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List of pharaohs deified during lifetime

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Temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel, Egypt depicting, from left to right, the god Ra-Horakhty, the deified form of Ramesses II, and the gods Amun Ra and Ptah

In ancient Egypt, it was standard for pharaohs to be worshipped posthumously as transfigured beings amongst the royal ancestors. This was generally performed in the form of a mortuary cult. During the pharaoh's lifetime, they were generally recognized as having divine properties, in accordance with imperial cult government. However, it was exceedingly rare for a pharaoh to have a cultic devotion to their worship as a deity during the lifetime of the pharaoh. A few pharaohs are exceptions to this, usually as a result of successful self-deification attempts typically substantiated by military accomplishment or political leadership.

During-lifetime deified pharaohs

A few pharaohs have been confirmed to have been honored with cultic worship as deities during their lifetime:

Table of during-life deified pharaohs
Pharaoh Dynasty Regal Years Deification
Senusret III 12th Dynasty 1878 BC - 1839 BC Senusret III was deified during his lifetime primarily due to his military achievements.
Amenhotep III 18th Dynasty 1388 BC – 1351 BC Amenhotep III initiated his own self-deification towards the end of his lifetime as the dazzling Aten, simultaneously deifying his wife, Queen Tiye.
Tutankhamun 18th Dynasty 1388 BC – 1351 BC A cult devoted to the deified form of Tutankhamun as the god Amun developed after he overturned Atenism.
Ramesses II 19th Dynasty 1279 BC – 1213 BC Ramesses II was deified during his lifetime primarily for his military campaigns and diplomatic successes.

It was incredibly rare for a pharaoh to gain cult devotion during their lifetime.

Possibly during-lifetime deified pharaohs

There is some evidence or speculation that other pharaohs were deified during their lifetimes

Table of possibly during-life deified pharaohs
Pharaoh Dynasty Regal Years Deification
Pharaonic Egypt
Mentuhotep II 11th Dynasty 2060 BC – 2009 BC It has been stipulated that Mentuhotep II was deified during his lifetime but this is disputed.
Akhenaten 18th Dynasty 1351 BC – 1334 BC Akhenaten attempted to deify himself during his Atenism religiopolitical upheaval, although the success of this attempt has not been conferred.
Horemheb 18th Dynasty 1319 BC – 1292 BC There is some evidence that Horemheb had a cult devotion during his lifetime, although this is disputed.
Greco–Roman Period
Ptolemy II Philadelphus Ptolemaic Dynasty 309 BC - 246 BC Ptolemy II Philadelphus initiated a self-deification he and his sister-wife, Arsinoe II, Theoi Adelphoi (brother-sister gods).
Ptolemy III Euergetes Ptolemaic Dynasty 280 BC - 222 BC Following precedent of Ptolemy II, Ptolemy III deified himself and his wife, Berenice II, as Theoi Eurgetai (benefactor gods).

References

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