Pharaoh.SEPHARAOH.SE

Merneptah in hieroglyphs

fourth pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty
Prenomen: Baenra merynetjeru
Also known as: Merenptah
Accession1213 BC
End of reign1203 BC
Duration10 years
Highest attested yearYear 10
Merneptah was the thirteenth son of Ramesses II and ascended the throne when he was at least sixty years old. While Manetho records that he ruled for 20 years, it was probably only about half of that.

Titulary & Hieroglyphs

kA-nxt Hi-m-mAat
Ka nakht ha em Maat
kꜢ-nḫt ḥꞽ-m-mꜢꜤt
"The strong bull who rejoiced in Truth"
Libyan war stela of Merenptah (Athribis stela), Cairo JdE 50568 (recto)
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 20:8
Beckerath, Handbuch: 156-157, 4:H1
kA-nxt Haj-m-mAat
Ka nakht ha em Maat
kꜢ-nḫt ḥꜤꞽ-m-mꜢꜤt
"The strong bull who rejoiced in Truth"
CG 34025 (Israel stele)
Petrie, Six temples at Thebes, plate XIII and XIV
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 13:7
Beckerath, Handbuch: 156-157, 4:H2
kA-nxt Haj-m-mAat
Ka nakht ha em Maat
kꜢ-nḫt ḥꜤꞽ-m-mꜢꜤt
"The strong bull who rejoiced in Truth"
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 64:5
kA-nxt Haj-m-mAat
Ka nakht ha em Maat
kꜢ-nḫt ḥꜤꞽ-m-mꜢꜤt
"The strong bull who rejoiced in Truth"
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 43:16
Petrie, Tanis, II, plate VII (137)
kA-nxt Haj-m-mAat
Ka nakht ha em Maat
kꜢ-nḫt ḥꜤꞽ-m-mꜢꜤt
"The strong bull who rejoiced in Truth"
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 51:13
kA-nxt Haj-m-mAat
Ka nakht ha em Maat
kꜢ-nḫt ḥꜤꞽ-m-mꜢꜤt
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 72:14
kA-nxt Haj-m-mAat
Ka nakht ha em Maat
kꜢ-nḫt ḥꜤꞽ-m-mꜢꜤt
"The strong bull who rejoiced in Truth"
Usurped Ramesses II colossus, dorsal pillar (Cairo JdE 35126)
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 59:1-2
kA-nxt Haj-m-mAat
Ka nakht ha em Maat
kꜢ-nḫt ḥꜤꞽ-m-mꜢꜤt
"The strong bull who rejoiced in Truth"
Memphis Palace of Merenptah
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 55:5
kA-nxt Haj-m-mAat Hnk-sw-n-ra-m-Xrt-hrw
Ka nakht ha em Maat henek su en Ra em kheret-heru
kꜢ-nḫt ḥꜤꞽ-m-mꜢꜤt ḥnk-sw-n-rꜤ-m-ẖrt-hrw
"The strong bull who rejoiced in Truth, and who offers it to Ra every day"
Beckerath, Handbuch: 156-157, 4:H3·Lepsius, Denkmäler III, 200d
kA-nxt dr-pDt
Ka nakht der pedjut 9
kꜢ-nḫt dr-pḏt
"The strong bull who repelled the Nine Bows"
ASAE, 15, 104
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 54:11
Beckerath, Handbuch: 156-157, 4:H9
kA-nxt dr-pDt-9
Ka nakht der pedjut 9
kꜢ-nḫt dr-pḏt-9
"The strong bull (who defeated?) the Nine Bows"
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 13:8
CG 34025 (Israel stele)
kA-nxt jw-Hbn.n.f
Ka nakht mai hebenef
kꜢ-nḫt ꞽw-ḥbn.n.f
"The strong bull (like) a triumphant lion"
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 1:8
Wall stele of Merenptah at temple of Amada
Beckerath, Handbuch: 156-157, 4:H4
kA-nxt zA-jmn
Ka nakht sa Amun
kꜢ-nḫt zꜢ-ꞽmn
"The strong bull, son of Amun"
Petrie, Tanis, II, plate 7
Beckerath, Handbuch: 156-157, 4:H11
kA-nxt zA-jmn
Ka nakht sa Amun
kꜢ-nḫt zꜢ-ꞽmn
Petrie, Tanis, II, plate VII 136
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 43:5
kA-nxt zA-ra
Ka nakht sa Ra
kꜢ-nḫt zꜢ-rꜤ
"The strong bull, son of Ra"
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 55:1
Beckerath, Handbuch: 156-157, 4:H10
kA-nxt zA-TA-tnn
Ka nakht sa Tatenen
kꜢ-nḫt zꜢ-ṯꜢ-tnn
"The strong bull, son of Tatenen"
Petrie, Tanis, II, plate 7
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 43:7
kA-nxt nsw-tAwj
Ka nakht nesu tawy
kꜢ-nḫt nsw-tꜢwꞽ
"The strong bull and king of the Two Lands"
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 54:16
Beckerath, Handbuch: 156-157, 4:H14
kA-nxt prj-m-ra
Ka nakht per em Ra
kꜢ-nḫt prꞽ-m-rꜤ
"The strong bull who has emerged as Ra"
Qaha obelisk in Egyptian Museum in Cairo (face 4)
CG 17025
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 31:12
Beckerath, Handbuch: 156-157, 4:H5
Htp-Hr-mAat mj-tATnn
Hotep her Maat mi Tatenen
ḥtp-ḥr-mꜢꜤt mꞽ-tꜢṯnn
"Satisfied with Maat,like Tatenen"
Qaha obelisk in Egyptian Museum in Cairo (face 1 left)
CG 17025
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 31:5
Beckerath, Handbuch: 156-157, 4:H7
kA-nxt bA-n-ra Dt-jtmw
Ka nakht ba en Ra djet Itemu
kꜢ-nḫt bꜢ-n-rꜤ ḏt-ꞽtmw
"The strong bull, (with) spirit of Ra and body of Atum"
Qaha obelisk in Egyptian Museum in Cairo (face 1 right)
CG 17025
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 31:4
Beckerath, Handbuch: 156-157, 4:H6
kA-nxt haa-tAwj
Ka nakht ha tawy (?)
kꜢ-nḫt hꜤꜤ-tꜢwꞽ
Usurped R2 colossus, base block (Cairo JdE 35126)
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 59:6
kA-nxt Ax-n-jtm
Ka nakht akh en Atum
kꜢ-nḫt Ꜣḫ-n-ꞽtm
"The strong bull, beneficial to Atum"
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 50:13
Beckerath, Handbuch: 156-157, 4:H13
kA-nxt Ax-n-ra
Ka nakht akh en Ra
kꜢ-nḫt Ꜣḫ-n-rꜤ
"The strong bull, beneficial to Ra"
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 50:10
nb-HAbw-xaw
Neb hebu khau
nb-ḥꜢbw-ḫꜤw
"Possessor of festivals and crowns"
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 54:14
Beckerath, Handbuch: 156-157, 4:H12
nD-Hr-jt.f mjtj-mAat
Nedj her itef mity Maat
nḏ-ḥr-ꞽt.f mꞽtꞽ-mꜢꜤt
"Protector of his father, the likeness of Maat"
Qaha obelisk in Egyptian Museum in Cairo (face 2)
CG 17025
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 31:8
Beckerath, Handbuch: 156-157, 4:H8
jrj-bAw-r-tA-n-Tmhw
Iri bau er ta en Temehu
ꞽrꞽ-bꜢw-r-tꜢ-n-ṯmhw
"Who exercised power against the land of the Temehu"
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 20:9
Athribis stela, Cairo JdE 50568
Beckerath, Handbuch: 156-157, 4:N1
xaj-mj-ptH-m-Xnw-Hfnw
Kha mi Ptah em khenu hefnu
ḫꜤꞽ-mꞽ-ptḥ-m-ẖnw-ḥfnw
"Who has appeared like Ptah among hundreds of thousands"
Beckerath, Handbuch: 156-157, 4:N3·Lepsius, Denkmäler III, 200d (1)
xaj-mj-ptH-m-Xnw-Hfnw-r-smn-hpw-nfrw-m-xt-tAwj
Kha mi Ptah em khenu hefnu er semen hepu neferu em-khet tawy
ḫꜤꞽ-mꞽ-ptḥ-m-ẖnw-ḥfnw-r-smn-hpw-nfrw-m-ḫt-tꜢwꞽ
"Who has appeared like Ptah among hundreds of thousands in order to establish the perfect laws throughout the Two Lands"
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions iV, 58:7
Beckerath, Handbuch: 156-157, 4:N2·Lepsius, Denkmäler III, 198e
aA-pHtj wr-nxtw
Aa pehty wer nakhtu
ꜤꜢ-pḥtꞽ wr-nḫtw
"Great of might and important of victories"
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 1:8
Beckerath, Handbuch: 156-157, 4:N4
nb-snD aA-Sfit
Neb senedj aa shefyt
nb-snḏ ꜤꜢ-šfꞽt
"Lord of fear and great of majesty"
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 1:9
Beckerath, Handbuch: 156-157, 4:G1
snxt-kmt dr-pDt-r-djt-Htp-nTrw-mr.sn
Senakht Kemet der pedjut 9 er dit hotep netjeru em mersen
snḫt-kmt dr-pḏt-r-dꞽt-ḥtp-nṯrw-mr.sn
"Who has strengthened Egypt and repelled the Nine Bows in order to satisfy the gods with what they love"
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 66
Beckerath, Handbuch: 156-157, 4:G2
bA-n-ra mrj-nTrw
Ba en Ra, mery netjeru
bꜢ-n-rꜤ mrꞽ-nṯrw
"The soul of Ra, beloved of the Gods"
Mariette, Abydos II, pl. 50
Beckerath, Handbuch: 158-159, 4:T8
bA-n-ra mrj-nTrw
Ba en Ra, mery netjeru
bꜢ-n-rꜤ mrꞽ-nṯrw
"The soul of Ra, beloved of the Gods"
Petrie, Tanis, I, plate 2 (8 B)
Beckerath, Handbuch: 158-159, 4:T7
bA-n-ra mrj-jmn
Ba en Ra, mery Amun
bꜢ-n-rꜤ mrꞽ-ꞽmn
"The soul of Ra, beloved of Amun"
Black granite statue, CG 42148
bA-n-ra mrj-jmn
Ba en Ra, mery Amun
bꜢ-n-rꜤ mrꞽ-ꞽmn
"The soul of Ra, beloved of Amun"
Beckerath, Handbuch: 158-159, 4:T1·Lepsius, Denkmäler III, 200d (1)
bA-n-ra mrj-jmn
Ba en Ra, mery Amun
bꜢ-n-rꜤ mrꞽ-ꞽmn
"The soul of Ra, beloved of Amun"
Black granite statue, CG 42148
Beckerath, Handbuch: 158-159, 4:T3
bA-n-ra mrj-jmn
Ba en Ra, mery Amun
bꜢ-n-rꜤ mrꞽ-ꞽmn
"The soul of Ra, beloved of Amun"
Black granite statue, CG 42148
Beckerath, Handbuch: 158-159, 4:T4
bA-n-ra mrj-jmn
Ba en Ra, mery Amun
bꜢ-n-rꜤ mrꞽ-ꞽmn
"The soul of Ra, beloved of Amun"
Papyrus Anastasi III 7.2 - British Museum EA10246.5
Beckerath, Handbuch: 158-159, 4:T5
mrj-n-ptH Htp-Hr-mAat
Mer en Ptah, hotep her Maat
mrꞽ-n-ptḥ ḥtp-ḥr-mꜢꜤt
"Beloved of Ptah, Maat is satisfied"
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 31
Beckerath, Handbuch: 158-159, 4:E1
mrj.n-ptH Htp-Hr-mAat
Mer en Ptah, hotep her Maat
mrꞽ.n-ptḥ ḥtp-ḥr-mꜢꜤt
"Beloved of Ptah, Maat is satisfied"
Beckerath, Handbuch: 158-159, 4:E2·Lepsius, Denkmäler III, 200d (1)
mrj.n-ptH Htp-Hr-mAat
Mer en Ptah, hotep her Maat
mrꞽ.n-ptḥ ḥtp-ḥr-mꜢꜤt
"Beloved of Ptah, Maat is satisfied"
Walking statue of Merenptah, Cairo CG 42148
Beckerath, Handbuch: 158-159, 4:E3
mrj.n-ptH Htp-Hr-mAat
Mer en Ptah, hotep her Maat
mrꞽ.n-ptḥ ḥtp-ḥr-mꜢꜤt
"Beloved of Ptah, Maat is satisfied"
Walking statue of Merenptah, Cairo CG 42148

Sources of antiquity

AuthorGreekTranscriptionReign
Africanus xix, 3AμενεφθηςAmenephthes20 years
Eusebius xix, 3AμμενεφθίςAmmenephthis40 years
Jerome 41Ammenophis40 years

References