Pharnabazus (fl. fourth century b.c.e.) To Ptah-hotep (2) (Tehefi) (fl. 24th century b.c.e.)

Persian satrap who commanded the Persian invasion of Egypt in 373 b.c.e. This invasion took place in the reign of nectanebo i (380-362 B.c.E.). Pharnabazus’s troops caused terrible damage to the Egyptian defenses but were repulsed. He also quarreled with the commander of the Greek mercenary army in his train. The Greeks, battle wise, tried to consolidate gains made by probing Egyptian weaknesses, but Pharnabazus overruled such activities, dooming the Persian cause. The Nile River served as well as a natural defense, inundating the Delta and destroying the Persian and Greek camps. The invading army withdrew from the scene.

Philae

A religious site on an island at ASWAN, called “the Island in the Time of Re,” Philae comes from the Egyptian Paaleq or Pilak, meaning “the End” or “Remote Place.” Philae’s monuments, threatened by the Aswan High Dam, are now on Agilquiyya Island. The original site became active in the Thirtieth Dynasty. nectanebo i (r. 380-362 B.c.E.) erected a hall there as well as a kiosk. several prominent temples distinguished Philae in time, dedicated to isis, Harendotus, imhotep, and arsenuphis.
The temple of Isis contains the hall of nectanebo ii (r. 360-343 b.c.e.), eastern and western colonnades, a shrine to Imhotep, a gate from the reign of ptolemy ii philadelphus (285-246 b.c.e.), and a second chapel. Two pylons are part of the design, as well as a MAMMISI, additional colonnades, and a quay.
ptolemy iv philopator (r. 221-205 b.c.e.) and King arkamani of meroe, Nubia (modern Sudan), in a rare joint building program erected a temple dedicated to the deity Arsenuphis at Philae. other Ptolemys added
The temple of Isis at Philae, now moved to higher ground to save it from the waters of the Aswan High Dam.
The temple of Isis at Philae, now moved to higher ground to save it from the waters of the Aswan High Dam.
OBELiSKS,a hypostyle hall, a prenaos, a temple to hathor, and chapels. The last hieroglyphic inscription dates to 394 c.E., as the Romans added their own structures or adornments.


Philetas of Cos (d. c. 270 b.c.e.)

Greek scholar and Ptolemaic tutor of Alexandria

The Greek scholar strato, who was the tutor of the royal household of ptolemy i soter (r. 304-284 b.c.e.), invited Philetas to Alexandria. There, Philetas founded the Hellenistic school of poetry. He also wrote poetry, a hymn to Demeter, and a dictionary. Philetas remained in service to the crown, tutoring ptolemy ii philadelphus (r. 285-246 B.C.E.).

Philip III Arrhidaeus (d. 316 b.c.e.)

Half brother of Alexander the Great and ruler of Egypt

He reigned from 323 B.c.E. until he was murdered. ptolemy I soter served as Philip Ill’s satrap in Egypt. Recorded by contemporaries as somewhat dimwitted, Philip III built a bark shrine for the god amun at karnak in thebes and put a relief on the walls of the Karnak complex. Philip III married his half niece, adea-eury-dice. He was murdered by olympias, the queen mother of Alexander III the Great. Alexander iv (r. 316-304 b.c.e.) succeeded him.

Phoenicians

They were the people from modern Lebanon, so named by the Greeks, Phoinikes, “the red men.” The Phoenicians were master traders and navigators, and they were well known for their inventions, including the popular porphura, a purple murex dye. They settled in the cities of Tyre and Sidon around 3000 b.c.e. and quickly began their trading and artistic crafts. Their alphabet was established by c. 1000 b.c.e. in the city of Tyre.
By 900 B.c.E., the great Phoenician ships were sailing to Greece, Egypt, Assyria, and other lands concerned with the growing trade and commerce. The Phoenicians sought silver, tin, and copper and reportedly sailed to the present-day British isles to visit the copper mines there. They exported chickens from India before 700 b.c.e., introducing them to the West. in 600 B.c.E. the Phoenicians circumnavigated Africa.
The cities of byblos, Sidon, and Tyre were prospering in Phoenicia before 1000 b.c.e. The Phoenicians also founded Carthage in modern Tunisia and Goddir, modern Cadiz, in southern Spain. The Phoenicians were under the control of Persia’s cyrus i the Great c. 540 B.c.E. and became part of the empire of Alexander iii the great in 332 b.c.e. From 300 b.c.e. until 150 b.c.e., the nation was part of the seleucid empire.
Egypt conducted trade with Phoenicia in the old Kingdom (2575-2134 b.c.e.) or perhaps earlier. During the New Kingdom (1550-1070 B.c.E.), under the imperial policies of the Tuthmossids and Ramessids, Phoenicia served as a vassal state. A statue of shoshenq i (r. 945-924 b.c.e.) was placed in a Phoenician temple by the reigning prince of the time, abibaal. Phoenicia continued trade networks with Egyptian dynasties after the fall of the Ramessids in 1070 b.c.e., and the land was heavily garrisoned by Egyptian troops. When cleopatra vii (r. 51-30 b.c.e.) died, the Romans took control of Phoenicia.

phoenix

It was a sacred symbol in Egypt, associated with the bennu Bird, and with the ished and persea Trees in cosmological traditions. sometimes called “the BA of re,” the soul of the god Re, the fabled bird was associated with Re’s cult at heliopolis. Originally the bird was depicted as a yellow wagtail, then as a gray heron. it was taught that the cry of the heron started all of the creative processes of the earth. The egg laid by the heron on the primeval mound contained the god Re. herodotus, the Greek historian, described the symbol of the phoenix in use in his historical period as an eagle with red and gold plumage. Only one phoenix lived at a time. The phoenix symbolized rebirth and resurrection.

Piankhi (1) (Piye) (d. 712 b.c.e.)

Second ruler of the Nubian Twenty-fifth Dynasty

He reigned over Egypt and Nubia (modern sudan) from 750 b.c.e. until his death. He was the son of the Nubian ruler kashta and Queen pebatma. Piankhi entered Egypt in response to pleas from people suffering under the reign of tefnakhte of sais in the Twenty-fourth Dynasty (r. 724-717 b.c.e.).
Piankhi claimed that his military campaign was justified by his desire to restore the faith of the people in the god amun. The great temple of Amun at napata maintained the traditional tenets and rituals of the cult, but the Egyptians appeared to have become lax in their devotion. Piankhi sent an army into Egypt to rectify that lapse in Amunite fervor.
A stela of victory at the temple of Amun in Napata, reproduced at other major Egyptian sites, recounts the military campaigns conducted in his name. His army faced a coalition of Egyptian forces led by Tefnakhte of Sais. Other rulers allied with Tefnakhte were osorkon iv of tanis, peftjau’abast of herakleopolis, nimlot (4) of hermopolis, and iuput (4) of leontopolis. They marched to Herakleopolis and were defeated in a confrontation with Piankhi. Tefnakhte fled but was taken prisoner when the Nubians moved northward. Piankhi conducted two naval battles to defeat Tefnakhte in the Delta, and all of the local rulers surrendered. Piankhi returned to Thebes soon after to celebrate the Amunite Feast of opet. He stayed several months and then returned to Napata.
Piankhi had married pekassater, the daughter of Nubian king alara. While in Thebes, he had his sister, amenirdis (1), adopted by shepenwepet (1) as the god’s wife of amun, or Divine Adoratrice of Amun. The Nubians ruled almost all of Egypt at the end of Piankhi’s stay. His dynasty would bring about a renaissance of the arts in Egypt and would maintain a vigorous defense of the nation. Piankhi died at Napata and was buried in the royal necropolis at El-Kurru. Burial chambers for his favorite horses were erected around his tomb. Piankhi was succeeded by his brother shabaka.

Piankhi (2) (fl. 11th century b.c.e.)

Priestly official of the Twenty-first Dynasty

He served as the high priest of amun during the reign of ramesses xi (1100-1070 b.c.e.). A son-in-law of herihor, Piankhi assumed the prelature of Amun without using royal titles or regalia, maintaining order in thebes, and campaigning in nubia (modern Sudan) against rebels. His son, pinudjem (1), was married to henuttawy, the daughter of smendes, and succeeded Piankhi as high priest of Amun. Piankhi died during the reign of ramesses xi.

“Pillar of His Mother”

The name given to a unique priestly caste associated with the cult of horus and isis in Egypt. The priests of this caste had to have the rank of prince in order to be inducted into this temple service. tuthmosis iii (r. 1479-1425 b.c.e.) was recorded as serving as a “Pillar of His Mother” when he was elevated to the rank of heir to the throne. The use of the term “Pillar” alluded to the strength in defending and protecting. “The Mother” referred to was probably Egypt, not the biological life giver.

Pillars of Shu

They were cosmological structures in Egyptian cults, four columns that supported the heavens, called PET. The Pillars of Shu stood at each corner of the rectangular formation of heaven and were guarded by the Sons of Horus, imsety, hapi (2), duamutef, and qebehsennuf These supernatural beings also guarded the canopic jars of the deceased in tombs.

pillow amulet

This was a carved fetish in the form of the traditional wooden headrest of ancient Egypt. The Egyptians did not use pillows in the early pharaonic eras as such comforts were introduced later. An amulet used in mummified remains, this fetish assured that the head of the deceased would be resurrected safely beyond the grave.

Pinudjem (1) (fl. 11th century b.c.e.)

An official and self-styled pharaoh of the Twenty-first Dynasty pinudjem served as high priest of amun at thebes, and became a self-styled “pharaoh” in the reign of smendes (1070-1044 b.c.e.), assuming privileges and the attire of such god-kings. He was the son of piankhi (2) and inherited his father’s temple rank in Thebes. Some years later,c. 1054 B.c.E., Pinudjem assumed a royal name, Keper-kare setepenamun Kanakhhtemeryamun, and elevated himself to the rank of pharaoh. He usurped the karnak monuments of ramesses ii as well. Pinudjem thus became smendes’ coregent.
He supervised the reburial of royal mummies found violated in their tombs in Thebes while governing Upper Egypt as far south as Aswan, and he married Princess henuttawy, the daughter of ramesses xi and Queen tan-tamun (1). He also wed istemkhebe (1), who bore him masaharta and Djedkhonsufankh. His other sons, psusennes I and menkheperresenb (2), and daughters, ma’atkare (1) and Mutnodjmet, were the children of Henuttawy.
El-HIBA was the military fortress used by Pinudjem I. When he died in the seventh year of the reign of his son psusennes I (1040-992 b.c.e.), he was buried on the western shore of Thebes in an unusual coffin of tuthmo-sis I. His mummified remains were discovered in the deir-el-bahri cache in 1881, beautifully wrapped and encased in leather straps. His mummy reportedly has now disappeared, after being photographed in 1888.

Pinudjem (2) (fl. 11th century b.c.e.)

Priestly official of the Twenty-first Dynasty

He served as high priest of Amun in thebes in the reign of psusennes I (1040-992 b.c.e.). Pinudjem was probably the son of Menkheperresenb (2) and the grandson of Pinud-jem (1). He married his niece neskhonsu and his sister istemkhebe (3), who was the mother of psusennes ii.
Pinudjem faced a terrible scandal among the temple scribes and other officials when he took office although details of the affair are not known. He retired to a temple chamber to meditate upon the matter, and the god Amun revealed the true miscreants in the temple. Actually, a scribe named Tuthmosis uncovered the evildoers, inscribing his role on the wall of a chapel in karnak. Pin-udjem, however, arrested the guilty. He was shown also making an offering to osiris in a beautiful relief.
Neskhonsu died before Pinudjem, and she was buried in a cliff near deir el-bahri at Thebes. Pinudjem was placed in the same tomb. istemkhebe’s mummy was so beautifully wrapped that it was left intact.

Pithom (1)

This was a site near ismaila, called Per-Atum or Per-Tum by the Egyptians. Located beside the canal leading from the Nile to the Red sea, started in the Late Period (712-332 b.c.e.) and refurbished by darius i (r. 521-486 B.c.E.), the area was once in the control of the Ramessids. ramesses ii (r. 1290-1224 b.c.e.) built extensively on the site.

Pithom (2)

It was a site in heliopolis, called the “Estate of Atum” and serving as a cultic center for the combined deities, re-atum. heliopolis, originally called iunu, the “pillar,” or on, is now a suburb of modern cairo. Pithom contained monuments and temples and was the source of cosmogonic traditions. only a single obelisk, a monument dating to the reign of senwosret i (1971-1926 b.c.e.), remains at Pithom in Heliopolis.
“Place of Uniting of the Company” It was a mysterious site in the temple of edfu. The site was associated with the “primeval island of trampling” in creation texts and with the pay lands, the centers of creation.

plain of salt

This was a natural deposit region near wadi natrun in the western Delta. Salt was recovered from this plain in all times of Egyptian history.

Pneb-tawy

He was a divine being of ancient Egypt, called the son of horus the Elder. An obscure deity whose cult did not survive into later periods, Pneb-tawy was worshiped with his mother, the equally obscure goddess Taseunefer.

police

They were the peacekeeping units serving the rulers of Egypt and normally assigned to specified territories. one of the oldest police groups was a border unit stationed in various forts or garrisons on the eastern, western, and southern frontiers of Egypt during every era. Members of the Bedouin tribes of the sinai were part of the border patrol in some historical periods. The wall of the prince, instituted by amenemhet i (r. 1991-1962 b.c.e.) in the Twelfth Dynasty, aided the border units by providing them garrisons on the eastern and western borders. The string of fortresses below the first cataract dating to the same era also served to house these units.
A state police was developed after the second intermediate Period (1640-1550 b.c.e.) composed of the famed medjay warriors. There had been other state units in the past, but this new police team maintained the capital and served the king personally. The backbone of the Medjay were Nubian (modern sudanese) warriors who served kamose (r. 1550 b.c.e.) and ‘ahmose (r. 1550-1525 b.c.e.) when they campaigned against the hyksos invaders and drove them out of Egypt. starting with the New Kingdom (1550-1070 b.c.e.) ‘Ahmose decreed that all foreigners have papers identifying their origins. customhouses were also formed to tax imported items.
The temple police units were normally composed of initiated members of the various cults who were charged with maintaining the sanctity of the temple complexes. The regulations concerning sex, behavior, and attitude during and before all ritual ceremonies demanded vigilance, and the temples kept their own people available to insure order and a harmonious spirit.
Police units were stationed at the borders to watch over caravans and trading expeditions and to maintain order among the foreigners who came with their own goods to conduct business within Egyptian territory. Police also watched over the various necropolises of Egypt, particularly those having royal tombs. Mortuary complexes had to be guarded by priests and police, and the vast tombs of the Theban western shore had to be patrolled on a daily basis. Other units functioned under the direction of the nome chiefs in the various districts of Egypt. still other units, mostly military, protected the workers in the quarry and mine sites in the desert area within Egypt’s borders or in the surrounding territories, such as the sinai.

Pompey (Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus) (d. 48 b.c.e.)

Roman general and enemy of Julius Caesar who was called Magnus (the Great)

He was born in 106 b.c.e. and rose rapidly in Roman political circles, fighting for sulla against Marius. Pompey put down spartacus’s slave rebellion and cleared the Mediterranean sea of pirates. He also ended the war with Mithridates of Pontus.
Marrying Julia, the daughter of Julius caesar, Pompey joined the First Triumvirate of Caesar and Crassus, although the death of julia caused an enmity between him and her father. In 55 b.c.e. he had ptolemy xii auletes (80-58, 55-51 b.c.e.) restored to the throne of Egypt through the efforts of Gabinus. He also ruled Rome as consul while Caesar was in Gaul. Pompey was appointed the legal guardian of cleopatra vii, the coruler of Egypt, in accordance with the will left by her father. He then entered into a civil war with julius caesar in 49 b.c.e. and was defeated by the latter at the battle of Pharsalus the following year. Fleeing to Alexandria, Pompey was murdered by Cleopatra VII’s brother, ptolemy xiii (51-47 b.c.e.). His head was given to Caesar when he arrived in Alexandria.

Poseidippos of Pella (fl. third century b.c.e.)

Greek poet who lived in Alexandria

His verses were discovered in a papyrus and are in the Louvre in Paris. Poseidippos described the statue on the top of the lighthouse of Alexandria, identifying it as an image of zeus the savior.

posesh-khef

This was a mortuary instrument of ancient Egypt, fashioned as a slightly forked tool. Made of horn or granite, the instrument was discovered in the tomb of montuhotep ii (r. 2061-2010 b.c.e.) of the Eleventh Dynasty at deir el-bahri. The posesh-khef was used in mortuary rituals to bring about resurrection and renewed life of certain organs of the deceased. Elaborate rites were performed on the deceased, whose mummified remains were stood upright. in later historical periods statues or cartonnage images received the mystical rites.

Potter, The (fl. c. 130 b.c.e.)

Mysterious prophet of Ptolemaic Egypt

He became a public figure in the reign of ptolemy viii euergetes ii (170-163, 145-116 b.c.e.). The Potter was a devotee of the ancient Egyptian ways and announced an oracle prophecy concerning the return of “the Great Spirit,” probably that of the goddess ma’at, to Memphis, Egypt’s original capital.
When “the Great Spirit” returned to Memphis, according to the Potter, all evil would end and the foreigners would “drop like dead leaves from a dead branch.” Alexandria, the Ptolemaic center, would return to its role as “a drying place by the sea for fishermen and their nets.” The Potter’s oracle was very popular among Egyptians because of their desire for independence but was proven unreliable by the course of events. The Ptolemaic royal line was not beloved by the Egyptians. These rulers were Greek in language, customs, and marriage, and they seldom left Alexandria to visit the various nomes.

Prehirwonmef (1) (fl. 13th century b.c.e.)

Royal prince of the Nineteenth Dynasty

He was the son of ramesses ii (r. 1290-1224 b.c.e.) and Queen nefertari, depicted in reliefs portraying the battle of kadesh in the fifth year of Ramesses Il’s reign. There with other princes, Prehirwonmef and his brothers were warned: “Keep yourselves clear of the battle.” Reaching maturity, Prehirwonmef was in the military service but died at a young age and was buried in thebes.

Prehirwonmef (2) (fl. 12th century b.c.e.)

Royal prince of the Twentieth Dynasty

He was a son of ramesses iii (r. 1194-1163 b.c.e.) and served as a royal charioteer. Prehirwonmef was depicted with 19 of his brothers on the walls of medinet habu. His tomb in the valley of the queens at Thebes has corridors and a square hall with a side chapel.

priests

The numerous religious and temple attendants of Egypt, whose role remained constant in all historical periods, the priests kept the temple and sanctuary areas pure, conducted the cultic rituals and observances, and performed the great festival ceremonies for the public. some served as well in specialized agencies, such as medicine or astronomy.
soon after the unification of the kingdoms of upper and Lower Egypt in 3000 b.c.e., the priests were in service in major religious centers throughout the nation. cultic rituals had been conducted in all regions before the unification, but the centralization of the government allowed them to flourish and to influence the cultural development of the entire land. The priesthood was not viewed as a separate class, however, until the New Kingdom (1550-1070 b.c.e.).
heliopolis was an early center for the solar cult in honor of re’ and atum, and many priests were engaged in the ongoing functions of the temples and shrines. The high priest of Heliopolis was called the “Great one of the seers” and held many responsible positions in the Early Dynastic Period (2920-2575 b.c.e.) and Old Kingdom (2575-2134 B.c.E.) administrations. in some eras the head of the Heliopolitan cult was a member of the royal family, but most often the position was in the hands of a dedicated and talented commoner. The high priest of Memphis, dedicated to the god ptah, was sometimes called the “Great One Who Rules The Artificers,” and many gifted men served in this capacity, including imhotep, the builder of the step pyramid for djoser.
In the New Kingdom, the high priest of amun in thebes held even greater powers. He was called the chief prophet of Amun. other temples of Egypt came under his jurisdiction at this time, as Amun became the most powerful deity of the land. The Amunite priests were normally men dedicated to the service of their god and nation in an administrative capacity. menkheperresenb (1), a high-ranking Amunite during the reign of tuthmo-sis iii (1479-1425 b.c.e.), for example, was an architect and the head of the palace and the city of Thebes.
During the Third Intermediate Period (1070-712 b.c.e.) the priests of the temple of Amun at Thebes usurped the robes and ranks of the pharaohs while performing priestly and military duties because of ongoing rebellions in Upper Egypt. The self-proclaimed pharaohs ended with the collapse of the Twenty-first Dynasty (1070-945 B.c.E.), however, and the priesthoods remained traditional in their performances and services. The importance of such ministers of the gods faded during the Late Period (712-332 b.c.e.) but arose with the invasion of Egypt by the armies of Alexander iii the great (r. 332-323 b.c.e.).
The rulers of the ensuing Ptolemaic Period (304-30 B.c.E.) restored many of the priesthoods as tools for keeping the native population of the Nile valley in check. such rulers, however, worshiped the Greek pantheon of deities, making only the required devotions to the traditional gods of the Nile valley on state occasions. The priests of Egypt, allowed to serve in peace, continued their own traditions and vied with one another and the imported foreign cults to provide the people with devotional events and inspirational celebrations. The traditions of these priesthoods, especially those involved in the mortuary rituals of the nation, flourished as the Greeks and then the Romans adopted the funerary customs of the land. Egyptian priests also went to other nations to spread the cults of the popular deities, such as isis and osiris. These cults remained active during the Roman period in many cities of the world at the time.
Priests officiating in smaller temples were called web or wab. The web priest also served as a purificator during rituals and cultic rites. The sem priests were mortuary ritualists. The hem-ka priests performed funerary rites and the hem-neter assisted in the temples. The kheri-heb priest was the lector, the master of mortuary rituals for the royal clans, and was attended by the heri-shesheta, the head of mysteries (called kheri-shesheta in some sects). other high-ranking priests of lesser temples were called uab-aa amihru, ur hekau, or neter atef, depending upon their role and their cult.
In the old and Middle Kingdoms there were priestesses associated with the goddess cults, but during the New Kingdom their role was reduced to singing or to the various aspects of devotional groups. There is no evidence of temple prostitution in ancient Egypt, despite its existence in other contemporaneous societies.
In most periods the priests of Egypt were members of a family long connected to a particular cult or temple. Priests recruited new members from among their own clans, generation after generation. This meant that they did not live apart from their own people, and thus they maintained an awareness of the state of affairs in their communities.
Most priests in Egypt married and were succeeded by their children. Regulations concerning sex, however, were very stringent in every era, and priests were also obliged to fast before and after ceremonies and to maintain regularity in their own lifestyles and in their dress. Priests wore white linen in the temple and sandals, which were common only to the nobility or temple servants in each historical period. Leopard skins, pendants, and plaited hairpieces denoted their ranks and offices.
Temples were the center of each town or village, but they were not open to the public except on certain feast days. The priests alone entered the temples and worked in a series of chambers of increasing seclusion. The rank of the priest determined his access to interior sanctuaries. During their initial training periods, priests were taught quietude, modesty, and self-sacrifice. A spirit of dedication to the god and to the nation was also cultivated.
Priests served full-time or part-time, and for centuries the temples of Egypt mandated unity and honor among the people. Each morning the priests dressed, incensed, and anointed the statue of the god of the temple with oils. The interior shrine was then closed and sealed against intruders. At noon, purifying water was added to the holy fonts, and the sanctuaries were swept and washed again. At night more offerings were made, but the sanctuary was not opened. on certain days, in some eras several times a month, the god was carried on arks or ships into the streets or set sail on the Nile. There the oracles took place and the priests answered petitions.

“Primeval Island of Trampling”

This was a mythical and cultic site in the cosmogonic traditions of Egypt. Associated with the moment of creation and the primeval mound, the island was ruled by a being named aa. In time Aa and wa became associated with the cult of the deity re. The exact purpose or history of this traditional site is not clear. Most temples made a reference to the Primeval Island of Trampling in their founding documents.

“Primeval Mound”

It was the site of creation in Egypt’s cosmological traditions, the first piece of land to emerge from the watery chaos of nun and associated with the concept of the pay lands. The temples of the various gods contained records of such sites, also called the High Dunes. edfu had a particularly striking commemoration of the Primeval Mound, not only as a recorded tradition but also as an actual mound of earth used as a replica. Such islands offered the gods the sacred djeba, or perch, the seat of creation, and the call of the phoenix heard there brought them to life. Two divine lords, called the companions of the divine heart and named wa and aa, guarded the Primeval Mound at Edfu.
The Primeval Mound assumed other forms and significances over the centuries as well. Called the “primeval island of trampling” in Edfu, the mound was viewed as the sacred domain of Horus the Elder. This island, along with the island of Peace and the island of combat, was surrounded by the wa-ret, the primeval waters, and by darkness. such sites were also honored as Ta-tenen, the Rising Lands. Most were associated with re or with nefertem, the lotus deity
“Prince Unknown” (Man E) (unknown) Prince, whose mummified remains date to an unknown era of Egypt This embalmed individual was discovered in deir el-bahri in 1886 and is also called Man E in some lists. The mummy was placed in a plain white case, without inscriptions. The body of the prince was wrapped in sheepskin, a material considered unclean by religious standards in Egypt. The mummy was also covered in a white dough-like substance when discovered. When the corpse was recovered, the remains began to putrefy. Reburied in a yard, the body was cured of the damage done by the embalming processes.
The “Prince unknown” died between the ages of 25 and 30. There are no wounds or marks on the remains, which had turned a dark mahogany color over the centuries. Some natron was packed between bandages and in pouches against the flesh. The arms and legs were twisted and the stomach distended. The facial features are also distorted in agony, as if from convulsion or pain. it is possible that the aristocratic individual was buried alive. The harem plot against ramesses iii (r. 1194-1163 b.c.e.) claimed a prince pentaweret as a victim, and the mummy could be that usurper of the throne who was convicted and condemned to death. Pentaweret, however, was allowed to kill himself. other possibilities are being explored. He may have been a foreign prince, possibly zannanza of Babylon.

Prisse Papyrus

A document dating to the reign of niuserre (2416-2392 b.c.e.) in the Fifth Dynasty, the papyrus is now in the Louvre in Paris, with a second copy in the British Museum. The writings of the sage ptah-hotep (2) are contained in this document.

proyet

The second season of the year, also called peret, this period in the Egyptian calendar was composed of four months and was dedicated to “growth,” as the name implies. Proyet was followed by akhet, the season of the inundation of the Nile, and by shomu, the harvest time.

Psammetichus I (Wahibre, Psamtik) (d. 610 b.c.e.)

Second ruler of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty, reigning in Sais Ruling from 664 b.c.e. until his death, he was the son of necho i, who had been put to death by tanutamun (r. 664-657 b.c.e.) of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty for being a vassal of the Assyrians. Psammetichus I fled to Nineveh, the Assyrian capital, when his father was slain, and he returned to Egypt with the Assyrian army of assurbani-pal. He was called Nabu-shezibanni by Assurbanipal and was well liked by the Assyrians, as his father had been before him.
Psammetichus I assumed the throne of sais, eventually turning on and defeating the Assyrians and the Nubians who were trying to hold on to their Twenty-fifth Dynasty domain. He used the military might of Greek mercenaries in order to establish his own rule and to unify Egypt. By his ninth regnal year, he ruled over all areas of the nation, using oracles to win over some areas and brute force to subdue others.
His consort was mekhtemweskhet (2), the daughter of harsiese, the high priest of heliopolis. His son was necho ii, and his daughter was nitocris (2). She was sent to thebes, to be adopted by amenirdis (2) as the god’s wife of amun or a Divine Adoratrice of Amun. “The Adoption Stela of Nitocris” has survived to document this event.
Psammetichus i consolidated his control by building forts at naukratis and Daphne, in the eastern Delta, and on elephantine Island. He also continued to employ Greek mercenaries, initiating Greek settlements of Ioni-ans and carians. Naukratis was possibly started as a result of his policies. Psammetichus i aided the Assyrians against the rising power of the Persians at Babylon and gained land on the Palestinian coast. He defeated
Nabopolasser, the Mede, at Ashdod on the coast as well. When the scythians threatened Egypt, Psammetichus i sent tribute and escaped their assaults.
He ruled from Sais and Memphis and declared the goddess neith (1) as patroness of the dynasty. Egypt prospered under his leadership, as he restored the economy, trade, and the traditions of the past. When he died, he was buried in the temple of Neith at sais.

Psammetichus II (Neferibre, Psamtik) (d. 589 b.c.e.)

Fourth ruler of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty He reigned from 595 B.c.E. until his death. He was the son of necho ii and Queen mekhtemweskhet (3). Militarily active, Psammetichus ii conducted a major campaign in nubia (modern Sudan) in his third regnal year. His army was composed of Greek mercenaries, and he went as far south as Napata during his campaigns. This war was depicted on a wall of karnak to commemorate the campaigns. His Greek soldiers also left inscriptions at ABU SIMBEL.
A granite statue of Psammetichus ii was erected at damanhur in the Delta in a temple dedicated to horus. He also went to southern Palestine to encourage the various city-states of the area to band together and to fight against the rising power of the Babylonians.
Psammetichus Il’s consort was queen takhat (3), who was the mother of his son, apries, and his daughter, ankhesneferibre. This daughter was sent to Thebes to be adopted as a god’s wife of amun by nitocris (2). When Psammetichus II died, he was buried in sais.

Psammetichus III (Ankhka-en-re, Psamtik) (d. c. 525 b.c.e.)

Last ruler of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty He reigned only from 526 to 525 b.c.e. Within a year of his succession to the throne, Psammetichus iii faced cambyses (r. 525-522 b.c.e.) and the Persian army. At pelusium, the Egyptians fought bravely but were forced to retreat. Psammetichus iii fled, intent on raising an army. He was caught and taken in chains to susa, the Persian capital at the time, where he died. Psammetichus iii was allowed to live in comparative freedom in his first days in the Persian capital but then was suspected of treachery and executed.

Psammetichus (4) (Usere’setepenptah) (fl. 393 b.c.e.)

Usurper of the throne of the Twenty-ninth Dynasty He ruled only one year, 393 b.c.e. Setting aside the designated heir when nephrites i died, he carried out his predecessor’s policies. Psammetichus built in karnak and akhmin before being deposed by hakoris.

Psamtik (fl. sixth century b.c.e.)

Official of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty

Psamtik served amasis (r. 570-526 b.c.e.) as chief steward. His tomb in saqqara contained a beautifully carved statue depicting him being protected by the goddess hathor in the form of a cow, a traditional theophany for this deity.

Psusennes I (‘Akheperre’setepenamun) (d. 992 B.c.E.)

Ruler of the Twenty-first Dynasty

He reigned from 1040 b.c.e. until his death. Psusennes I was the son of pinudjem i and Queen henuttawy, and his name meant “the Star Appearing in the City.” Psusennes I became the ruler in tanis and refurbished the city, adding a tenemos wall and a sanctuary of amun.
His queens were mutnodjmet (2), wiay, and ta’apenes. His sons were amenemope and Prince ankhe-fenmut, who appears to have been disgraced in some unknown fashion. Psusennes I’s daughter istemkhebe (2) was given in marriage to menkheperresenb (2), the high priest of Amun at Thebes.
This ruler also fostered a cult of mut and khonsu and erected a temple for the goddess Mut. Psusennes i ruled for 48 years and took Amenemope as his coregent. During his reign the scythians stood poised to invade Egypt, and Psusennes offered a tribute and saved the nation.
When Psusennes died he was buried at tanis, and his mummified remains, badly decomposed, evidence his advanced age. He had bad teeth and arthritis and was possibly crippled in his last years. The mummy of Psusennes I was discovered in Tanis, painted red, and his exquisite silver and gold (electrum) coffin was recovered. This magnificent piece was apparently made for meren-ptah in the Ramessid Period. A pink granite sarcophagus held the remains, and Psusennes i’s body was laid to rest with a mask of gold. His tomb also contained burial chambers for Queen Mutnodjmet, Prince Ankhefenmut (who had been removed from the succession), and General Wendjeba-en-Djed, a remarkable warrior who had served him well. Amenenope, the successor, was also buried in the tomb, as was shoshenq iii, who was interred there by osorkon i, about a century later.

Psusennes II (Titkhepure’setepenre) (d. 945 B.c.E.)

Seventh ruler of the Twenty-first Dynasty, reigning in Tanis He ruled from 959 b.c.e. until his death. The son of the high priest pinudjem (2), Psusennes rescued royal graves and mummies while in Thebes and continued supervising reburial operations from tanis. His daughter became the wife of the Libyan military leader who succeeded Psusennes II as shoshenq i. Psusennes II was buried in Tanis.

Ptah

The god of ancient Egypt in Memphis, called Ptah-sokar in a double form and Ptah-sokar-osiris in the triune style, Ptah dates to the earliest dynastic periods of Egypt and perhaps earlier. A sophisticated theology made Ptah somewhat obscure to the average Egyptian. The
Memphite teachings concerning Ptah were discovered on a stela, which explained the cosmogony and the cult of the region. According to these tenets, Ptah was the only true god, the creator, and all spiritual beings, divine or human, emanated from his will. The creation deities worshiped in other cities were supposed to have been devised by Ptah. This deity was also the source of the ethical and moral orders in the world, and he was called “the Lord of Truth” in all historical periods. He was deemed capable of bringing forth life with words, as the tongue announced what the god’s heart experienced.
Memphis, the cult center of Ptah, was called Hiku-Ptah, or Hat-Ka-Ptah, the mansion of the soul of Ptah. statues and reliefs depicting the god showed him as a man with very light skin, sometimes green, mummy wrappings, and an immense collar with the menat. Most depictions of Ptah were designed as pillars, emblems of justice. Called the First of the Gods, Ptah was a patron of the great architectural monuments of the old Kingdom (2575-2134 b.c.e.).
As tatenen he was revered as the creative urge, both for the world and for the individual works of art. Also called Hetepi and Khnemi, Ptah was associated with the chaos that existed before the moment of creation, and was then called Ptah-Nun. When associated with the Nile, the deity was worshiped as Ptah-Hapi; with the earth as Ptah-Tenen; and with the solar disk, called Ptah-Aten. The deity was also honored in the great complexes of amun in thebes.

Ptah-hotep (1) (fl. 24th century b.c.e.)

Vizier of the Fifth Dynasty

Ptah-hotep served izezi (r. 2388-2356 b.c.e.) as vizier. He was buried alone in a tomb in saqqara, north of the step pyramid of djoser. His grandson was ptah-hotep (2), the celebrated sage.

Ptah-hotep (2) (Tehefi) (fl. 24th century b.c.e.)

Official and a famous sage of the Fifth Dynasty He served Unis (r. 2356-2323 b.c.e.) with his father, Ak-hethotep, as a vizier, but he was also esteemed as a popular sage in his era. The MAXIMS OF PTAH-HOTEP are found in the prisse papyrus. One copy is in the Louvre in Paris, and a second copy is in the British Museum in London.
He exhorted his fellow Egyptians to conduct their affairs with quietude and righteousness. Ptah-hotep also urged them to be truthful and to treat their neighbors and fellow countrymen with kindness and tolerance. He was especially concerned with the weak and oppressed. Ptah-hotep’s Maxims remained popular in all ages of Egypt’s history as they provided demonstrations of the spirit of ma’at, the cohesive social and ethical standards that maintained order and stability.
He was buried in the mastaba of his father in saqqara. His tomb had pillared halls, corridors, and separate burial chambers. Ptah-hotep is depicted there wearing the panther skin of a high priest. other paintings portray an entire day’s activities, including children at play. An anonymous mummy shared Akhethotep’s tomb as well.

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