Apepi
Hyksos pharaoh who ruled Lower Egypt for forty years.
Apepi (Greek Apophis) was a Hyksos ruler of Lower Egypt during the Fifteenth Dynasty and the late Second Intermediate Period. He reigned over the northern portion of Egypt for forty years during the early half of the 16th century BC, according to the Turin Canon of Kings. Although officially only in control of the Lower Kingdom, Apepi in practice dominated the majority of Egypt during the early portion of his reign. He outlived his southern rival, Kamose, but not Ahmose I.
- Name
- Apepi (also Ipepi; Greek Apophis)
- Reign
- 40 years, early half of 16th century BC
- Dynasty
- Fifteenth Dynasty
- Region
- Lower Egypt (Hyksos kingdom)
- Known for
- Hyksos ruler who dominated most of Egypt; used three throne names; associated with Tell el-Daba Stratum D/3 and Middle Bronze IIC
- Predecessor
- Khyan (likely)
- Successor
- Khamudi
Lore & Background
Apepi's Horus name Shetep-tawy is attested only twice, once together with A-qenen-Re, appearing on an offering table and blocks found at Bubastis. He used three praenomina during his reign: Neb-khepesh-Re (first), Aa-qenen-Re (middle), and Aa-user-Re (final). While some Egyptologists once believed there were two separate kings named Apepi, it is now recognized that there was only one. His nomen was Apepi (Egyptian ipp(i)), rendered in Greek as Apophis. At Tell el-Daba (Avaris), his reign is associated with Stratum D/3, corresponding to Middle Bronze IIC in the Southern Levant (c.
Reader's Guide
Apepi is significant as the longest-reigning Hyksos king of the Fifteenth Dynasty, whose forty-year rule marked the peak of Hyksos power in Egypt. His use of three different throne names reflects a long reign and possible shifts in political or religious emphasis. The debate over whether he also ruled Upper Egypt—based on objects found in Thebes and Gebelein—remains unresolved, with many scholars arguing those items may have reached the south through trade or looting after the Hyksos defeat. Apepi's legacy is also tied to later Ramesside accounts that depict him as worshiping Seth exclusively, a story scholars believe was a veiled critique of Akhenaten's monotheism. The Hyksos were driven out of Egypt no more than fifteen years after his death.
Did You Know?
- Apepi's Horus name Shetep-tawy is attested only twice, once together with A-qenen-Re.
- He used three different throne names during his reign: Nebkhepeshre, Aaqenenre, and Aauserre.
- A scarab bearing his prenomen was discovered in Tell el-Ajjul, Gaza Strip.
- The Rhind Mathematical Papyrus is dated to Year 33 of Apepi.
More in Ancient Rulers Of Africa And The Near East 1-24
Elsewhere in the Ancient Rulers Of Africa And The Near East universe
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record