Manetho

• Manetho was the Chief Priest and Historian at the Temple of Ra-Atum in Heliopolis, Egypt. He was an Egyptian, but he wrote in the Greek language.
• His dates are unknown, but his works were written during the time of Ptolemy I (323-283 BCE) and Ptolemy II (285-246 BCE).

Works

• Aegyptiaca (The History of Egypt)
  • This was the history of the Egyptian Pharaohs in chronological order. He divided the Pharaohs into Dynasties.
  • Comparisons made with the recently uncovered King Lists of the ‘Old Kingdom Annals’ (2,500-2,200 BCE), and the New Kingdom King List at Karnak by Thutmose III (1479-1425 BCE), showed significant differences.
  • His transliteration of Names into Greek varies from recent discoveries.
  • However, his division of the Pharaohs into Dynasties is still adhered to.
• The Three Volumes:
• • Volume I:
    • Lists the Gods of Ancient Egypt, followed by Dynasties I – XI.
  • Volume II:
    • List of Dynasties XII – XIX
  • Volume III:
    • List of Dynasties XX – XXX.