His Aniba tomb is now on the west bank of the Aswan
High Dam.
Penreshnas(fl. 10th century B.C.E.) Royal woman of the
Twenty-second Dynasty
A lesser ranked consort of SHOSHENQ I(r. 945–924 B.C.E.),
she is commemorated as the daughter of a great chieftain
of the period. Prince Nimlot was probably her son.
Pentaur, Poem of An inscribed text found in THEBES,
KARNAK, and ABYDOSand contained in the SALLIER PAPYRI,
the poem describes the battle of KADESHand the exploits
of RAMESSES II (r. 1290–1224 B.C.E.). Pentaur, or
Pentaware, is believed to have been a scribe in the reign
of MERENPTAH, Ramesses II’s son and heir. It is possible
that he copied the document from an earlier version. Not
a true poem, the work treats various stages of the Kadesh
campaign. Other details were contained in bulletins and
reliefs.
The battle of Kadesh was decisive in returning Egypt
to the international stature that it had enjoyed during the
Eighteenth Dynasty, establishing Ramesses II as one of
the nation’s greatest pharaohs and Egypt as a military
power among its contemporaries. Pentaur described the
campaign in poetic terms, providing a sense of drama to
the scene when the pharaoh realizes that he has been
ambushed. Ramesses II rallies his forces, which include
the Regiments of RÉ,PTAH, SUTEKH, and AMUN. With the
pharaoh in the lead, the Egyptians battled their way free.
The HITTITES and their allies had hoped to destroy
Ramesses at Kadesh but were forced to accept a stale-
mate. A treaty with the Hittites, however, did not come
about for many years.
Pentaweret (Pentaware)(fl. 12th century B.C.E.)
Prince of the Twentieth Dynasty involved in a harem con-
spiracy
He was the son of RAMESSES III(r. 1194–1163 B.C.E.) and
a lesser-ranked consort, named TIYE (2). Queen Tiye
entered into a harem conspiracy to assassinate Ramesses
III and to put aside the heir, RAMESSES IV, in order to place
her son on the throne. All of the plotters were arrested,
including judicial officials, and all were punished with
death, disfigurement, or exile. Pentaweret was to commit
suicide as a result of his conviction in the trial conducted
by the court. His death had led to conjectures that his
remains are those of “PRINCE UNKNOWN” or Man E.
Queen Tiye was believed to be one of the first to be exe-
cuted.
Pentu(fl. 14th century B.C.E.)Medical official of the
Eighteenth Dynasty
He served AKHENATEN(r. 1353–1335 B.C.E.) at the new
capital of ’AMARNA (Akhetaten). Pentu was the royal
physician. His tomb, fashioned near Akhenaten’s capital,
depicts his career, honors, and closeness to the royal
household.Pepi I (Meryré)(d. 2255 B.C.E.)Second ruler of the
Sixth Dynasty
He reigned from 2289 B.C.E. until his death. Pepi I was
the son and successor of TETIand Queen IPUT(1), who
served as his regent in his first years. An unknown royal
figure, USERKARÉ, possibly served as a coregent before
Pepi I inherited the throne.
Pepi I ruled with a certain vigor and was militarily
innovative. He used General WENIto conduct campaigns
in NUBIAand in the SINAIand Palestine with mercenary
troops from Nubia (modern Sudan). Weni drove off the
Sinai Bedouins and landed his troops on the Mediter-
ranean coast, having transported them there on vessels.
Pepi I’s vessels were discovered in BYBLOSin modern
Lebanon, and he sent an expedition to PUNT. During
these campaigns Pepi I was called Neferja-hor or Nefersa-
hor. He took the throne name Meryré or Mery-tawy soon
after. His wives are listed as NEITH(2), IPUT(2), Yamtisy,
WERET-IMTES(2),and Ujebten. Later in his reign he mar-
ried two sisters, ANKHNESMERY-RÉ(1), and ANKHNESMERY-
RÉ(2).
Pepi I built at ABYDOS, BUBASTIS, DENDEREH, ELEPHAN-
TINE, and HIERAKONPOLIS. Copper statues fashioned as
portraits of him and his son MERENRÉ Iwere found at
Hierakonpolis. A HAREMconspiracy directed against him
failed, but one of his older wives disappeared as a result.
His sons, born to Ankhnesmery-Re (1) and (2) were
Merenré I and Pepi II. His daughter was Neith (2).
Pepi I’s pyramid in SAQQARAwas called Men-nefer,
“Pepi Is Established and Beautiful.” The Greeks cor-
rupted that name into MEMPHIS. The complex contains
Pyramid Texts, popular at that time, and his burial cham-
ber was discovered empty. The sarcophagus had disap-
peared, and only a canopic chest was found.Pepi II(d. 2152 B.C.E.) Fourth ruler of the Sixth Dynasty,
Egypt’s longest ruling pharaoh
He reigned from 2246 B.C.E. until his death and was the
son of PEPI Iand ANKHNESMERY-RÉ(2).Pepi II was only
six years old when he inherited the throne from his
brother Merenré. His mother served as his regent during
his minority, and his uncle, the vizier Djau, maintained a
stable government.
Pepi II married NEITH(2), IPUT(2), WEDJEBTEN, and
probably ANKHNES-PEPI. During his 94 year reign, the
longest rule ever recorded in Egypt, Pepi II centralized
the government. He sent trading expeditions to NUBIA
and PUNTand he had a vast naval fleet at his disposal as
he established trade routes.
While still a child, Pepi II received word from one of
his officials, a man named HARKHUF, that a DWARFhad
been captured and was being brought back to MEMPHIS.Pepi II 299