In ancient Egyptian history, dynasties are a series of rulers sharing a common origin. They are usually, but not always, traditionally divided into 33 pharaonic dynasties; these dynasties are commonly grouped by modern scholars into "kingdoms" and "intermediate periods".
The 31 dynastic divisions come from the 3rd century BC Egyptian priest Manetho, whose history Aegyptiaca was probably written for a Greek-speaking Ptolemaic ruler but survives only in fragments and summaries. While widely used and useful, the system does have its shortcomings. Some dynasties only ruled part of Egypt and existed concurrently with other dynasties based in other cities. Some dynasties like the Abydos Dynasty weren't counted; the 7th might not have existed at all, the 10th seems to be a continuation of the 9th, and there might have been one or several Egyptian dynasties before what is termed the 1st Dynasty.
List of dynasties in ancient Egyptian history
Dates follow the timeline given by the University of Memphis, which is itself based on the work of Rolf Krauss. Figures have been deliberately rounded in order to avoid a misleading appearance of precision. See also the chronologies in , , , and .
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:1100"
|-
!Dynasty
!Seat
!Period of rule
!Term
!First to rule
!Last to rule
!Number of rulers
!List / Family tree
|-
! colspan="8" |Early Dynastic Period (3000–2700 BC)
|-
|Dynasty I
|Thinis
| 3000–2800 BC
| 170–300 years
|Narmer
|Qa'a
|8
|(list) (tree)
|-
|Dynasty II
|Thinis
| 2800–2675 BC
| 100–200 years
|Hotepsekhemwy
|Khasekhemwy
|9 (?)
|(list)
|-
! colspan="8" |Old Kingdom (2700–2200 BC)
|-
|Dynasty III
|Memphis
| 2675–2625 BC
| 60 years
|Djoser
|Huni
|5
|(list)
|-
|Dynasty IV
|Memphis
| 2625–2500 BC
| 110 years
|Sneferu
|Shepseskaf
|6
|(list) (tree)
|-
|Dynasty V
|Memphis
| 2500–2350 BC
| 120–160 years
|Userkaf
|Unas
|9
|(list) (tree)
|-
|Dynasty VI
|Memphis
| 2350–2170 BC
| 160 years
|Teti
|Nemtyemsaf II
|6
|(list) (tree)
|-
! colspan="8" |First Intermediate Period (2200–2000 BC)
|-
|Dynasty VII / VIII
|Memphis
| 2170–2130 BC
| 30 years
|Netjerkare Siptah
|Neferirkare II
|17
|(list)
|-
|Dynasty IX / X
|Heracleopolis
| 2130–1970 BC
| 100 years
|Meryibre Khety I
|Unknown
|18
|(list)
|-
! colspan="8" |Middle Kingdom (2000–1800 BC)
|-
|Dynasty XI
|Thebes
| 2080–1940 BC
| 143 years
|Mentuhotep I
|Mentuhotep IV
|7
|(list) (tree)
|-
|Dynasty XII
|Itjtawy
| 1940–1760 BC
| 180 years
|Amenemhat I
|Sobekneferu
|8
|(list) (tree)
|-
! colspan="8" |Second Intermediate Period (1800–1550 BC)
|-
|Dynasty XIII
|Itjtawy
| 1760–1600 BC
| 150 years
|Sobekhotep I
|Unknown
|57 (?)
|(list)
|-
|Dynasty XIV
|Avaris
|uncertain
| 150 years
|Yakbim
|Unknown
|56 (?)
|(list)
|-
|Dynasty XV
|Avaris
| 1630–1520 BC
| 140 years
|Salitis
|Khamudi
|6
|(list)
|-
|Dynasty XVI
|Thebes
|uncertain
| 70 years
|Unknown
|Unknown
|15
|(list)
|-
|Abydos Dynasty
|Abydos
|uncertain
|uncertain
|Unknown
|Unknown
|16 (?)
|(list)
|-
|Dynasty XVII
|Thebes
| 1630–1540 BC
| 90/30 years
|Rahotep
|Kamose
|9 (?)
|(list) (tree)
|-
! colspan="8" |New Kingdom (1550–1075 BC)
|-
|Dynasty XVIII
|Thebes
| 1540–1292 BC
| 250 years
|Ahmose I
|Horemheb
|15
|(list) (tree)
|-
|Dynasty XIX
|Thebes
| 1292–1190 BC
| 102 years
|Ramesses I
|Tausret
|8
|(list) (tree)
|-
|Dynasty XX
|Pi-Ramesses
| 1190–1075 BC
| 115 years
|Setnakhte
|Ramesses XI
|10
|(list) (tree)
|-
! colspan="8" |Third Intermediate Period (1075–664 BC)
|-
|Dynasty XXI
|Tanis
| 1075–945 BC
| 130 years
|Smendes
|Psusennes II
|7
|(list) (tree)
|-
|Priests of Amun
|Thebes
| 1060–990 BC
| 85 years
|Herihor <small>(de jure)</small>
|Menkheperre <small>(de jure)</small>
|3
|(list)
|-
|Dynasty XXII
|Tanis/Bubastis
| 945–712 BC
| 230 years
|Shoshenq I
|Osorkon IV
|11
|(list) (tree)
|-
|Dynasty XXIII
|Various
| 838–712 BC
| 120 years
|Harsiese/Takelot II
|Rudamun
|20 (?)
|(list) (tree)
|-
|Dynasty XXIV
|Sais
| 727–712 BC
| 10 years
|Tefnakht
|Bakenranef
|2
|(list) (tree)
|-
|Dynasty XXV
|Memphis/Napata
| 760–656
| 100 years
|Piye
|Tantamani
|5
|(list) (tree)
|-
! colspan="8" |Late Period (664–342 BC)
|-
|Dynasty XXVI
|Sais
| 664–525 BC
| 139 years
|Psamtik I
|Psamtik III
|6
|(list) (tree)
|-
|Dynasty XXVII
|Babylon
| 525–404 BC
| 121 years
|Cambyses II
|Darius II
|8
|(list) (tree)
|-
|Dynasty XXVIII
|Sais
| 404–399 BC
| 6 years
|Amyrtaeus
|Amyrtaeus
|1
|(list)
|-
|Dynasty XXIX
|Mendes
| 399–380 BC
| 19 years
|Nepherites I
|Nepherites II
|4
|(list)
|-
|Dynasty XXX
|Sebennytos
| 380–342 BC
| 38 years
|Nectanebo I
|Nectanebo II
|3
|(list) (tree)
|-
|Dynasty XXXI
|Babylon
| 342–332 BC
| 10 years
|Artaxerxes III
|Darius III
|3
|(list) (tree)
|-
! colspan="8" |Hellenistic period (342–30 BC)
|-
|Dynasty XXXII/Argead
|Pella
| 332–305 BC
| 27 years
|Alexander III
|Alexander IV
|3
|(list) (tree)
|-
|Dynasty XXXIII/Ptolemaic
|Alexandria
| 305–30 BC
| 275 years
|Ptolemy I
|Cleopatra VII <small>(de facto)</small><br/>Caesarion <small>(de jure)</small>
|22
|(list) (tree)
|-
| colspan="8" style="text-align: center;" |Egypt was incorporated into the Roman Republic on 31 August 30 BC.<br />
|}
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See also
- List of pharaohs
- Egyptian chronology