# Second Dynasty of Egypt

Periods and dynasties of ancient Egypt :
All years are BC :
Early Pre-dynastic period First Dynasty I c. 3150–2890 Second Dynasty II 2890–2686 :
Old Kingdom Third Dynasty III 2686–2613 Fourth Dynasty IV 2613–2498 Fifth Dynasty V 2498–2345 Sixth Dynasty VI 2345–2181 :
First Intermediate Seventh Dynasty VII spurious Eighth Dynasty VIII 2181–2160 Ninth Dynasty IX 2160–2130 Tenth Dynasty X 2130–2040 Early Eleventh Dynasty XI 2134–2061 :
Middle Kingdom Late Eleventh Dynasty XI 2061–1991 Twelfth Dynasty XII 1991–1803 Thirteenth Dynasty XIII 1803–1649 :
Second Intermediate Fourteenth Dynasty XIV 1705–1690 Fifteenth Dynasty (Hyksos) XV 1674–1535 Sixteenth Dynasty XVI 1660–1600 Abydos Dynasty 1650–1600 Seventeenth Dynasty XVII 1580–1549 :
New Kingdom Eighteenth Dynasty XVIII 1549–1292 Nineteenth Dynasty XIX 1292–1189 Twentieth Dynasty XX 1189–1077 :
Third Intermediate Twenty-first Dynasty XXI 1069–945 Twenty-second Dynasty XXII 945–720 Twenty-third Dynasty XXIII 837–728 Twenty-fourth Dynasty XXIV 732–720 Twenty-fifth Dynasty (Nubian) XXV 732–653 :
Late Period Twenty-sixth Dynasty XXVI 672–525 Twenty-seventh Dynasty (1st Persian Period) XXVII 525–404 Twenty-eighth Dynasty XXVIII 404–398 Twenty-ninth Dynasty XXIX 398–380 Thirtieth Dynasty XXX 380–343 Thirty-first Dynasty (2nd Persian Period) XXXI 343–332 :
Hellenistic Egypt Thirty-second Dynasty XXXII 332–305 Thirty-third Dynasty XXXIII 305–30 :
Roman Egypt Thirty-fourth Dynasty (Roman Pharaohs) XXXIV 30 BC – 313 AD :
Byzantine Egypt Thirty-fifth Dynasty (speculated) XXXV 379 AD – 641 AD :
See also: List of pharaohs by period and dynasty Periodization of ancient Egypt :
vte :
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. It is most known for its last ruler, Khasekhemwy, but is otherwise one of the most obscure periods in 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

For the first three pharaohs, sources are fairly close in agreement and the order is supported by an inscription on the statuette of Hetepdief, who served in the mortuary cults of these three kings.
| Name | Years Reigned | Burial |
| Hotepsekhemwy | 25–29 | Gallery Tomb A, Saqqara? |
| Nebra (also known as Kakau) | 10–14 | Gallery Tomb A, Saqqara? |
| Nynetjer | 40 | Gallery Tomb B, Saqqara |
But the identity of the next few rulers is unclear. Surviving sources might be giving the Horus name or the Nebty name and the birth names of these rulers. They may also be entirely different individuals, or could be legendary names. This might never be resolved.
It has been theorised that following the reign of Nynetjer, the country was split and ruled by two successors due to the overly complex state administration of the whole of Egypt.
The following list contains various king names from different sources:
| Name | Years reigned (Manetho) | Notes | Burial |
| Weneg / Wadjenes | 17 | Listed as the fourth king of the dynasty on the Turin, Saqqara and Abydos king lists. Only attested in Lower Egypt. Weneg is generally accepted as a nebti (or throne) name and it is unknown what his horus name was. Theorised to be the same person as Raneb, Sekhemib-Perenmaat or a completely separate king from the others of the Second dynasty. Known as Tlas in Manetho's Aegyptica. | |
| Senedj | 41 | Listed as the fifth king of the dynasty on the Turin, Saqqara and Abydos king lists. Horus name unknown. May be identifiable with Horus Sa. Known as Sethenes in Manetho's Aegyptica. | |
| Khaires | 17 | Mentioned in Manetho's Aegyptica. Unknown which historical king this name refers to. |
| Neferkara I | 25 | Only attested in later documents dated long after the time period of the Second dynasty. Listed as the sixth king of the dynasty in the Saqqara and Turin King lists, but omitted from the Abydos King List. May have only ruled Lower Egypt. Known as Nephercheres in Manetho's Aegyptica. | |
| Neferkasokar | 48 | Only attested in later documents dated long after the time period of the Second dynasty. Listed as the seventh king of the dynasty in the Saqqara and Turin King lists, but omitted from the Abydos King List. May have only ruled Lower Egypt. Known as Sesochris in Manetho's Aegyptica. | |
| Hudjefa I | ? | Name literally means "erased" or "missing", showing that this king's name was unknown or lost by the Nineteenth Dynasty. Listed as the eighth king of the dynasty on the Saqqara Tablet, but omitted from the Abydos King List. May have only ruled Lower Egypt. Theorised to be the same person as Peribsen and may have been deliberately omitted. | |
| Seth-Peribsen | ? | Name connected to Seth deity rather than the traditional Horus. Attested by contemporary inscriptions, but not on later king lists. Only attested in Upper Egypt. | Tomb P, Umm El Qa'ab |
| Sekhemib-Perenmaat | ? | Attested by contemporary inscriptions, but not on later king lists. May be the same person as Seth-Peribsen or his immediate successor. | Tomb P, Umm El Qa'ab (?) |
| Nubnefer | ? | Birth name of a king, unknown placement. Name does not appear on any known official king lists. May be birth name of Raneb or a completely separate ephemeral king who ruled at some point following Nynetjer's reign. | |
With the last ruler, the sources return to an agreement:
| Name | Years Reigned | Notes | Burial | Consort(s) |
| Khasekhemwy | 17–18 | Known as Kheneres in Manetho's Aegyptica. Reigned for 30 years according to Manetho. | Tomb V, Umm El Qa'ab | Nimaathap |
Manetho states Thinis was the capital, as in the First Dynasty, but 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, the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt, might have occurred during the reign of Khasekhemwy as many Egyptologists read his name as "the Two Powers arise".

## Comparison of regnal lists

| Historical Pharaoh | Abydos King List | Saqqara Tablet | Turin King List | Manetho |
| Hotepsekhemwy | Bedjau | Baunetjer | Baunetjer | Boethos |
| Nebra | Kakau | Kakau | Kakau | Kaiekhos |
| Nynetjer | Banetjer | Banetjeru | Banetjer | Binothris |
| Wadjenes | Wadjnas | Wadjlas | [...]s | Tlas |
| Senedj | Sendi | Senedj | Sened[...] | Sethenes |
| ? | – | – | – | Khaires |
| Neferkara I | – | Neferkare | Neferka | Nephercheres |
| Neferkasokar | – | Neferkasokar | Neferkasokar | Sesochris |
| Hudjefa | – | Hudjefa | – | – |
| Khasekhemwy | Djadjay | Beby | Bebti | Kheneres |