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Egyptian Rulers

Although incomplete, records of rulers of  Egypt run from 3400 BC to pretty much the present day. Over the course of its  long history, Egypt was ruled by many pharaohs, queens, and other notable  individuals who left their mark on the civilization and the world at large.

From game-changers like Akhenaten,  Hatshepsut and Ramesses the Great, to the legendary figures Tutankhamun and  Cleopatra and lesser-known but equally significant leaders, the people of  Ancient Egypt have much to teach us about leadership, innovation, and cultural  achievement.

Here we present some of those that are  well-known to the modern world or had quite an impact on the history of Ancient  Egypt.

Deriv; Sculpture depicting the King Tutankhamun as a child, gold plate with Tutankhamun and Ankhesenamun.

The Twin Tragedy of Tutankhamun: Death of a Dynasty

Tossed away callously in a dark corner of the lavish Treasury in the subterranean tomb of Tutankhamun was possibly the most poignant remnant of the boy king’s short life. Positioned next to the...
Pharaoh Akhenaten in the center and his family worshiping Aten personified as the rays of a solar disk; later such imagery was prohibited.		Source: Egyptian Museum / Public domain

Explaining the Weirdly Alien Looking Statues of Pharaoh Akhenaten

In the history of Ancient Egypt, Akhenaten occupies a very special place. Of all the pharaohs over the many centuries, he was by far the most controversial one. His radical policies, major religious...
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo's famous painting of The Banquet of Cleopatra (painted 1743–44) shows Cleopatra's pearl above the tall glass of vinegar as Mark Antony looks on.	Source: Giovanni Battista Tiepolo / Public domain

Roman Historian’s Cleopatra’s Pearl Story: Is It Fact or Fiction?

“Cleopatra’s Pearl” is a story told by the Roman author Pliny the Elder in his famous long-read book Natural History . According to this tale, the last Ptolemaic ruler of Egypt, Cleopatra VII, drank...
King Sahure. Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art / Public Domain.

King Sahure and His Beautiful Pyramid: A Rare Peaceful Pharaoh?

Sahure was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh who lived during the Old Kingdom period. He was a ruler of the 5th Dynasty, and his reign was marked by peace and prosperity. Amongst other things, Sahure...
What if Cleopatra and Octavian Had Been Friends?

What if Cleopatra and Octavian Had Been Friends?

While Caesar and Cleopatra have been remembered as the ultimate power couple, Cleopatra and Octavian are among the most famous enemies of ancient history. Both inextricably linked to Caesar,...
Sobekneferu’s Legacy: The Sacred Places of Egypt’s First Female Pharaoh

Sobekneferu’s Legacy: The Sacred Places of Egypt’s First Female Pharaoh

In part one , we saw how Egypt’s first female pharaoh Sobekneferu (also written Neferusobek) has emerged as a major character both in literary fiction and in the cinema. Her mysterious life and...
The Second Scorpion King of Ancient Egypt

Searching for the Lost Footsteps of the Scorpion Kings

There were two Scorpion Kings in the pre-dynastic period of ancient Egypt. They were forgotten by most of the world until Dwayne Johnson played one of the rulers in the famous movie ‘The Scorpion...
Trilogy statue of King Ramesses II, Ptah and Sekhmet. Cairo Egyptian Museum.          Source: JMCC1 / CC BY-SA 3.0

Has A “Royal-Trinity” Of King Ramesses II Been Discovered In Egypt?

A group of ancient statues has been discovered in the deserts of Egypt, and this remarkable timeworn ‘royal-trinity’ seems to feature the Egyptian creator god Ptah , the maintainer of Earth, King...
Menthu and Ptolemy IV. The Place of Truth, Deir el Medina   Source: Merlin UK /CC BY-SA 3.0

Lost temple of the Pharaoh Ptolemy IV found in Egypt

The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities has announced a dramatic find in the center of the country. During construction work, the lost temple of a pharaoh of the Ptolemaic Dynasty was uncovered,...
Ptolemaic era temple Kon-Ombo            Source: xfargas / Adobe Stock

Last of the Kings of Egypt: The Ptolemaic Dynasty

Ptolemaic Egypt is distinctive in being both the last independent Egyptian dynasty and the last Hellenistic kingdom to fall to Rome . The Ptolemies were not native Egyptians, but Greek and Macedonian...
The discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamun is one of the greatest archaeology achievements in history. Source: merydolla / Adobe Stock.

Unearthing the Ancients: Discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamun

The ancient age of Egypt, the enigmatic pharaohs and the rich history of the Nile valley , are without a doubt one of the most exciting and wondrous aspects of modern archaeology. Filled with several...
Cleopatra’s use of perfume was famous.       Source: EmotionPhoto / Adobe Stock

Cleopatra’s Perfume Recreated – A Scent That Once Masked The Odor Of Sour Donkey Milk!

Two professors in Hawaii have recreated a range of ancient perfumes including the scent worn by the legendary Cleopatra , Queen of Egypt, which are all on exhibition in a National Geographic exhibit...
Large Gilded Coffin of King Tut

Large Gilded Coffin of King Tut Is Moved For The First Time

The Ministry of Antiquities in Egypt has announced that the outer coffin of Tutankhamun has been removed from its tomb - for the first time since it was uncovered. Urgent restoration work needs to be...
Mask of pharaoh Tutankhamun. Source: Dieter Hawlan / Adobe Stock

The Boy King Behind the Mask: Tutankhamun’s Life and Legacy

The incredible golden mask with its dark blue stripes of lapis lazuli and serious young face is probably the most famous ancient artifact in the world. It is instantly recognizable, and the iconic...
Was Nitocris a female pharaoh in the 6th dynasty?

The Shrouded History of Nitocris: Was the Last Pharaoh of the Sixth Dynasty a Woman?

Nitocris is claimed by some sources to have been a female pharaoh of ancient Egypt. However, prior to the Ptolemaic Dynasty, there were few female rulers in the history of ancient Egypt. Many of...
Akhenaten, relief of the pylons of the house of Panehsy, Chief Servitor of the Aten. It depicts Akhenaten making offerings to the Aten.

Pharaoh Akhenaten: An Alternative View of the Heretic King

Amenhotep IV, also known as the Pharaoh Akhenaten, was destined to be remembered for his attempt at a religious conversion of ancient Egypt; one that saw the old gods put aside and replaced by a...
Cartouche found at the palace of Ramesses II

Cartouche Reveals Unearthed Egyptian Palace Belonged to Ramesses The Great

An amazing discovery has been made at the ancient site of Abydos in Egypt. American experts believe that they have uncovered a Royal place that was once home to one of the greatest of all the...
‘Egyptian on Chariot in Crossroads of Civilization exhibit at Milwaukee Public Museum’. King Menes is credited with uniting the upper and lower lands of Egypt through both political alliance and military means.

Menes: Legends Say He United Egypt Under its First Dynasty…But Did He Even Exist?

Much like the ancient Romans had Romulus and Remus to thank for the foundation of their civilization, so too did the ancient Egyptians have a legendary figure that united the Upper and Lower lands –...
Detail of a talatat block from Amarna supposedly shows Kiya with her unnamed daughter. It is also suggested that this is Nefertiti and Meritaten; design by Anand Balaji (Photo credit: Brooklyn Museum, New York); Deriv.

Was Meritaten the Ephemeral Ankhkheperure? Discovering the True Identity of Amarna’s Female Pharaoh – Part I

During the final years of the Atenist heresy, an obscure ruler came to the throne of Egypt. No one is certain about the identity of this person - especially if it was a man or a woman. Akhenaten’s...
Fragmentary scene, originally from the second courtyard of his Saqqaran tomb, shows Horemheb wearing the Gold of Honor given by Tutankhamun; design by Anand Balaji

The Rage of Horemheb: Hurried End of Akhenaten, Aye and Atenism – Part I

Barely four years after the death of Nebkheperure Tutankhamun in 1323 BC, the powerful ruling family was overthrown by Horemheb, a general and one-time non-royal crown prince; ending the Thutmosid...
A limestone sculpture from the Temple of Amun in Thebes depicts Horemheb standing beside the state god; design by Anand Balaji

Horemheb the Usurper: Magical Potency and the Rough Road to the Throne—Part I

Usurpation of monuments and funerary goods occurred over much of ancient Egyptian history. Quite a few Pharaohs and nobles indulged in this practice—and far from our modern notion of greedy monarchs...
Two people portrayed on the walls of the ancient Egyptian general’s tomb.

Immense Tomb Provides a Fascinating Peek at the Life of High Steward of Ramesses II

Saqqara has given Egyptologists a wealth of knowledge on life and death in ancient Egypt. Recently, it has provided information on Queen Ankhnespepy II , King Tut’s Wet Nurse , and a royal messenger...
One of the four elegant canopic jar stoppers made of Egyptian alabaster that was discovered in a niche in Tomb 55; design by Anand Balaji

Quest for the Greatly Beloved Kiya: Her Mysterious Origins and Role in Court—Part I

Kiya, a secondary wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten is one of the most shadowy royals of the Amarna Period. Virtually nothing is known about her origin or the reasons for her disappearance. All that is...
Thousands of talatat blocks from Akhenaten's dismantled Aten temples lie in the precincts of Karnak complex; design by Anand Balaji

Akhenaten, the Savior of Karnak: Breaking Ties with “tainted” Amun - Part II

(Read Part I) Trouble brewed on the horizon when Amenhotep IV changed his name to Akhenaten in Regnal Year 5 in honor of his “father” the Aten, and abandoned Thebes (Waset) to occupy a desolate...

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