Pharaoh.se

Piye in hieroglyphs

The first pharaoh of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty, a.k.a. Piankhi, Piankhy, Pije, Pianchy

Piye was king of the Kingdom of Kush but also ruled Upper Egypt which had been peacefully integrated as Egypt itself was in full decline and torn by power struggles among local petty rulers. He slowly expanded north and conquered towns one by one until Memphis was captured.

Precedessor
Bakenrenef

Successor
Shabaka
Reign of Piye
AE Chronology753–723
v. Beckerath746–713
Shaw747–716
Dodson752–717
Arnold747–716
Grimal747–716
Redford735–712

The Royal Titulary

From the hieroglyphic records

The Dual King
The Son of Ra

Horus Ka nakht kha em Nepet  The Dual King User maat Ra  Son of Ra Piye

Horus names

Horus name

The oldest form of the name of a pharaoh, a falcon representing Horus is perched on the palace facade.

Horus name
Horus name
Ka nakht kha em Nepet
kꜢ-nḫt ḫꜤi-m-npt
The strong bull who has appeared in Napata
E1:D40-xa:a-m-n:p-mw-O39:O49
Piye stela No. 26 from Gebel Barkal
Reisner, Inscribed Monuments from Gebel Barkal, ZÄS 66 (1931): 90
Horus name variant A
Horus name
Sehotep tawy fy
sḥtp-tꜢwi.fi
The one who has satisfied his Two Lands
s-Htp:t*p-N17:N17:f
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien, V, 14h
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 206-207, 3:H1
Horus name variant B
Horus name
Ka tawy fy
kꜢ-tꜢwi.fi
The bull of his Two Lands
E1-N17:N17:f
Obelisk fragment Khartoum 462
Fontes historiae Nubiorum, I, 54
Porter & Moss, Topographical Bibliography , VII, 192
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 206-207, 3:H2
Horus name variant C
Horus name
Ka nakht kha em Waset
kꜢ-nḫt ḫꜤi-m-wꜢst
The strong bull who has appeared in Thebes
E1:D40-xa-m-R19-t:O49
Obelisk fragment Khartoum 462
Fontes historiae Nubiorum, I, 54
Porter & Moss, Topographical Bibliography , VII, 192
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 206-207, 3:H3

Nebty names

Two ladies hieroglyphs

The “Two Ladies”, the goddesses Nekhbet and Wadjet, representing Upper and Lower Egypt respectively.

Nebty name
Heqa Kemet
ḥḳꜢ-kmt
Ruler of Egypt
HqA-q:I6-m-t:O49
Obelisk fragment Khartoum 462
Fontes historiae Nubiorum, I, 54
Porter & Moss, Topographical Bibliography , VII, 192
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 206-207, 3:N
Nebty name variant A
Wah nesyt mi Ra em pet
wꜢḥ-nsyt mi-rꜤ-m-pt
Enduring of kingship like Ra in heaven
V29-sw-t-i-i-mi-m&ra-p*t:pt
Piye stela No. 26 from Gebel Barkal
Reisner, Inscribed Monuments from Gebel Barkal, ZÄS 66 (1931): 90

Golden Horus name

Golden Horus name

Horus perched on Gold, which was associated with eternity, but its meaning is disputed.

Golden Horus name
Djeser khau, sekhem pehty, ankh her-neb en maef mi akhty
ḏsr-ḫꜤw sḫm-pḥty Ꜥnḫ ḥr-nb n mꜢ.f mi Ꜣḫty
Sacred of appearances, powerful and strong...
Dsr:xa-sxm-F9-F9-anx-D2:nb-A1-n:U3:f-mi-Axt:t-A41
Piye stela No. 26 from Gebel Barkal
Reisner, Inscribed Monuments from Gebel Barkal, ZÄS 66 (1931): 90

Throne names

Prenomen or throne name

Announced at the coronation and always written in a cartouche. The “official” name of the pharaoh. Also known as the Prenomen.

Throne name
User maat Ra
wsr-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ
The strong one belonging to the Maat of Ra
ra-wsr-U1-Aa11:a:t#12
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien, V, 14a
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 206-207, 3:T1
Throne name variant A
User maat Ra
wsr-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ
The strong one belonging to the Maat of Ra
ra-wsr-mAa:t
Pierret, Recueil d'inscriptions inédites du Musée égyptien du Louvre, I, 45 (C 187)
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 206-207, 3:T2
Throne name variant B
Snefer Ra
snfr-rꜤ
The one whom Ra made perfect
ra-s-nfr-f:r
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien, V, 14L
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 206-207, 3:T3

Birth names

Nomen or birth name

Personal name given at birth. Also known as the Nomen.

Birth name
Piye
piy
–
p-anx-i-i
Pierret, Recueil d'inscriptions inédites du Musée égyptien du Louvre, I, 45 (C 187)
Formerly transliterated as Piankhy.
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 206-207, 3:E1
Birth name variant A
Piye
piy
–
p-i-i-anx
Lefebvre, Le grand prêtre d’Amon, Harmakhis, et deux reines de la XXVe dynastie, ASAE 25 (1925): 29
Formerly transliterated as Piankhy.
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 206-207, 3:E2
Birth name variant B
Piye mery Amun
piy mri-imn
Piye, beloved of Amun
i-mn:n:N36-p-anx-i-i
Triumph stela of Piye (Cairo Museum JE 48862, 47086-47089)
Formerly transliterated as Piankhy.
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 206-207, 3:E3

Bibliography

  • Gauthier, H. Le livre des rois d'Égypte. MIFAO 20 (1915): 2–4, 24–28
  • Beckerath, J., 1999. “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, Second edition, MÄS 49: 206–207
  • Leprohon, R. J., 2013. The Great Name: Ancient Egyptian Royal Titulary. Atlanta: 160–162
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