Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

140

Date

2010

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

History

Concentration

Ancient Egyptian History

Committee Chair

Peter James Brand

Committee Member

Suzanne Onstine

Committee Member

Mariam Ayad

Committee Member

Patricia Podzorski

Abstract

Many historical issues surround the late Nineteenth Dynasty after the reign of Merneptah, and one of them is the reigns reigns of Amenmesse and Seti II. These two kings ruled over a period in which both Amenmesse and Seti Ii were competing kings with evidence suggesting that Amenmesse founded a rival kingship during the reign of Seti II and managed to control ancient Nubia and Upper Egypt for at least four years. This dissertation seeks to examine the known monuments and monumental inscriptions belonging to Amenmesse and Seti II in order to answer historical, archaeological, genealogical, and epigraphic questions pertaining to their reigns. Amenmesse, based on the available evidence, was a member of the late Nineteenth Dynasty royal family who challenged the kingship of Seti II, crown prince of Merneptah and the legitimate heir upon Merneptah's death. One of the suggested historical identities for Amenmesse is of the Nubian Viceroy Messuy, a son of Seti II appointed to the office under Merneptah. This theory suggests that Messuy utilized the resources available to the administrative position of Viceroy of Nubia to launcha rebellion against Seti II. This dissertation seeks to answer the questionssurrounding the historical identity of Amenmesse through genealogical examinations of the royal families of Merneptah and Seti II and if the monuments and inscriptions of the Viceroy Messuy reveal familyties to the late Nineteenth Dynasty royal family. Alarge part of the dissertation includes an analysisand examination of the known monuments and artifacts pertaining to the reigns of Amenmesse and Seti II to reveal new traces of Amenmesse's inscriptions from his brief rule that are largely abscured by later usurpations of Seti II.The final analysis suggests that Amenmesse, a member of the royal family, didmanage to establish a nearly four year competing reign within the six year reign of Seti II. However, analysis of the available monumental and epigraphic evidence cannot support the suggested identificationof Amenmesse with the Viceroy Messuy.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

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