Second Dynasty of Egypt
|
Dynasties of Ancient Egypt |
|---|
The Second Dynasty of ancient Egypt (notated Dynasty II) is often combined with Dynasty I under the group title Early Dynastic Period. It dates approximately from 2890 to 2686 BC.[1] The capital at that time was Thinis.
Rulers[edit]
The names of the actual rulers of the Second Dynasty are in dispute. For the first five pharaohs, the sources are fairly close in agreement. Known rulers, in the History of Egypt, for this dynasty are as follows:
| Name | Years Reigned |
|---|---|
| Hotepsekhemwy | 38 |
| Nebra (maybe identifiable with Weneg)[2] | 10-14 |
| Nynetjer | 40 |
| Senedj (maybe identifiable with Horus Sa[3]) | 20 |
However, the identity of the next two or three rulers is unclear: we may have both the Horus-name or Nebty (meaning two ladies) -name and their birth names for these rulers; they may be entirely different individuals; or they may be legendary names. On the left are the rulers most Egyptologists place here; on the right are the names that ultimately come from Manetho's Aegyptica:
| Proposed Ruler | Manetho's List |
|---|---|
| Seth-Peribsen | Kaires |
| Nepherkheres | |
| Sekhemib-Perenmaat | Sesokhris |
With the last ruler, we return to an agreement:
| Name | Years Reigned |
|---|---|
| Khasekhemwy | 17–18 |
Although Manetho states the capital was at Thinis, the same as during the First Dynasty, at least the first three kings were buried at Saqqara, suggesting the center of power had moved to Memphis. Beyond this, little can be said about the events during this period; the annual records on the Palermo stone only survive for the end of the reign of Nebra and for parts of Nynetjer's. One important event possibly happened during the reign of Khasekhemwy: many Egyptologists read his name ("the Two Powers arise") as commemorating the union of Upper and Lower Egypts.
References[edit]
- ^ Shaw, Ian, ed. (2000). The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt. Oxford University Press. p. 480. ISBN 0-19-815034-2.
- ^ Kahl, Jochem, 'Ra is my Lord', Searching for the Rise of the Sun God at the Dawn of Egyptian History. Wiesbaden, 2007.
- ^ Thomas Von der Way, Zur Datierung des "Labyrinth-Gebaudes" auf dem Tell el-Fara'in (Buto), in: Göttinger Miszellen 157, 1997, 107-111
| Preceded by First dynasty |
Dynasty of Egypt c. 2890 – 2686 BC |
Succeeded by Third dynasty |
