Dynasties and Rulers
A Note on Egyptian Royal Names
The king of Egypt had five names, each preceded by a title, which followed
a strict order: Horus name, Two Ladies name, Golden Horus name, throne
name, and birth name. The most important were the Horus name, written in
a rectangle surmounted or preceded by a falcon, representing the god Horus;
throne name; and birth name, the last two written in cartouches (ovals). Birth
names often ran in families,and were not unique. Thus, there were eleven kings
named Ramesses, belonging to Dynasties 19 and 20. The other names, adopted
on coming to the throne, were different for each ruler. To avoid confusion, the
Egyptians usually referred to their rulers by the Horus name or throne name, the
latter often in combination with the birth name, rather than by birth name alone.
Modern historians generally use the birth name, followed by a Roman
numeral--Mentuhotep III [4], for example, not Sankhkara Mentuhotep--a
European custom that obviously has nothing to do with ancient Egypt.
The following chronology is based on Jaromìr Mölek, ed., Egypt--Ancient
Culture, Modern Land, Cradles of Civilization (North Sydney: Weldon
Russell, 1993), pp. 182-84. Names of kings represented in the exhibition are
indicated in bold.
Predynastic Period, ca. 5000-2950 bc
Early Dynastic Period
Dynasties 1-2, 2950-2647 bc
Old Kingdom
Dynasty 3, 2647-2573 bc
- Sanakht
- Djoser
- Sekhemkhet
- Khaba
- Qahedjet, 2597-2573 bc
Dynasty 4, 2573-2454 bc
- Sneferu
- Cheops
- Djedefra, 2526-2518 bc
- Chephren
- Mycerinus
- Shepseskaf
Dynasty 5, 2454-2311 bc
- Userkaf
- Sahura
- Neferirkara
- Shepseskara
- Neferefra
- Niuserra
- Menkauhor, 2377-2369 bc
- Isesi
- Unas
Dynasty 6, 2311-2140 bc
Dynasty 7, 2140-2134 bc
Dynasty 8, 2134-2124 bc
First Intermediate Period
Dynasty 9-10 (Herakleopolitan), 2123-2040 bc
Dynasty 11 (pre-unification), 2123-ca. 2040 bc
Middle Kingdom
Dynasty 11 (post-unification), ca. 2040-1980 bc
- Mentuhotep II
- Mentuhotep III, 1999-1987 bc
- Mentuhotep IV
Dynasty 12, ca. 1980-1801 bc
Dynasty 13, 1901-1648 bc, more than 50 rulers, including
- Sebekhotep IV, 1727-1720 bc
Second Intermediate Period
Dynasties 14-17, 1648-1540 bc
New Kingdom
Dynasty 18, 1540-1296 bc
- Ahmosis
- Amenhotep I
- Tuthmosis I
- Tuthmosis II
- Hatshepsut
- Tuthmosis III, 1479-1425 bc
- Amenhotep II
- Tuthmosis IV, 1401-1391 bc
- Amenhotep III, 1391-1353 bc
- Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten), 1353-1337 bc
- Smenkhkara
- Tutankhamen, 1336-1327 bc
- Ay
- Horemheb
Dynasty 19, 1295-1186 bc
- Ramesses I
- Seti I
- Ramesses II, 1279-1213 bc
- Merenptah, 1213-1203 bc
- Seti II
- Amenmesses (usurper)
- Siptah
- Twosret
Dynasty 20, 1186-1069 bc
- Sethnakht
- Ramesses III
- Ramesses IV, 1153-1147 bc
- Ramesses V
- Ramesses VI, 1143-1136 bc
- Ramesses VII-XI
Third Intermediate Period
Dynasty 21, 1069-945 bc
Dynasty 22, 945-715 bc
- Shoshenq I
- Osorkon I, 929-889 bc
- Takeloth I
- Osorkon II
- Takeloth II
- Shoshenq III
- Pimay
- Shoshenq V
- Osorkon IV
Dynasty 23, 818-715 bc
Dynasty 24, 727-715 bc
Late Period
Dynasty 25, ca. 715-656 bc
Dynasty 26 (Saite), 664-525
- Psammetichus I
- Necho II
- Psammetichus II
- Apries, 589-570 bc
- Amasis, 570-526 bc
- Psammetichus III
Dynasty 27 (Persian), 525-404 bc
Dynasty 28, 404-399 bc
Dynasty 29, 399-380 bc
Dynasty 30, 380-343
Greco-Roman Period, 332 bc-ad 395
Macedonian Dynasty, 332-305 bc
- Alexander the Great
- Philip Arrhidaeus
- Alexander IV
Ptolemaic Dynasty 305-30 bc, fifteen kings named Ptolemy, at times ruling jointly with their wives/sisters, ending with
- Cleopatra VII Philopator, 51-30 bc
Roman Empire, 30 bc-ad 395, including
- Augustus
- Tiberius
- Caligula
- Claudius
- Nero, ad 54-68
|
