The pharaohs in order: a dynasty-by-dynasty timeline
Nine periods, thirty-one dynasties and the long order of kings, with the dating grade for each.
Egyptian history is divided into 9 periods that modern scholars have named, and into 32 numbered dynasties after the third-century BC priest Manetho, whose list this site follows. A dynasty is a run of kings the list groups together, not always a family. This site lists 224 rulers in total, from the first kings of the Early Dynastic Period to Cleopatra VII and her son.
The best way to see all of this at once is the Reign Roll on the home page and the timeline page. This guide gives the outline.
Early Dynastic Period
The first two dynasties: kingship is unified, writing develops and kings are buried at Abydos. It runs from 3100 BC to 2686 BC and holds 2 dynasties: 1, 2.
Old Kingdom
The age of the pyramids, from Djoser's Step Pyramid to the end of Pepi II's long reign. It runs from 2686 BC to 2181 BC and holds 4 dynasties: 3, 4, 5, 6.
First Intermediate Period
Central authority fragments; rival lines rule from Herakleopolis and Thebes. It runs from 2181 BC to 2040 BC and holds 3 dynasties: 7-8, 9, 10.
- Dynasty 7-8 2181 BC to 2160 BC, 8 rulers
- Dynasty 9 2160 BC to 2130 BC, 3 rulers
- Dynasty 10 2130 BC to 2040 BC, 3 rulers
Middle Kingdom
Reunification under Thebes, then the Twelfth Dynasty at Itjtawy; classical literature and strong frontiers. It runs from 2040 BC to 1802 BC and holds 2 dynasties: 11, 12.
- Dynasty 11 2134 BC to 1991 BC, 6 rulers
- Dynasty 12 1991 BC to 1802 BC, 8 rulers
Second Intermediate Period
Egypt splits again, with Hyksos rulers in the north and Theban kings in the south. It runs from 1802 BC to 1550 BC and holds 5 dynasties: 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.
- Dynasty 13 1802 BC to 1649 BC, 12 rulers
- Dynasty 14 1805 BC to 1650 BC, 3 rulers
- Dynasty 15 1650 BC to 1550 BC, 5 rulers
- Dynasty 16 1650 BC to 1580 BC, 3 rulers
- Dynasty 17 1580 BC to 1550 BC, 8 rulers
New Kingdom
Empire and wealth: Thebes and the Valley of the Kings, Akhenaten, Tutankhamun and the Ramessides. It runs from 1550 BC to 1077 BC and holds 3 dynasties: 18, 19, 20.
- Dynasty 18 1550 BC to 1292 BC, 15 rulers
- Dynasty 19 1292 BC to 1189 BC, 8 rulers
- Dynasty 20 1189 BC to 1077 BC, 10 rulers
Third Intermediate Period
Divided rule by Tanis, Libyan and Kushite kings. It runs from 1077 BC to 664 BC and holds 5 dynasties: 21, 22, 23, 24, 25.
- Dynasty 21 1077 BC to 943 BC, 7 rulers
- Dynasty 22 943 BC to 728 BC, 10 rulers
- Dynasty 23 837 BC to 735 BC, 9 rulers
- Dynasty 24 732 BC to 720 BC, 2 rulers
- Dynasty 25 744 BC to 656 BC, 5 rulers
Late Period
Saite revival, two periods of Persian rule and the last native dynasties. It runs from 664 BC to 332 BC and holds 6 dynasties: 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31.
- Dynasty 26 664 BC to 525 BC, 6 rulers
- Dynasty 27 525 BC to 404 BC, 6 rulers
- Dynasty 28 404 BC to 398 BC, 1 rulers
- Dynasty 29 398 BC to 380 BC, 4 rulers
- Dynasty 30 380 BC to 343 BC, 3 rulers
- Dynasty 31 343 BC to 332 BC, 3 rulers
Macedonian and Ptolemaic Period
Greek-speaking kings rule from Alexandria until Cleopatra VII and the Roman conquest. It runs from 332 BC to 30 BC and holds 2 dynasties: Macedonian dynasty, Ptolemaic dynasty.
- Macedonian dynasty 332 BC to 305 BC, 3 rulers
- Ptolemaic dynasty 305 BC to 30 BC, 29 rulers
A note on certainty
Not every date is equally firm. 57 rulers are dated to within a few years (grade A), 102 to about a decade, 53 to about a century, and 12 are disputed or only just attested. The dating column in every table uses these grades.