Ay
| Also known as: Aja, Aya | Dynasty XVIII |
Ay is believed to be the father of Nefertiti. the wife of Akhenaten. When Tutankhamun died, his powerful vizier Ay quickly stepped in and assumed kingship, despite fact that general Horemhab was the designated heir. Manetho assigned Armais with a reign for 4-5 years, which usually has been assigned to Ay instead, based on his known highest date of 4 years. It is now believed that the assignation of Armais to Horemhab was correct, but the number of years should be raised by ten. This leaves Ay unaccounted for by Manetho, unless one of the three(!) Akenchereses could somehow be assigned to Ay.
| Reign of Ay | |
|---|---|
| AE Chronology | 1323–1320 |
| von Beckerath | 1325–1321 |
| Shaw | 1327–1323 |
| Dodson | 1333–1328 |
| Malek | 1327–1323 |
| Arnold | 1338–1335 |
| Grimal | 1327–1323 |
| Redford | 1346–1343 |
| Highest attestation | Year 4 |
The Royal Titulary
From the hieroglyphic records
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:H1
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:H2
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:H3
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien (1849), III, 114b+c
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:N1
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien (1849), III, 114b+c
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:G
Porter & Moss, Topographical Bibliography, I, 570 (8:1)
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien (1849), III, 114b+c
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien (1849), III, 113a+d
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:T1
d'Avennes, Histoire de l'art Egyptien, Atlas I, plate 6
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien (1849), III, 113d
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:E2
d'Avennes, Histoire de l'art Egyptien, Atlas I, plate 6
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien (1849), III, 113; 114b+c
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:E1
Bibliography
Beckerath, J. Handbuch der Ägyptischen Königsnamen, MÄS 49 (1999): 146–147
Baker. D. D. The Encyclopedia of the Pharaohs: Volume I – Predynastic to the Twentieth Dynasty 3300–1069 BC (London, 2008), 62–65
Gauthier, H. Le livre des rois d'Égypte. MIFAO 18 (1912): 374–380
Leprohon, R. J. The Great Name: Ancient Egyptian Royal Titulary (Atlanta, 2013), 106–107
The full titulary was announced at the coronation, when a pharaoh officially became king.
Horus name
The oldest form of a pharaoh's name, often enclosed in a serekh, a sort of "heraldic crest" representing a palace facade.
Nebty name
The "Two Ladies", the heraldic goddesses Nekhbet and Wadjet, representing Upper and Lower Egypt respectively.
Golden Horus name
Gold was strongly associated with eternity, but the meaning of this title is disputed.
Throne name
(prenomen) Announced at the coronation, and written in a cartouche.
Personal name
(nomen) The name given at birth, also written in a cartouche.
- Turin king list
223 kings – Dynasty 19 - Abydos Canon
76 kings – Dynasty 19 - Saqqara Canon
58 kings – Dynasty 19 - Karnak Canon
61 kings – Dynasty 18 - Comparing the canons
Abydos, Saqqara and Karnak - Ramesseum Canon
Ramesses II Mortuary Temple - Medinet Habu Canon
Ramesses III Mortuary Temple
Ancient historians
- Herodotus
450 BC – Histories - Manetho
250 BC – Aegyptiaca - Diodorus
50 BC – Bibliotheca Historica - Josephus
100 CE – Against Apion - Africanus
220 CE – Chronographai - Eusebius
325 CE – Chronicon - Jerome
380 CE – Chronicon - Syncellus
800 CE – Egloga Chronographai - Eratosthenes
Probably a forgery (date unknown) - Comparing the sources
Transmission of Manetho
by Africanus et. al.
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