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Rabirius Postumus(fl. first century B.C.E.)Roman of
equestrian rank assigned to Egypt by the Roman Senate
He managed the financial affairs of PTOLEMY XII NEOS
DIONYSUS(r. 80–58, 55–51 B.C.E.) on behalf of the Senate
of Rome. Rabirius was charged with taking a bribe as a
result of conducting this office but was defended success-
fully by Cicero in Rome.

Ra’djedef (Djedef-ré)(d. 2520 B.C.E.)Third ruler of
the Fourth Dynasty
He reigned from 2528 B.C.E. until his death. The son of
KHUFU(Cheops) and a lesser-ranked queen, he had a
brief reign and was possibly associated with the death of
Prince KEWAB, his half brother and the rightful heir. Ra’d-
jedef apparently was a member of a separate line of
Khufu’s royal family, possibly of Libyan connections.
He was recorded as marrying HETEPHERES(2), his
half sister and the widow of Prince Kewab. She was the
mother as well of Kewab’s daughter, MERYSANKH(3), who
married Ra’djedef’s successor, KHAFRE(Chephren). Het-
epheres (2) bore Ra’djedef a daughter, NEFERHETEPES(1).
He also married KHENTETKAand had three sons, Setka,
Baka, and Harnit. They are all listed in Ra’djedef’s unfin-
ished pyramid in ABU ROWASH, but none inherited the
throne.
Ra’djedef chose the royal name “Son of Ré,” indicat-
ing a religious revolt of some sort, and was mentioned in
the TURIN CANON. He also abandoned the GIZAplateau,
building his mortuary complex in Abu Rowash, near the
Third Dynasty (2649–2575 B.C.E.) necropolis to the
north. This unfinished complex was designed with a
MORTUARY TEMPLE, called “Ra’djedef is a SeheduStar.” The

mortuary temple was started on the east side of the pyra-

mid. A large boat pit was built on the southern end.

Some 20 statues were discovered on the site, now in

a ruined condition. Red quartzite and other fine stones

were used throughout the complex. A SPHINXwas also

found on the site, the first use of that symbol in royal

tombs. Ra’djedef’s pyramid was ransacked as a quarry by

later pharaohs, and he remains a mysterious individual

who represented the rise of a faction of the royal family

for a brief period. A queen’s pyramid has recently been

uncovered on the site.

Rahotep (1)(fl. 26th century B.C.E.)Prince of the

Fourth Dynasty, famed for his mortuary statue

A son of SNEFRU(r. 2575–2551 B.C.E.), Rahotep was mar-

ried to Princess NOFRET(1) and buried with her in a

mastaba tomb near the pyramid of MEIDUM. Rahotep

served as the high priest of the god RÉat HELIOPOLIS.He

also served as the director of expeditions and as the chief

of royal building. There is a possibility that Rahotep was

the son of HUNI(r. 2599–2575 B.C.E.), buried in Snefru’s

reign. A remarkable portrait statue of Rahotep was dis-

covered at Meidum. Nofret was also depicted by another

remarkable statue in the tomb. These limestone portray-

als were fashioned with inlaid eyes and depict individuals

of vitality and charm.

See also ART AND ARCHITECTURE.

Rahotep (2) (Wah’ankh)(d. c. 1630 B.C.E.) Ruler, or

possibly the founder, of the Seventeenth Dynasty

He was also called Rahotep Wah’ankh and is mentioned

in reliefs in the tomb of AMENMESSESof the Nineteenth