Manetho

Manetho (Greek Μανεθώς Manetho; Μανέθων Manetho, Μανεθῶι Manethoi; ancient Egyptian hellenized to Manethoth, Truth of Thoth ) was a priest from Sebennytos in Lower Egypt, probably under the Pharaohs Ptolemy I, Ptolemy II and Ptolemy III. lived. The papyrus Hibeh 1.72 may provide the only contemporary document of Manetho Represents the birth and death date has been handed down in any source. Georgios Synkellos sat Manetho's work at the same time or slightly later than Berossus in the reign of Ptolemy II ( 285-246 BC), under which he is said to have written his works.

The most common font in this case represents the Aegyptiaca, which he wrote, among others, as in ancient Egyptian and Greek "History of Egypt from the earliest times to the Macedonian conquest " in three books.

Notes

Suidas mentions two authors named Manetho; the one hand, " Manetho of Mendes " as a priest, who was involved in the Kyphi texts and on the other hand of " Manetho of Sebennytos ( Diospolis Inferior ) ". Surnames compounds of Manetho missing. The place Mendes is only about 25 km from Sebennytos why a reliable assignment is difficult. Both Manetho may be considered, provided it is " Manetho of Mendes " to avoid confusion with " Ptolemy of Mendes " is, probably in the time of Augustus also wrote as an Egyptian priest, a three -volume work on the Egyptian chronology. There is no doubt, therefore only the general description of Manetho are used: "Born on the west bank of the Damietta Nilarms and priests in the temple at Sebennytos who lived in Heliopolis. "

According to Plutarch Manetho to have been one of two priestly counselors of Pharaoh, who were commissioned with the introduction of the Serapis cult. On the pedestal of a statue in the temple of Serapis at Carthage the name of Manetho is carved. Since the name is very rare, it may be indeed to this Manetho.

Aegyptiaca ( Egyptian history )

Manetho's work Aegyptiaca, the history of Egypt is set early. The list of dynasties, a third of the rulers name and some fragments have been preserved in " copies of copies ", which were supplemented by other authors, altered or interspersed with fakes before Flavius ​​Josephus and the Christian historian Julius Africanus and Eusebius turn their transcripts with further additions created. The work of Africanus is preserved only in parts, especially of Eusebius and Georgios Synkellos ( in the 9th century ), the Chronicle of Eusebius again only in an Armenian translation and editing of a Latin Hieronymus.

Thus, if in Egyptology, if necessary Manetho ( Josephus ), Manetho ( Africanus ) or Manetho ( Eusebius ) is mentioned, then the respective second name in parenthesis the indirect source of the inherent meaning of the Egyptian priest Manetho intended.

Traditions of Manetho at Georgios Synkellos

The liabilities assumed by Georgios Synkellos - partly an alarming qualitative condition - Manethonian Eusebius and Africanus - traditions contain additional manipulated already in early times Manetho - Epitome of Aegyptiaca.

Traditions of Eusebius of Caesarea Aegyptiaca

For its traditions of Manethonian Aegyptiaca Eusebius assisted in longer sweeps of a hand in its comprehensive 15 books " Praeparatio evangelica " on the Apology "On the originality of Judaism " and on the other hand, in Book 1 of the " Chronicle " on more excerpts from the texts of Flavius ​​Josephus. In addition, reported Eusebius in Book 2 of the " Chronicle " of the Epitome of Manetho. Book 1 has been preserved only in Armenian. Book 2 of the " Chronicle " mostly contains only the written in Latin tradition of Jerome; individual fragments of the original text are in the quotation form.

The traditional Eusebius quotes are because of their high accuracy and compared to Flavius ​​Josephus as higher quality traditions of the important historical textual witnesses. The Greek original text has not yet been subjected to a critical examination so far as the quotes could be used to separate out only of any subsequent processing. This, however, makes a decision as problematic passages impossible. To this extent, the first part of Eusebius Chronicle only represents a present in very bad repair source The fabricated by Benedikt Niese translations have since been revised by Karl Mras and partially corrected and apply for a review of Folker Siegert the works of Karl Mras as " significantly ".

Book of Sothis

The pseudo- manet Typhonian work Book of Sothis is mainly based on the information provided by Flavius ​​Josephus ( About the originality of Judaism ) and Eusebius of Caesarea ( Chronicles ) and was designed by Alfred von Gutschmid to the end of the third century AD dated.

Georgios Synkellos adopted on the basis of information provided by the Panodorus of Alexandria that a " Sothisjahr " with regard to the first ancient Egyptian divine dynasty that included six deities as rulers, in lunar months must be converted, where he ran out of a lunar month length of about 29.53 days. The number of " Sothisjahre " reduced Georgios Synkellos basis of this calculation basis of " 11,985 years " 968 years and eleven months.

For the " second and third dynasty of the demigods " chose Panodorus of Alexandria is the conversion factor a quarter ( horai, seasonal). The total number of " 858 Sothisjahre " for 15 demigods he shortened by specifying the Georgios Synkellos to 214 years and six months. In the total consideration before the first earthly ancient Egyptian King (Pharaoh) Menes reigned 21 thus divine or semi-divine kings with a ruler duration of 1,183 years and five months.