Abstract
Names have always been understood to contain the essence, character and reality of a thing, and particularly so with regard to a person. The kings of ancient Egypt, like their counterparts throughout history, were given resonant and ideologically- (and religiously-) loaded names, set about with grandiose titles, which proclaimed their power and legitimacy to subjects and enemies alike. The titulary in its most developed form was fivefold in structure. First came the Horus name, identifying the king (in some manner) with the falconiform sky and sun god Horus. This was followed in turn by the Two Ladies name, showing the king to be patronised by the tutelary goddesses of Upper and Lower Egypt; the Golden Horus name, with solar significance or (or possibly as well as, by a punning usage) seeing him as embodying the traits of Horus and Seth, as patrons of the Two Lands; the throne name, formally identifying him as enthroned over the Two Lands; and finally the personal name, introduced by the formula ‘Son of Ra’. The last two names were contained in cartouches, representing the world throughout which the king’s authority obtained. This useful book lists all known kings—the number is occasionally increased by new discoveries—from the late predynastic period down to the annexation of Ptolemaic Egypt by Rome, with a complete list of all five names where found, including variants, and the various triumphal or blessing formulae attached to the titulary. Though the author is reticent on the subject, and it is fair to say that opinion is divided on the matter, there is much evidence here in favour of a formal belief in ‘divine kingship’, at least during certain periods of pharaonic history, since the qualifications to which many scholars resort to avoid the logical force of the language (direct use of divine names, and forms such as ‘the beautiful god’, ‘Son of DN’ or ‘Beloved of DN’) seem disingenuous. This topic has a wider reference than ancient Egyptian history. Egypt was frequently involved commercially, diplomatically, and militarily in the affairs of its neighbours, and many artistic motifs, symbols and literary forms in neighbouring cultures show its influence. This is particularly evident throughout the Levant, from Ugarit in the north to Judah in the south. Adaptations of the titulary have been proposed in Ugaritic literature (G. del Olmo Lete, M. S. Smith, N. Wyatt), Assyrian royal inscriptions (B. Cifola) and in Judah (Isaiah 9:6—cf. Psalms 2, 72, 110—G. von Rad, J. Blenkinsopp—the famous royal oracle subsequently interpreted in a futuristic messianic sense. So the volume is a useful contribution to our information on the broad cultural background of the Bible.
Coming Next Month
In next month’s issue we begin a series of articles on Great Reformers of the Church. Over twelve months, leading scholars in the field will offer their review of current research trends regarding key figures of the Reformation. In the first article of the series, Euan Cameron introduces the state of play in Reformation Studies. Also in this issue, Robert Leach surveys Hindu scriptures and their significance.