Fifth Dynasty of Egypt

The Fifth Dynasty of ancient Egypt (notated Dynasty V) is often combined with Dynasties III, IV and VI under the group title the Old Kingdom. The Fifth Dynasty pharaohs reigned for approximately 150 years, from the early 25th century BC until the mid 24th century BC.

Fifth Dynasty of Egypt
The pyramid of Unas at Saqqara
The pyramid of Unas at Saqqara
CapitalMemphis
Common languagesEgyptian language
Religion
ancient Egyptian religion
GovernmentAbsolute monarchy
Pharaoh 
• 7–8 years (first)
Userkaf
• 13 years
Sahure
• c. 10 years
Neferirkare Kakai
• c. 2 years
Neferefre
• Few months
Shepseskare
• 24–35 years
Nyuserre Ini
• 8–9 years
Menkauhor Kaiu
• 33 up to over 44 years
Djedkare Isesi
• 15–30 years (last)
Unas
Historical eraOld Kingdom of Egypt
Preceded by		Succeeded by
Fourth Dynasty of Egypt
Sixth 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
XXVII 525–404
Twenty-eighth Dynasty XXVIII 404–398
Twenty-ninth Dynasty XXIX 398–380
Thirtieth Dynasty XXX 380–343
XXXI 343–332
Hellenistic Egypt
Thirty-second Dynasty XXXII 332–305
Thirty-third Dynasty XXXIII 305–30
Roman Egypt
XXXIV 30–313 AD
See also: List of pharaohs by period and dynasty
Periodization of ancient Egypt

Chronology

The Fifth Dynasty of Egypt is a group of nine kings ruling Egypt for approximately 150 years in the 25th and 24th centuries BC.[note 1] The relative succession of kings is not entirely secured as there are contradictions between historical sources and archaeological evidence regarding the reign of the shadowy Shepseskare.

Rulers

Known rulers in the Fifth Dynasty are listed below.[7] Manetho assigns 248 years of rule to the Fifth Dynasty; however, the pharaohs of this dynasty more probably ruled for approximately 150 years.[19] This estimate varies by both scholar and source. The Horus names[18] and most names of the queens[20] are taken from Dodson and Hilton.[21]

Dynasty V pharaohs
Nomen (personal name)Prenomen (throne name)ImagesEstimated reign durationPyramidQueen(s)
UserkafUserkaf7 yearsPyramid in SaqqaraKhentkaus I ?
Neferhetepes
SahureSahure13 years, 5 months and 12 daysPyramid in AbusirMeretnebty
KakaiNeferirkare20 yearsPyramid in AbusirKhentkaus II
IsiNeferefre2 to 3 yearsUnfinished Pyramid of Neferefre in AbusirKhentkaus III ?
NetjeruserShepseskareLikely a few monthsPossibly in Abusir
IniNyuserre24 to 35 yearsPyramid in AbusirReptynub
KaiuMenkauhor8 or 9 years"Headless Pyramid" in SaqqaraMeresankh IV?
IsesiDjedkare33 to more than 44 yearsPyramid in SaqqaraSetibhor
UnasUnas15 to 30 yearsPyramid in SaqqaraNebet
Khenut

Manetho writes that the Dynasty V kings ruled from Elephantine, but archeologists have found evidence clearly showing that their palaces were still located at Ineb-hedj ("White Walls").

As before, expeditions were sent to Wadi Maghareh and Wadi Kharit in the Sinai to mine for turquoise and copper, and to quarries northwest of Abu Simbel for gneiss. Trade expeditions were sent south to Punt to obtain malachite, myrrh, and electrum, and archeological finds at Byblos attest to diplomatic expeditions sent to that Phoenician city. Finds bearing the names of several Dynasty V kings at the site of Dorak, near the Sea of Marmara, may be evidence of trade but remain a mystery.

Userkaf

How Pharaoh Userkaf founded this dynasty is not known for certain. The Westcar Papyrus, which was written during the Middle Kingdom, tells a story of how king Khufu of Dynasty IV was given a prophecy that triplets born to the wife of the priest of Ra in Sakhbu would overthrow him and his heirs, and how he attempted to put these children – named Userkaf, Sahure, and Neferirkare – to death; however in recent years, scholars have recognized this story to be at best a legend and admit their ignorance over how the transition from one dynasty to another transpired.

During this dynasty, Egyptian religion made several important changes. The earliest known copies of funerary prayers inscribed on royal tombs (known as the Pyramid Texts) appear. The cult of the god Ra gains added importance, and kings from Userkaf through Menkauhor Kaiu built temples dedicated to Ra at or near Abusir. Then late in this dynasty, the cult of the deity Osiris assumes importance, most notably in the inscriptions found in the tomb of Unas.

Djedkare Isesi

Amongst non-royal Egyptians of this time, Ptahhotep, vizier to Djedkare Isesi, won fame for his wisdom; The Maxims of Ptahhotep was ascribed to him by its later copyists. Non-royal tombs were also decorated with inscriptions, like the royal ones, but instead of prayers or incantations, biographies of the deceased were written on the walls.

Notes
  1. Several dates have been proposed by the scholars for the Fifth Dynasty: 2513–2374,[1][2] 2510–2370,[3] 2510–2460,[4] 2504–2345,[5] 2498–2345,[6] 2494–2345,[7][8][9][10] 2465–2323,[11][12] 2454–2297,[5] 2450–2335,[13][14] 2450–2325,[15] 2435–2306,[16][17] 2392–2282[18]

References
  1. Verner 2001b, pp. 588–590.
  2. Altenmüller 2001, pp. 597–600.
  3. Verner 2001d, p. 473.
  4. Grimal 1992, p. 390.
  5. von Beckerath 1997, p. 188.
  6. Clayton 1994, p. 60.
  7. Shaw 2000, p. 482.
  8. Bard 1999, p. xlv, Chronology of Ancient Egypt.
  9. Málek 2000, pp. 98 & 100.
  10. Rice 1999, p. xlix, Chronoloy.
  11. Lehner 2008, p. 8.
  12. Allen et al. 1999, p. xx.
  13. Verner 2001a, p. 418.
  14. Krauss 1998, p. 56.
  15. Arnold 2003, p. 267.
  16. Hornung 2012, p. 491.
  17. Bárta 2017, p. 3.
  18. Dodson & Hilton 2004, p. 288.
  19. Altenmüller 2001, p. 597.
  20. Dodson & Hilton 2004, p. 65.
  21. Dodson & Hilton 2004, pp. 65 & 288.

Bibliography
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  • Altenmüller, Hartwig (2001). "Old Kingdom: Fifth Dynasty". In Redford, Donald B. (ed.). The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, Volume 2. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 597–601. ISBN 978-0-19-510234-5.
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