty 15
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Salitis Saites | 13 19 |
| 2 | | Beon Bnon | 44 44 |
| 3 | | Apakhnas Pakhnan | 36y 7m 61 |
| 4 | | Apophis Staan | 61 50 |
| 5 | | Iannas Arkhles | 50y 1m 49 |
| 6 | | Assis Aphobis | 49y 2m 49 |
Remarks
Eusebius place these kings in his 17th dynasty. The the two dynasties were likely interchanged. Eusebius’ 17th dynasty: foreign kings from Phoenicia who seized Memphis, 103 years. In the Armenian translation, Aphophis reigned before Arkhles. The Fifteenth Dynasty, according to Eusebius consisted of an unknown number of Theban kings, but did not supply any names or reigns.
Dynasty 16
No names, reigns, or other details about the kings.
Remarks
The large figure of years points to a misunderstanding of a summation by the copyist of the epitome, creating an extraneous dynasty in the process.
Dynasty 17
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Salitis — Saites Saitēs | 13 — 19 19 |
| 2 | | Bnon — Bnon Bnon | 44 — 40 40 |
| 3 | | Apakhnas — Aphophis Arkʻłēs | 36y 7m — 14 30 |
| 4 | | Apophis — Arkhles Apʻovpʻis | 61 — 30 14 |
| 5 | | Iannas — — — | 50y 1m — — — |
| 6 | | Assis — — — | 49y 2m — — — |
| | |||
Remarks
According to Josephus, the Hyksos kings preceded the Eighteenth Dynasty kings. The redactor of the epitome misunderstood the text by creating two dynasties yet combining them into one, transferring of an identical number of kings to both. Comparing the description of this dynasty by Africanus “43 additional shepherd kings, and 43 kings of Theban Diospolis, total reigns of the shepherds and Theban kings, 151 years” to Eusebius “they were shepherds and brothers, foreign kings from Phoenicia, who also seized Memphis”, it is clear that they had contradicting versions of Aegyptiaca, or the text was translated differently by their redactors.
The Hyksos Dynasty
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Salitis Saites Saites Saitēs | 13 19 19 19 |
| 2 | | Beon Bnon Bnon Bnon | 44 44 40 40 |
| 3 | | Apakhnas Pakhnan | 36y 7m 61 |
| 4 | | Iannas Staan | 50y 1m 50 |
| 5 | | Apophis Aphobis Aphophis Apʻovpʻis | 61 49 30 14 |
| 6 | | Assis Arkhles Arkhles Arkʻłēs | 49y 2m 61 14 30 |
Remarks
Manetho’s epitomes definitely contained contradictory material, or at the very least a confusing narrative that the epitomist did not fully comprehend. While Josephus presents Manetho’s Hyksos in detail, the Africanus and Eusebius provide a jumble of kings and dynasties of different length and number, also revealing a pattern of transposition of both reigns and kings. Kings 3 and 4 are interchanged in the Armenian translation compared to Eusebius.
Dynasty 18
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Tethmosis Amos Amosis Amovsēs Amosis | 25y 4m - 25 25 25 |
| 2 | | Khebron Khebros Khebron Kʻebron Chebron | 13 13 13 13 13 |
| 3 | | Amenophis Amenophthis Ammenophis Amovpʻis Amenophis | 20y 7m 24 21 21 21 |
| 4 | | Amesses ♀ Amensis Miphres Mempʻrēs Mephres | 21y 9m 22 12 12 12 |
| 5 | | Mephres Misaphris Misphragmouthosis Miwspʻarmutʻovsis Mispharmuthosis | 12y 9m 13 26 26 26 |
| 6 | | Mephramouthosis Misphragmouthosis Touthmosis Tutʻmovsis Thmosis | 25y 10m 26 9 9 9 |
| 7 | | Thmosis Touthmosis Amenophis Amnovpʻis Ammenophis | 9y 8m 9 31 31 31 |
| 8 | | Amenophis Amenophis Oros Ovros Orus | 30y 10m 31 36 28 38 |
| 9 | | Oros Oros Akhenkherses Akʻenkʻērēs Achencheres | 36y 5m 37 12 16 12 |
| 10 | | Akenkheres ♀ Akherres Athoris Akʻeṙēs Achoris | 12y 1m 32 39 8 9 |
| 11 | | Rhathotis Rhathos Khenkheres Kʻeṙēs Chenchres | 9 6 16 15 16 |
| 12 | | Akenkheres Khebres Akherres Armayis aka. Danaos Acherres | 12y 5m 12 8 5 8 |
| 13 | | Akenkheres Akherres Kherres Ṙamessēs aka. Egiptos Cherres | 12y 3m 12 15 68 15 |
| 14 | | Armais Armesis Armais Amenovpʻis Armais aka. Danaus | 4y 1m 5 5 40 5 |
| 15 | | Rhamesses Rhamesses Rhamesses aka. Aegyptus Remesses aka. Aegyptus | 1y 4m 1 68 68 |
| 16 | | Armesses Miamun Amenophath Ammenophis Menophis | 66y 2m 19 40 40 |
| Total for Dynasty 18 | | ||
| * Josephus does not mention a division into dynasties. However, the sum of the individual reigns is 246 years (240 years + 72 months). | |||
Remarks
The redactor(s) of the Epitome 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 if coregencies were also mentioned. 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. Goar emended Amenophthis’ 24 years to 21 to account for the discrepancy, probably based on the 21 years assigned to this king by Eusebius. This subtotal suggest the presence of a summation, or perhaps a longer narrative. Further indication that the epitomists misinterpreted the text is that at the end of the list we find what can only be Ramesses II and Merenptah of the next 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 Queens. All this, once again, suggest multiple and differing versions of Aegyptiaca.
| Ruler | Jos. | Afr. | Eus. | E. (Arm) | Sothis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amosis | 25 | — | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Chebron | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
| Amenophis | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 15 |
| Amesses | 22 ♀ | 22 | — | — | 11 |
| Mephres | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 |
| Mephramuthosis | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 16 |
| Summation Chebron to Mephramuthosis | — | 69 | 71 | — | — |
| Thmosis | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 39 |
| Amenophis | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 34 |
| Orus | 36 | 37 | 36/38 | 28 | 48 |
| Acencheres | 12 ♀ | 32 | 12 | 16 | 25 |
| Rathotis | 9 | 6 | 39 | — | 29 |
| Acencheres (I) | 12 | 12 | 16 | — | 25 |
| Acencheres (II) | 12 | 12 | 8 | — | 8 or 30 |
| [Cherres] | — | — | 15 | 15 | — |
| Armais | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 9 |
| Rhamesses | 1 | 1 | — | 68 | — |
| Ramesses Miamun | 66 | — | — | — | 68 |
| Amenophis | 19 | 19 | 40 | 40 | 8 |
Despite a few obvious errors, Manetho's versions provide a remarkable level of concordance given the multiple copies generated through centuries of transmission. Most names have little resemblance to the names belonging to the rulers of the Eighteenth Dynasty. Attempts to match Manetho's rulers are far from convincing, as the Greek transcription of names necessitates doubtful linguistic acrobatics.
Things to consider: Amenhotep IV name change to Akhenaten could mean that Manetho added both names as separate kings in his list. Perhaps there was a failed attempt to establish a king opposing Akhenaten of which no archaeological record remain, yet were preserved by Manetho?
Dynasty 19
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Sethos Sethos Sētʻovs | 51 55 55 |
| 2 | | Rapsakes Rampses Ṙampʻsēs | 61 (66) 66 66 |
| 3 | | Amenephthes Ammenephthis Amenepʻtʻis | 20 40 8 |
| 4 | | Ramesses | 60 |
| 5 | | Ammenemnes Ammenemes Ammenemēs | 5 26 26 |
| 6 | | Thouoris Thouoris Tʻuovris | 7 7 7 |
| Total for Dynasty 19 | | ||
| 1 The sum of the items given is 204 years. | |||
Remarks
The confusion of the New Kingdom kings continues.
The sum of the individual dynasties of Africanus comes to 246 kings for 2221 years.
The sum of the individual dynasties of Eusebius comes to 171 kings for 1967 or 2272 years. Cf. Eus. 1.68.20, which has 2121 years.
Here ends the Second Book of Manetho.
Dynasty 20
No details of the kings mentioned.
New Kingdom
| Dynasty | Ruler | Low | High | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Ahmose I | 22 | 25 | |
| Amenhotep I | 21 | |||
| Thutmose I | 9 | 13 | ||
| Thutmose II | 3 | 13 | ||
| Hatshepsut | 21 | 22 | ||
| Thutmose III | 54 | |||
| Amenhotep II | 26 | |||
| Thutmose IV | 8 | 10 | ||
| Amenhotep III | 38 | 39 | ||
| Amenhotep IV | 17 | |||
| Neferneferuaten | 3 | |||
| Smenkhkara | 1 | |||
| Tutankhamun | 10 | 10 | ||
| Ay | 4 | 4 | ||
| Horemheb | 14 | 14 | ||
| 19 | Ramesses I | 2 | 2 | |
| Seti I | 11 | 11 | ||
| Ramesses II | 66 | 66 | ||
| Merenptah | 9 | 9 | ||
| Seti II | 6 | 6 | ||
| Amenmesse | 4 | 4 | ||
| Siptah | 6 | 6 | ||
| Tausret | 3 | 3 | ||
| 20 | Setnakht | 3 | 3 | |
| Ramesses III | 31 | 31 | ||
| Ramesses IV | 4 | 4 | ||
| Ramesses V | 4 | 4 | ||
| Ramesses VI | 8 | 8 | ||
| Ramesses VII | 7 | 7 | ||
| Ramesses VIII | 1 | 1 | ||
| Ramesses IX | 18 | 18 | ||
| Ramesses X | 3 | 3 | ||
| Ramesses XI | 28 | 28 | ||
| TOTAL | 434 | 486 | ||
| Dynasty | Years | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | 1550-1292 (258) | 270 years |
| 19 | 1292-1186 (106) | 107 years |
| 20 | 1190-1077 (113) | 107 years |
| Total | 477 years | 484 years |
Remarks
Draft. To be reworked.
What appears here is that the total number of years from Manetho’s 18th and 19th Dynasties cover the same number of years as the 18th, 19th, and 20th Dynasties known from contemporary sources. Manetho’s 18th Dynasty amounts to 393 years and the 19th Dynasty amounts to 164 “proposed original” years, totaling 557 years.
c. 1550–1070
Dynasty 21
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Smendes Smendis Smēndis | 26 26 26 |
| 2 | | Psousennes Psousennes Pʻsusēnnos | 46 41 41 |
| 3 | | Nephelkheres Nepherkheres Nepʻērkʻērēs | 4 4 4 |
| 4 | | Amenophthis Ammenophthis Amenovpʻtʻis | 9 9 9 |
| 5 | | Osokhor Osokhor Osovkʻor | 6 6 6 |
| 6 | | Psinakhes Psinakhes Pʻsinnakʻēs | 9 9 9 |
| 7 | | Psousennes Psousennes Pʻsovsēnnēs | 14 35 35 |
| Total for Dynasty 21 | | ||
| 1 The sum of the individual items comes to 114 years. | |||
Remarks
Incomplete. To be reworked/reviewed.
Dynasty 22
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Sesonkhosis Sesonkhosis Sēsonkʻusis | 21 21 21 |
| 2 | | Osorthon Osorthon Osortʻovs | 15 15 15 |
| - | | 25 | |
| 3 | | Takelothis Takelothis Takēłovtʻis | 13 13 13 |
| - | | 42 | |
| Total for Dynasty 22 | | ||
| 1 The sum of the individual items comes to 116 years. | |||
Remarks
Incomplete. To be reworked/reviewed.
Dynasty 23
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Petoubates Petoubastis Petubastis | 40 25 25 |
| 2 | | Osorkho Osorthon Osortʻon | 8 9 9 |
| 3 | | Psammous Psammous Pʻsamus | 10 10 10 |
| 4 | | Zet | 31 |
| Total for Dynasty 23 | | ||
| 1 The name Zet might be a contraction of | |||
Remarks
Africanus notes that “the first Olympiad festival was celebrated in the reign of Petubates”, while it is absent from Eusebius. All three versions point out that “Osorthon was called Herkules by the Egyptians.”
Dynasty 24
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Bokhkhoris of Sais Bokhkhoris of Sais Bokkʻovris of Sais | 6 44 44 |
| Total for Dynasty 24 | | ||
| 1 Text: | |||
Remarks
Incomplete. To be reworked/reviewed.
Dynasty 25
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Sabakon Sabakon Sapakovn | 8 12 12 |
| 2 | | Sebikhos Sebikhos Sebikʻovs | 14 12 12 |
| 3 | | Tarkos Tarakos Tarakos | 18 20 20 |
| Total for Dynasty 25 | | ||
Remarks
All three versions agree that Sabakon took his predecessor Bakenrenef captive, and had him burned alive. Modern Egyptology argues that Sebikhos preceded Sabakon, not the other way around.
Dynasty 26
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 1 | | Ammeris the Ethiopian Amerēs Yet’wovpats’i | 12 18 |
| 1 2 2 | | Stephinates Stephinathis Stepʻinatʻis | 7 7 7 |
| 2 3 3 | | Nechepsos Nekhepsos Nekʻepʻsovs | 6 6 6 |
| 3 4 4 | | Nekhao Nekhao Nekʻawov | 8 8 8 |
| 4 5 5 | | Psammetikhos Psammetikhos Pʻsametikʻos | 54 45 44 |
| 5 6 6 | | Nekhao II Nekhao II Nekʻawov II | 6 6 6 |
| 6 7 7 | | Psammouthis II Psammouthis II Pʻsamutʻēs II | 6 17 17 |
| 7 8 8 | | Ouaphris Ouaphris Vapʻrēs | 19 25 25 |
| 8 9 9 | | Amosis Amosis Amovsis | 44 42 42 |
| 9 | | Psammekherites | 6 mo. |
| Total for Dynasty 26 | | ||
| 1 “He captured Jerusalem and led king Joachaz [Jehoahaz III of Judah] captive into Egypt.” 2 “also called Psammetichus”. 3 “The remnant of the Jews fled to him when Jerusalem was captured by the Assyrians.” 4 The sum of the individual items comes to 168 years. | |||
Remarks
Eusebius has a different first king to Africanus, while Africanus's last king is different to Eusebius's. Otherwise the other kings match well.
Dynasty 27
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 1 1 | | Kambyses Kambyses Kambisēs | 6 3 3 |
| 2 2 | | Magi the Magi | 7 mo. 7 mo. |
| 2 3 3 | | Dareios son of Hystaspes Dareios Darius | 36 36 36 |
| 3 4 4 | | Xerxes the Great Xerxes, son of Dareios Xerxes, son of Darius | 21 21 21 |
| 4 | | Artabanos | 7 mo. |
| 5 | | Artaxerxes Artaxerxes of the long hand Artašēs | 41 40 40 |
| 6 | | Xerxes Xerxes II Xerxes II | 2 mo. 2 mo. 2 mo. |
| 7 | | Sogdianos Sogdianos Sogdianos | 7 mo. 7 mo. 7 mo. |
| 8 | | Dareios Dareios Darius, son of Xerxes | 19 19 19 |
| Total for Dynasty 27 | | ||
Remarks
Strangely, Eusebius adds the Magi as a 7-month king, while Africanus adds Artabanos, also a 7-month king.
Dynasty 28
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Amyrteos of Sais Amyrtaios of Sais Amiwrtēos of Sais | 6 6 6 |
Remarks
Incomplete. To be reworked/reviewed.
Dynasty 29
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Nepherites Nepherites Nepʻēritēs | 6 6 6 |
| 2 | | Akhoris Akhoris Akʻovris | 13 13 13 |
| 3 | | Psammouthis Psammouthis Pʻsammutʻēs | 1 1 1 |
| 4 4 5 | | Nepherites Nepherites Nepʻēritēs | 4 mo. 4 mo. 1 |
| 5 4 | | Mouthis Mutʻēs | 1 1 |
| Total for Dynasty 29 | | ||
| Armenian translation of Eusebius shifted place of kings 4 and 5. | |||
Remarks
Eusebius includes five kings, although only four are mentioned in the summary.
Dynasty 30
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Nektanebes Nektanebes Nektanebis | 18 10 10 |
| 2 | | Teos Teos Tewos | 2 2 2 |
| 3 | | Nektanebos Nektanebos Nektanebos | 18 8 8 |
| Total for Dynasty 30 | Afrfr 38 years. Eusus 20 years. Afrrm 20 years. | ||
Remarks
Last indigenous kings.
Dynasty 31
| № | Greek | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Okhos Okhos Ovkʻos | 2 6 6 |
| 2 | | Arses Arses Arsēs | 3 4 4 |
| 3 | | Dareios Dareios Darius | 4 6 6 |
| | |||
| 1 He was put to death by Alexander of Macedon. 2 The sum of the individual items comes to 855 years. | |||
Remarks
This second Persian domination lasted only a handful of years and was ended by the bloodless conquest of Egypt by Alexander the Great in 331 BC, who killed Darius.
Here ends the Third Book of Manetho.
Bibliography
- Adler, W. & Tuffin, P., 2002. The Chronography of George Synkellos. Oxford.
- Barclay, John M. G., 2007. Flavius Josephus: Against Apion. Leiden and Boston.
- Dindorf, W., 1829. Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae. Bonn.
- Gardiner, Alan H., 1961. Egypt of the pharaohs. Oxford.
- Goar, J., 1652. Georgii Monachi quondam Syncelli Chronographia. Paris.
- Mosshammer, A. A., 1984. Georgii Syncelli Ecloga Chronographica. Leipzig.
- Scaliger, J. J., 1606. Thesaurus Temporum. Leiden.
- Waddell, W. G., 1964. Manetho. Cambridge, Mass., London.
- Verbrugghe, G. P. & Wickersham, J. M., 1996. Berossos and Manetho, introduced and translated. Ann Arbor.
https://pharaoh.se/ancient-egypt/kinglist/manetho-king-list/