Believed by Syncellus to be genuine Manetho, it was clearly based upon Eusebius and Josephus, with additions that cannot easily be explained.
The sequence of 86 kings is not divided into dynasties, despite Syncellus himself describing that it contained thirty. He only mentions which dynasty the kings belong to in a few cases.
It is also impossible to divide the kings into dynasties as their sequence is clearly not chronological, as can be noted in the commentary.
The Book of Sothis is a pseudo-Manetho text, written by an author using Manetho's name as a pseudonym on his own work.
The letter To the great King Ptolemy Philadelphus Augustus from Manetho is clearly a forgery and can not have been written by Manetho, as the title "Augustus", originates with the Roman emperors 200 years after Manetho lived. In a best case scenario, the Book of Sothis might be sourced from a severely corrupted version of an epitome of Aegyptiaca, as there are some portions that do follow Manetho, but not in the correct order. Syncellus interspersed the list of 86 kings under the heading Kings of the Egyptians throughout his Chronicle.
The list of kings is included here only for the sake of completeness.
Key for commentary: E = Eusebius, S = Syncellus, J = Jospehus, A = Africanus.
No. | Ancient Greek | Transliteration | Reign | Commentary |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Μηνης | Menes | 35 | Dynasty 1: Menes |
2 | Κουρωδης | Kourodes | 63 | |
3 | Aρισταρχος | Aristarkhos | 34 | |
4 | Σπανιος | Spanios | 36 | |
5–6 | 72 | Two unrecorded kings | ||
7 | Ωσιροπις | Osiropis | 23 | |
8 | Σεσονχωσις | Sesonkhosis | 49 | Dynasty 12: E = Sesonkhosis (Senusret I) |
9 | Aμενεμης | Amenemes | 29 | Dynasty 12: E = Ammanemes (Amenemhat II) |
10 | Aπασις | Amasis | 2 | |
11 | Aκεσεφθρης | Akesephthres | 13 | |
12 | Aνχορευς | Ankhoreus | 9 | |
13 | Aρμιυσης | Armiuses | 4 | |
14 | Χαμσις | Khamois | 12 | |
15 | Μιαμους | Miamous | 14 | |
16 | Aμεσησις | Amesesis | 65 | |
17 | Ουσης | Ouses | 50 | |
18 | Ραμεσης | Rhameses | 29 | |
19 | Ραμεσσομενης | Rhamessomenes | 15 | |
20 | Ουσιμαρης | Ousimares | 31 | Dynasty 20: perhaps Ramesses III |
21 | Ραμεσσησεως | Rhamesseseos | 23 | Dynasty 20: perhaps Ramesses VIII |
22 | Ραμεσσαμενω | Rhamessameno | 19 | Dynasty 20: perhaps Ramesses IX |
23 | Ραμεσση Ιουβασση | Rhamesse Ioubasse | 38 | Dynasty 20: perhaps Ramesses X |
24 | Ραμεσση Ουαφρον | Rhamesse Ouaphron | 29 | Dynasty 20: S: Ramesses, son of Ouaphres. (A dynasty 26 king. No.) |
25 | Κονχαρις | Konkharis | 5 | Belongs to Dynasty 16 according to Syncellus. |
26 | Σιλιτης | Silites | 19 | Dynasty 15: J = Salitis |
27 | Βαιων | Baion | 44 | Dynasty 15: J = Beon |
28 | Aπαχνας | Apakhnas | 36 | Dynasty 15: J = Apakhnas |
29 | Aφωφις | Aphophis | 61 | Dynasty 15: J = Apophis |
30 | Σεθως | Sethos | 50 | |
31 | Κηρτως | Kertos | 29 | |
32 | Aσηθ | Aseth | 20 | |
33 | Aμωσις / Τεθμωσις | Amosis / Tethmosis | 26 | Dynasty 18: J = Tethmosis. E = Amosis |
34 | Χεβρων | Khebron | 13 | Dynasty 18: J and E = Khebron |
35 | Aμεμφις | Amemphis | 15 | Dynasty 18: J = Amenophis. E = Ammenophis |
36 | Aμενσης | Amenses | 11 | Dynasty 18: J = Amesses. A = Amensis |
37 | Μισφραγμουθωσις | Misphragmouthosis | 16 | Dynasty 18: J = Mephramouthosis. E = Misphragmouthosis |
38 | Μισφρης | Misphres | 23 | Dynasty 18: J = Mephres. E = Miphres |
39 | Τουθμωσις | Touthmosis | 39 | Dynasty 18: J = Thmosis |
40 | Αμενωφθις | Amenophthis | 34 | Dynasty 18: J = Amenothis |
41 | Ωρος | Oros | 48 | Dynasty 18: J = Oros |
42 | Αχενχερης | Akhenkheres | 25 | Dynasty 18: J = Akenkheres, female |
43 | Αθωρις | Athoris | 29 | Dynasty 18: J = Rhatortis |
44 | Χενχερης | Khenkheres | 26 | Dynasty 18: J = Akenkheres |
45 | Αχερρης | Akherres | 8 | Dynasty 18: J = another Akenkheres |
46 | Aρμαιος / Δανος | Armaios / Danaos | 9 | Dynasty 18: J = Armais (Horemheb) |
47 | Ραμεσσης / Αιγυπτος | Rhamesses / Aigyptos | 68 | Dynasty 19: J = Ramesses (II) |
48 | Αμενωφις | Amenophis | 8 | Dynasty 19: E = Ammenephthis (Merenptah) |
49 | Θουωρις | Thouoris | 17 | Dynasty 19: E = Thouris (Tausret) |
50 | Νεχεψως | Nekhepsos | 19 | Dynasty 26 |
51 | Ψαμμουθις | Psammouthis | 13 | Dynasty 26 |
52 | – | 4 | Name missing in original (lacuna) | |
53 | Κηρτως | Kertos | 16 | Dynasty 19: might be variant name of Sethos |
54 | Ραμψις | Rhampsis | 45 | Dynasty 19: might be Ramesses II repeated (see 47) |
55 | Aμενσης / Aμμενεμης | Amenses / Ammenemes | 26 | Dynasty 19: E = Ammenemes (Amenmesse) |
56 | Οχυρας | Okhuras | 14 | |
57 | Aμενδης | Amendes | 27 | |
58 | Θουωρις | Thouoris | 50 | |
59 | Aθωθις / Φουσανος | Athothis / Phousanos | 28 | Dynasty 1: Athothis also known as Phousanos |
60 | Κενκενης | Kenkenes | 39 | Dynasty 1 |
61 | Ουεννεφις | Ouennephis | 42 | Dynasty 1 |
62 | Σουσακειμ | Sousakeim | 34 | |
63 | Ψουενος | Psouenos | 25 | |
64 | Αμμενωφις | Ammenophis | 9 | |
65 | Νεφεχερης | Nephekheres | 6 | Dynasty 21 |
66 | Σαιτης | Saites | 15 | Dynasty 15 |
67 | Ψιναχης | Psinakhes | 9 | Dynasty 21 |
68 | Πετουβαστης | Petoubastes | 44 | Dynasty 23 |
69 | Oσωρθων | Osorthon | 9 | Dynasty 23 |
70 | Ψαμμος | Psammos | 10 | Dynasty 23 |
71 | Κονχαρις | Konkkharis | 21 | Dynasty 22: E = Sesonkhosis |
72 | Oσορθων | Osorthon | 15 | Dynasty 22 |
73 | Τακαλωθις | Takalophis | 13 | Dynasty 22 |
74 | Βοκχωρις | Bokkhoris | 44 | Dynasty 24 |
75 | Σαβακων | Sabakon | 12 | Dynasty 25 |
76 | Σεβηχων | Sebekhon | 12 | Dynasty 25 |
77 | Ταρακης | Tarakes | 20 | Dynasty 25 |
78 | Aμαης | Amaes | 38 | Dynasty 26: E = Ammeris |
79 | Στεφιναθης | Stephinathes | 27 | Dynasty 26 |
80 | Νεχεψος | Nekhepsos | 13 | Dynasty 26 |
81 | Νεχαω | Nekhao | 8 | Dynasty 26 |
82 | Ψαμμητιχος | Psammetikhos | 14 | Dynasty 26 |
83 | Νεχαω β | Nekhao II | 9 | Dynasty 26 |
84 | Ψαμουθης / Ψαμμητιχος | Psammouthis / Psammetikhos | 17 | Dynasty 26 |
85 | Ουαφρις | Ouaphris | 34 | Dynasty 26 |
86 | Aμωσις | Amosis | 50 | Dynasty 26 |
Apparently in circulation during the time of Syncellus, it is otherwise unknown.
Now there circulates among the Egyptians a certain Ancient Chronography, on the basis of which I believe Manetho has also gone astray. It encompasses an enormous period of time consisting of 30 dynasties again in 113 generations, in (and this is not the same duration of time as Manetho) 36,525 years, treating first of the Auritai, then the Mestraioi, and third the Egyptians. It reads just about word for word as follows:
The reigns of the gods according to the Ancient Chronicle
There is no measured time for Hephaistos because of the fact that he shines by night and day. Helios, the son of Hephaistos, reigned for 30,000 years, followed by Noble spirits for 184 years. Then Kronos and all the remaining 12 gods who succeeded him reigned for 3,984 years. Then the eight demigod kings for 217 years, and after them were ascribed the fifteen generations of the Sothic cycle in 443 years.
After them:
The 16th dynasty of the Tanites, 8 generations — 190 years
The 17th dynasty of the Memphites, 4 generations — 103 years
The 18th dynasty of the Memphites, 14 generations — 348 years
The 19th dynasty of the Diospolitans, 5 generations — 194 years
The 20th dynasty of the Diospolitans, 8 generations — 228 years
The 21st dynasty of the Tanites, 6 generations — 121 years
The 22nd dynasty of the Tanites, 3 generations — 48 years
The 23rd dynasty of the Diospolitans, 2 generations — 19 years
The 24th dynasty of the Saites, 3 generations — 44 years
The 25th dynasty of the Ethiopians, 3 generations — 44 years
The 26th dynasty of the Memphites, 7 generations — 177 years
The 27th dynasty of 5 Persians, 5 generations — 124 years
[ The 28th dynasty of 1 Saite, 1 generation — 6 years ]
The 29th dynasty of the Tanites, 7 generations — 39 years
Finally, the 30th dynasty of a single Tanite — 18 years
All told, 30 dynasties for a total of 36,525 years.
Note: The actual total should be 36,531. Syncellus somehow left out 6 years of the 28th dynasty.
The sum for the gods and demigods is 34,385 years, and the 30 (29) dynasties of mortal kings total 2,140 years.
Epitome – Manetho’s original Aegyptiaca was lost in antiquity, and in the following centuries, it was replaced by Epitomes (summaries) by rivalling advocates of Jewish, Egyptian, and Greek history that saw each side trying to establish the truth according to their point of view.
Vorlage – German for prototype or template, a prior version of a manuscript, in this case an earlier version of the canon.
Recto and verso – Recto is the front side and verso is the back side of a written or printed text.
Cartouche – oval band enclosing a pharaohs name
Hieratic – cursive form of hieroglyphic script
Dynasty – a sequence of rulers from the same family, from Greek dynasteia (δυναστεια)
OK – Old Kingdom
MK – Middle Kingdom
NK – New Kingdom
SIP – Second Intermediate Period
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