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 Ancient Egypt / Early Dynastic Period /
2nd Dynasty
Dynasty of Ancient Egypt ruling 2890-2686, in all 204 years, consisting of 7 kings, although there are deviations to this, involving a suggested 5 to 9 kings.
Manetho defined this dynasty to a duration of 302 years, spanning 9 kings. While the number of kings is disputed, the duration seems to be 204 years with all sources.
It appears that this period continued the administrative division between Memphis and Thinis (some kilometres north of Abydos), the first being the seat of daily administration, the second the seat of the kings.
The 2nd Dynasty is marked by political schisms, probably with contending rulers. At times, Egypt may have been divided between kings, along traditional borders between Upper and Lower Egypt.
Compared to both the 1st and the 3rd Dynasties, the 2nd appear weak, in political, technological and cultural terms. There are very few and usually unimpressive finds from this period.
The years of reign stated below are by no means attested or confirmed, and rests only upon a combination of Manetho's information and the few finds modern research has been able to come up with.
Hotepsekhemwy
Other spellings: Bedjau; Baunetjer
Derived from Manetho, he ruled 2890-2852 BCE, 38 years.
His name means "the two countries are at peace."
Hotepsekhemwy may have become king through marriage to a princess, but it is also possible that he was member of the ruling family of the 1st Dynasty. All in all, the transition from Qa'a of the 1st Dynasty to him was smooth and undramatic, Hotepsekhemwy may even have carried through the late king's funeral. There are several sealings bearing his name outside Qa'a's tomb at Abydos.
Hotepsekhemwy seem to have been buried at Saqqara, deviating from the Abydos custom with former rulers.
Raneb
Derived from Manetho, he ruled 2852-2813 BCE, 39 years.
Manetho claims that Raned introduced the cult of the sacred goat of Mendes and the cult of the sacred bull Mnevis at Heliopolis. A third cult, the one of Apis at Memphis, also attributed by Manetho, seem to be wrong, judged from modern research.
Nynetjer
Derived from Manetho, he ruled 2813-2766 BCE, 47 years.
Traces of Nynetjer is found with mud sealings at Saqqara. It is suggested that a underground gallery here was his tomb.
Weneg
Derived from Manetho, he ruled 2766-2758 BCE, 8 years.
Nothing is known from his rule, there is doubt even about his existence, and he is often omitted from the king list of the 2nd Dynasty.
Sened
Derived from Manetho, he ruled 2758-2738 BCE, 20 years.
As with Weneg, nothing is known from his rule, there is doubt even about his existence, and he is often omitted from the king list of the 2nd Dynasty.
Peribsen
Other spelling: Seth-Peribsen
Derived from Manetho, he ruled 2738-2716 BCE, 22 years.
He is also referred to as Seth-Peribsen, a name deviating from the standard Horus name that virtually all rulers had.
For the first 17 years of his reign, he ruled as Sekhemib. As conflicts between Upper and Lower Egypt became increasingly hard, Sekhemib came to abandon his Horus name in favour of a Seth name, thereby taking side with the powers of Upper Egypt. It has also be interpreted to him losing control of Lower Egypt.
As Seth-Peribsen, or only Peribsen, he would rule for another 5 years.
There are theories that he was succeeded by a king either named Sekhemib-Perenmaat or Khasekhem. Most scholars seem to agree that the first is just another name for the same Peribsen, the other for the succeeding Khasekhemwy.
Khasekhemwy
Other spellings: Khasekhemui; Khasekhemuy
Derived from Manetho, he ruled 2716-2686 BCE, 30 years.
Based on the theory that Peribsen had lost control of parts of Egypt, it has been suggested that Egypt was reunited under Khasekhemwy. It has even been suggested that Khasekhemwy had Peribsen defeated.
Possibly as a reaction to Peribsen chosing Seth, Khasekhemwy had both the symbols of Horus and Seth connected to his name. He would be the only king ever to unite the two gods, after him, all kings chose Horus.
He married a princess from Lower Egypt, Nemethap, probably in order to strenghen his position after the national unification. Nemethap is sometimes identified as a the ancestral figure of the 3rd Dynasty.
He is known for having built forts at Nekhen (Hierakonpolis) and Abydos.
He was buried at Abydos, in a huge tomb with a unique trapezodial shape, 70 metres long.
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