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Second Dynasty of Egypt

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Second Dynasty of Egypt

The Second Dynasty of ancient Egypt (or Dynasty II, c. 2890 – c. 2686 BC) is the latter of the two dynasties of the Egyptian Archaic Period, when the seat of government was centred at Thinis. Save for the time of its last ruler Khasekhemwy, it marks one of the most obscure periods in ancient Egyptian history.

Though archaeological evidence of the time is very scant, contrasting data from the First and Third Dynasties indicates important institutional and economic developments during the Second Dynasty.

Rulers

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:

However, the identity of the next two or three rulers is unclear. We may have the Horus name or Nebty name and their birth names for these rulers, yet they may be entirely different individuals or they may be legendary names, we may never know. On the left are the rulers most Egyptologists place here and on the right are the names that ultimately come from Manetho's Aegyptica:

With the last ruler, we return to an agreement:

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 as the annual records on the Palermo stone only survive to 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, Khasekhemwy, as "the Two Powers arise"; possibly commemorating the union of the Upper and Lower Egypts.

References

Second Dynasty of Egypt Wikipedia


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