Institute of Eqyptian Art and Archaeology :: Dating Egyptian History

Timeline

Dating Egyptian History

The dates in this resource reflect the latest scholarship and are used with the permission of the late Dr. William J. Murnane. For the third millennium, dates are deliberately rounded in order to avoid a misleading appearance of precision. All dates before 664 B.C.E. should be treated as approximate. Dates since 664 B.C.E. can be taken from any standard history published in the last thirty years. For the second millennium, the dates follow closely the chronologies of Rolf Krauss and Detlef Franke.

Also, the dates use B.C.E. (before Common Era) and C.E. (Common Era). These replace B.C. (before Christ) and A.D. (anno Domini), respectively.

Brief Timeline of Ancient Egypt

Predynastic (ca. 4300-3000 B.C.E.)

Naqada I (Amratian) (ca. 4300 - 3600 B.C.E.)
Naqada II (Gerzean) (ca. 3600 - 3150 B.C.E.)
Naqada III (Semainean) (ca. 3150 - 3000 B.C.E.)

Early Dynastic (ca. 3000 - 2675 B.C.E.)

Dynasty 1 (ca. 3000 - 2800 B.C.E.)
Dynasty 2 (ca. 2800 - 2675 B.C.E.)

Old Kingdom (ca. 2675 - 2130 B.C.E)

Dynasty 3 (ca. 2675 - 2625 B.C.E.)
Dynasty 4 (ca. 2625 - 2500 B.C.E)
Dynasty 5 (ca. 2500 - 2350 B.C.E.)
Dynasty 6 (ca. 2350 - 2710 B.C.E)
Dynasties 7-8 (ca. 2170 - 2130 B.C.E.)

First Intermediate Period (ca. 2130 - 1980 B.C.E.)

Dynasties 9-10 (ca. 2130 - 1970 B.C.E.)
Dynasty 11, Part I (ca. 2081 - 1980 B.C.E.)

Middle Kingdom (ca. 1980 - 1630 B.C.E.)

Dynasty 11, Part II (ca. 1980 - 1938 B.C.E)
Dynasty 12 (ca. 1938 - 1759 B.C.E.)
Dynasty 13 (ca. 1759 - after 1630 B.C.E.)
Dynasty 14 (dates uncertain, but contemporary with later Dynasty 13)

Second Intermediate period (ca. 1630 - 1539/1523 B.C.E)

Dynasty 15 (ca. 1630 - 1523 B.C.E.)
Dynasty 16 (dates unknown: minor Hyksos rulers, contemporary with Dynasty 15)
Dynasty 17 (ca. 1630 - 1539 B.C.E.)

NEW KINGDOM (ca. 1539 - 1075 B.C.E.)

Dynasty 18 (ca. 1539 - 1292 B.C.E.)
Dynasty 19 (ca. 1292 - 1190 B.C.E.)
Dynasty 20 (ca. 1190 - 1075 B.C.E.)

THIRD INTERMEDIATE PERIOD (ca. 1075 - 656 B.C.E.)

Dynasty 21 (ca. 1075 - 945 B.C.E.)
Dynasty 22 (ca. 945 - 712 B.C.E.)
Dynasty 23 (ca. 838 - 712 B.C.E.)
Dynasty 24 (ca. 727 - 712 B.C.E.)
Dynasty 25 (ca. 760 - 656 B.C.E.)

LATE PERIOD (ca. 664 - 332 B.C.E.)

Dynasty 26 (ca. 664 - 525 B.C.E.)
Dynasty 27 (ca. 525 - 404 B.C.E.)
Dynasty 28 (ca. 404 - 399 B.C.E.)
Dynasty 29 (ca. 399 - 380 B.C.E.)
Dynasty 30 (ca. 380 - 343 B.C.E.)
Dynasty 31 (ca. 343 - 332 B.C.E.)

MACEDONIAN PERIOD (ca. 332 - 305 B.C.E.)

Alexander the Great and his successors

PTOLEMAIC DYNASTY (ca. 305 - 30 B.C.E.)

Ptolemy I and ending with Cleopatra VII

ROMAN and BYZANTINE EMPIRE (ca. 30 B.C.E. - 642 C.E.)

Beginning with Augustus Caesar

Institute of Egyptian Art & Archaeology
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The University of Memphis
Memphis, TN 38152-3380

Phone: (901) 678-2555
FAX: (901) 678-1632

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