# List of ancient Egyptian towns and cities

This is a list of known ancient Egyptian towns and cities. The list is for sites intended for permanent settlement and does not include fortresses and other locations of intermittent habitation.
* a capital of ancient Egypt
* a capital of ancient Egypt and regional administrative center
* Thonis italicized name: only the Greek name is known

## Lower Egypt

| Town (popular name) | In hieroglyphs | Date founded | Nome | Patron deity | Modern name | Other name/s | Note |
| Men-nefer (Memphis) | | earlier than 3150 BC | 1st | Ptah (cult center) | Mit Rahina | Ineb-Hedj, Died-Sut, Ankh-Tawy, Menfe, Hut-ka-Ptah, Moph, Noph | Capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom; capital of its nome |
| Khem (Letopolis) | | probably during Old Kingdom | 2nd | Khenty-irty | Ausim | | Capital of its nome |
| Yamu (Apis) | | probably during Old Kingdom | 3rd | Hathor | Kom el-Hisn | Imu, Apis | Capital of its nome |
| Raqote (Alexandria) | | 331 BC | 3rd | Serapis | Alexandria | Rhacotis, Rakotə, Eskendereyyah | Alexandria was the intellectual and cultural center of the ancient world for some time; capital of the Ptolemaic Kingdom |
| Khito (Rosetta) | | | 3rd | | Rashid | Bolbitine, Bolbitinum, Bolbitinon, Trashit, Rakhit, Rexi | Where Rosetta Stone was found |
| Ptkheka (Ptkheka) | | | 4th | Neith | Tanta | | Capital of its nome |
| Zau (Sais) | | earlier than 3300 BC | 5th | Neith (cult center) | Sa el-Hagar | | Capital of 24th and 26th Dynasties; capital of its nome |
| Per-Wadjet (Buto) | | earlier than 3250 BC | 5th | Wadjet (cult center) | Tell al-Fara'in | Pe and Dep, Butus, Butosus | Where Predynastic Buto-culture was found |
| Khasut (Xois) | | | 6th | Amun | Sakha | Xeos, Skhoo | Capital of its nome |
| Timinhor (Damanhur) | | later than 1200 BC | 7th | | Damanhur | Hermopolis Mikra, Tel Ballamon | Capital of its nome |
| Piemro (Naucratis) | | 7th century BC | 7th | Thoth | Kom Gieif | Ναύκρατις | First permanent Greek colony; major center for Greek Egyptian sea trade |
| Thonis (Heracleion) | | 12th century BC | 7th | Amun | | Ἡράκλειον | Egypt's main port during Late Period; sister city of Naucratis |
| Menouthis (Menouthis) | | | 7th | Isis and Serapis | | | Sunk to the sea in 8th century AD; near Heracleion and Canopus |
| Pikuat (Canopus) | | Earlier than 600 BC | 7th | Osiris | Aboukir | Canobus, Kanobos, Kanopos, Schedia | Principal port in Egypt for Greek trade before the foundation of Alexandria |
| Per-Atum (Pithom) | | Around 1900 BC | 8th | Atum | Tell-el-Maskhuta | Tjeku, Heroöpolis, Heroonopolis | Capital of its nome |
| Djedu (Busiris) | | A small village until 3200 BC | 9th | Osiris | Abu Sir Bana | Per Usiri | Capital of its nome |
| Hut-hery-ib (Athribis) | | | 10th | Repyt | Banha | Tell Atrib, Attrib, Medeenet Ashaysh | Capital of its nome |
| Taremu (Leontopolis) | | | 11th | Bast and Sekhmet (cult center) | Kafr Al Muqdam | Leonto, Leontos, Tell el-Muqdam | One of the capitals during the 23rd Dynasty; capital of its nome during Ptolemaic Period |
| Šetennu (Pharbaetus) | | earlier than 7th century BC | 11th | Hormerty | Horbeit | Shednu, Sheten, Pharbaethus | Capital of its nome; one of the centers of the chiefs of the Meshwesh Libyans |
| Tjebnutjer (Sebennytos) | | | 12th | Onuris | Samanud | | Hometown of Manetho; capital of the 30th Dynasty; capital of its nome |
| Pachnamu´nis (Pachnamunis) | | | 12th | | | | Principal town |
| Iunu (Heliopolis) | | earlier than 3250 BC | 13th | Ra (cult center) | Ayn Shams | Ôn, Āwen, Ὂν | Capital of its nome |
| Tjaru (Sile) | | | 14th | Horus | Tel el-Habua | Zaru, Tharu, Djaru, Tjel, Sile, Edfu of Lower Egypt | Largest ancient Egyptian fortress town; place of exile for criminals; capital of its nome |
| Per-Amun (Pelusium) | | Before 720 BC | 14th | Amun | Tell el-Farama | Sena, Seyân, Sin, Pelousion, Paramoun, Peremoun, Peromi | Easternmost major Egyptian city; Battles of Pelusium |
| Weprehwy (Hermopolis Parva) | | Before 2575 BC | 15th | | Tell al-Naqus | | Capital of its nome |
| Tamiat (Damietta) | | | 15th | | Damietta | Damiata, Domyat, Ταμίαθις, Tamiathis | |
| Djedet (Mendes) | | earlier than 3250 BC | 16th | Banebdjedet | Tell El-Ruba | Per-Banebdjedet, Anpet | Capital of the 29th Dynasty; capital of its nome |
| Semabehdet (Diospolis Inferior) | | | 17th | | Tel El Balamun | | Capital of its nome |
| Per-Bast (Bubastis) | | Earlier than 3150 BC | 18th | Bastet (cult center) | Tell-Basta | Per-Bastet | An ivory tag found in Tomb U-J dating 3150 BC many think has the Per-Bastet signature; One of the capitals during the 22nd and 23rd Dynasties; capital of its nome |
| Djanet (Tanis) | , | late New Kingdom | 19th | Amun | Tell Nebesha | Thebes of the North, Ṣān al-Ḥagar, Zoan | Capital of 21st and 22nd Dynasties; capital of its nome; important port for Asiatic trade; center of linen manufacture. |
| Hut-waret (Avaris) | | during Middle Kingdom | 19th | Set | Tell el-Dab'a | Auaris, Hawara, Athyria | Capital of 14th and 15th Dynasties |
| Per-Ramessu (Pi-Ramesses) | | 1274 BC | 19th | Ramesses II | Qantir | Per-Rameses, Per Ramessu | Founded by Ramesses II; absorbed Avaris; capital of Egypt during Ramesses II's reign |
| Per-Sopdu (Per-Sopdu) | | | 20th | Amun | Saft el-Hinna | Soped, Pi-Sopt | Capital of its nome |

## Upper Egypt

| Town (popular name) | Date founded | Nome | Patron deity | Modern name | Other name/s | Note |
| Abu (Elephantine) | earlier than 3000 BC | 1st | Khnum (cult center) | Aswan | Yebu | Capital of its nome |
| Swenett (Aswan) | | 1st | Swenett | Aswan | Syene | Location of stone quarries for Syenite granite |
| Nubt (Kom Ombo) | earlier than 3000 BC | 1st | Sobek (cult center) | Kom Ombo | Omboi, Ombos, Ambo, Ombi | Garrison throughout pharaonic history; arch-enemy of the city of Dendera |
| Behdet (Edfu) | earlier than 3000 BC | 2nd | Horus (cult center) | Naga el-Goneima | Apollonopolis Magna, Apollinopolis Magna, Djeba, Utes-Hor | Capital of its nome |
| Nekheb (El Kab) | earlier than 3500 BC | 3rd | Nekhbet (cult center) | El Kab | Eileithyiaspolis, Lucinae Civitas | Capital of its nome before Nekhen; surrounded by a massive mud brick wall |
| Nekhen (Hierakonpolis) | earlier than 3210 BC | 3rd | Horus (cult center) | El Kab | Al-Kom Al-Aħmar | Capital of its nome after Nekheb; opposite Nekheb on the other side of the Nile |
| Ta-senet (Latopolis) | earlier than Middle Kingdom | 3rd | Khnum | Esna | Iunyt, Polis Latton, Lato | Capital of its nome after Nekhen |
| Waset (Thebes) | earlier than 5000 BC | 4th | Amun (cult center) | Luxor | Niwt-rst, Niwt-Imn, Nōʼ ʼĀmôn, No, Iunu-shema, Diospolis Magna, Ta-pe, Hundred-gated Thebes | Capital of Egypt during most of Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom; capital of its nome; foremost religious center |
| Per-Hathor (Aphroditopolis) | earlier than 3000 BC | 4th | Hathor | Gebelein | Inerty, Pathyris, Naga el-Gherira | |
| Iuny (Hermonthis) | | 4th | Montu (cult center) | Armant | Erment, Iunu-Montu | Capital of its nome during Cleopatra VII |
| Sumenu (Crocodilopolis) | earlier than Middle Kingdom | 4th | Sobek (cult center) | el-Mahamid Qibly | Imiotru | Different from Shedet (also called Crocodilopolis) |
| Djerty (El-Tod) | during Old Kingdom | 4th | Montu | El-Tod | Ḏrty, Touphion, Tuphium, Thouôt, Tuot | |
| Madu (Medamud) | | 4th | Montu | Medamud | | |
| Nubt (Naqada) | earlier than 3500 BC | 5th | Set (cult center) | Naqada | Ombos, South Town | Where the Pre-dynastic Naqada culture was found |
| Iushenshen (Iushenshen) | earlier than 3000 BC | 5th | | Khozam | | Capital of its nome during Old Kingdom |
| Gesy (Qus) | | 5th | Horus | Qus | Gesa, Apollonopolis Parva, Apollinopolis Mikra, Apollonos minoris | A point of departure for expeditions to the Red Sea |
| Gebtu (Koptos) | Earlier than 3200 BC | 5th | Min (cult center) | Qift | Kebto, Keft, Justinianopolis | Capital of its nome; commercial center for the Upper Egyptian Red Sea trade through Wadi Hammamat |
| Iunet (Dendera) | | 6th | Hathor (cult center) | Dendera | Tentyra, Tentyris, Nikentori, Nitentori | Capital of its nome |
| Seshesh (Hu) | earlier than 3100 BC | 7th | Bat, then Hathor | Hu | Diospolis Parva, Diospolis Superior, Hut-Sekhem, Hiw | Capital of its nome |
| Abdju (Abydos) | earlier than 3000 BC | 8th | Khentiamentiu, then Osiris (cult center) and Isis | al-Birba | Osiris | Capital of its nome |
| Tjenu (Thinis) | earlier than 4000 BC | 8th | Anhur | | This | Capital of the 1st and 2nd Dynasties; still unlocated |
| Ipu (Akhmim) | earlier than 3100 BC | 9th | Min (cult center) | Akhmim | Apu, Khent-min, Khmin, Shmin, Khemmis, Chemmis, Panopolis | Capital of its nome |
| Hut-Repyt (Athribis) | | 9th | Repyt | Wannina | Triphieion, Tripheion | Distinct from Hut-hery-ib (Athribis) |
| Tjebu (Qau) | | 10th | Nemty (cult center) | Qaw el-Kebir | Djew-Qa, Antaeopolis | Capital of its nome |
| Shashotep (Hypselis) | | 11th | Khnum | Shutb | Apotheke | Capital of its nome |
| Per-Nemty (Hieracon) | | 12th | Nemty | al Atawla | Hierakon | Capital of its nome |
| Zawty (Asyut) | | 13th | Anubis (cult center), Wepwawet (cult center) | Asyut | Sauty, Syut, Syowt, Lycopolis, Lycon, Lyco | Capital of its nome |
| Qis (Cusae) | | 14th | Hathor | el-Qusiya | Kis, Kusai | Capital of its nome |
| Akhetaten (Amarna) | around 1346 BC | 14th | Aten (cult center) | Tell el-Amarna | | Capital of Egypt during Akhenaten's reign |
| Khemenu (Hermopolis Magna) | | 15th | Thoth (cult center), Ogdoad | El Ashmunein | Hermopolis Megale, Hermupolis | Capital of its nome |
| Herwer (Herwer) | | 16th | Khnum and Heqet | Hur | | Capital of its nome |
| Hebenu (Hebenu) | | 16th | | Kom el Ahmar | | Capital of its nome before Herwer |
| Per-Imen-mat-khent(j) (Akoris) | earlier than Old Kingdom | 16th | | Tihna el-Gebel | Mer-nefer(et), Dehenet | |
| Saka (Cynopolis) | | 17th | Anubis (cult center) | El Kays | Hardai, Cynopolis Superior | Capital of its nome |
| Tayu-djayet (El Hiba) | | 18th | | El Hiba | Teudjoi, Ankyronpolis | Capital of its nome |
| Per-Medjed (Oxyrhynchus) | | 19th | | el-Bahnasa | Pemdje, Oxyrrhynkhoupolis | Capital of its nome |
| Henen-nesut (Herakleopolis Magna) | earlier than 3000 BC | 20th | Heryshaf (cult center) | Ihnasiyyah al-Madinah | Nenj-neswt, Ehnasya, Hnas, Ahnas | Capital of the 9th and 10th Dynasties; capital of its nome |
| Itjtawy (Itjtawy) | ~1920 BC | 20th or 21st | | | Amenemhat-itj-tawyolis | Capital of the 12th and 13th Dynasties; still unlocated |
| Shedet (Crocodilopolis) | | 21st | Sobek (cult center) | Faiyum | Arsinoë, Fayoum, She-resy | Capital of its nome |
| Ta may Sobek neb Pay pa necer aa (Soknopaiou Nesos) | | 21st | Sobek (as Soknopaios) | Dimeh es-Seba (Arabic: ديمة السباع) | tȝ mȝy Sbk nb Pay pȝ nṯr ʿȝ | |
| Tepihu (Aphroditopolis) | | 22nd | Hathor (cult center during Greek period) | Atfih | Petpeh | Capital of its nome |

## Nubia

| Town (popular name) | Date founded | Nome | Patron deity | Modern name | Other name/s | Note |
| Chenem-Waset (Amara West) | During Seti I's reign | none | | Amara, Nubia | Per-Menmaatre, Per-Rameses-meri-Amun | Official residence of the representative of Kush |
| Iken (Mirgissa) | earlier than 4500 BC | none | Hathor | | | Fortress town; now submerged in Lake Nasser |
| Buhen (Buhen) | earlier than 3000 BC | none | | Buhen | | Largest fortress town in Nubia; housed a copper factory |

## Red Sea Coast

| Town (popular name) | In hieroglyphs | Date founded | Nome | Patron deity | Modern name | Other name/s | Note |
| Berenice (Berenice) | | 275 BC | none | | Medinet-el Haras | Berenike, Berenice Troglodytica, Baranis | Founded by Ptolemy II; named after his mother, Berenice I of Egypt |
| Tao (Leucus Limen) | | earlier than New Kingdom | none | | El Qoseir | Leucus Limen, Kosseir, Al Qusair, El Quseir, Qusseir, Qosseir | Important trading port during pharaonic times, where goods from Red Sea and beyond entered Egypt |