Horemheb
| Also known as: Horemhab, Haremhab | Dynasty XVIII |
Horemheb was commander in chief of the army and the designated heir to Tutankhamun. The vizier Ay managed to seize power when Tutankhamun died suddenly, probably while Horemhab was abroad with the army. However, Ay died after only a few years reign, and Horemheb finally ascended the throne. It is not known how he managed it, but presumably it was well known that he was the intended heir to Tutankhamun.
Horemeb initiated a return to religious normalcy by restoring the old gods to power, reducing the worship of Aten introduced by Akhenaten to rubble. He furthermore started erasing all traces of their reign and history, and was very successful, as the Amarna period kings were more or less forgotten.
Horemheb might be the Armaa mentioned in a historical text of the Hittite king Mursili II, written when Horemheb was the commander of the armies of Asia, before he became pharaoh. This name seems quite similar to the Armais/Armesis of Manetho.
Horemheb failed to produce a son, so instead he appointed his vizier, Paramessu, to succeed him, which he did as Ramesses I.
| Reign of Horemheb | |
|---|---|
| AE Chronology | 1319–1292 |
| von Beckerath | 1321–1294 |
| Shaw | 1323–1295 |
| Dodson | 1328–1298 |
| Malek | 1323–1295 |
| Arnold | 1335–1308 |
| Grimal | 1323–1295 |
| Redford | 1343–1315 |
| Manetho (Josephus) | 4y 1m |
| Manetho (Africanus) | 5 years |
| Manetho (Eusebius) | 5 years |
| Manetho (Jerome) | 5 years |
| Highest attestation | Year 27 |
The Royal Titulary
From the hieroglyphic records
ASAE, 17, 85
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien (1849), III, 112d
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:H
Gardiner. 1953. "The coronation of King Haremhab". JEA 39. 13-31, pl. II
ASAE, 17, 85
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:N
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:G
Saqqara king list 4
Karnak pylon IX
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien (1849), III, 112b
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:T1
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:T2
de Saulcy, Mémoires de l'Académie nationale de Metz, 1864, Pt. 2, 257-358
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:E1
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:E2
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:E3
ASAE, 17, 85
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:E5
The sources of antiquity
From the writings of the historians and scholars of antiquity
| Author | Greek | Transliteration | Transcription | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Africanus xviii, 14 | Aρμεσης | Armesis | Armeses | 5 years |
| Eusebius xviii, 14 | Aρμαις | Armais | Armais | 5 years |
| Jerome | Armais also called Danaus | 5 years | ||
| Josephus 97 | Aρμαις | Armais | Armais | 4 years, 1 month |
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), 115–118
Gauthier, H. Le livre des rois d'Égypte. MIFAO 18 (1912): 381–396
Leprohon, R. J. The Great Name: Ancient Egyptian Royal Titulary (Atlanta, 2013), 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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