c. 200-400 CE
Preserved in George Syncellus, Chronicle 56-57
c. 800 CE
translated by John Jackson (adapted)
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NOTE |
The Old Egyptian Chronicle is a Late Antique forgery, based in part on earlier records, which reflects Hermetic influence. It has been used by fringe historians to justify dating Egyptian history back to 36,000 BCE or earlier. The surviving account of it comes from George Syncellus, around 800 CE, who mistook it for ancient and considered it the foundation for the Book of Sothis, an imperial-era forgery attributed to Pseudo-Manetho and also influenced by Hermeticism. In the summary below, Syncellus is the speaker. I have adapted the eighteenth century translation of John Jackson to give the original Greek divine names in place of the Latin names Jackson substituted.
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The Old Chronicle
There is an old Chronicle current among the Egyptians, which I think misled Manetho, containing 30 dynasties, during 113 generations, for the immense number of 36,525 years. These dynasties consisted of three classes; the first Aurites, the second Mesraites, and the third Egyptians.
The time of Hephaestus [first of the Aurites] is not stated, because he shines night and day. Helios [the sun], the son of Hephaestus, reigned 30,000 years. Then Kronos, and the rest of the twelve gods, reigned 3984 years. Then the demi-gods, who were eight, 217 years.
After them, fifteen generations of the Cynic Cycle [or Mesraites] are said to have reigned 443 years.
Next succeeded the sixteenth dynasty [of Egyptians,] namely, Tanites, [or Thinites,] eight generations in 190 years; the seventeenth dynasty of Memphites, four generations in 103 years; the eighteenth of Memphites, fourteen generations in 348 years; the nineteenth of Diospolites, five generations in 194 years; the twentieth dynasty of Diospolites, eight generations in 228 years; the twenty-first of Tanites, six generations in 121 years; the twenty-second of Tanites, three generations in 48 years; the twenty-third of Diospolites, two generations in 19 years; the twenty-fourth of Saites, three generations in 44 years; the twenty-sixth of Memphites, seven generations in 177 years; the twenty-seventh of Persians, five generations in 124 years; [the twenty-eighth omitted, but supplied by Manetho, of Saites, one generation in 6 years;] the twenty-ninth [five generations of Tanites, here omitted, but supplied from Eusebius] in 39 years; the thirtieth dynasty of Tanites, one generation in 18 years.
The sum of these thirty dynasties is 36,525 years, indicating the celebrated period of the revolution of the Zodiac, among the Egyptians and Greeks; (or the time of the return of the vernal equinoctial point, from the first degree of the sign Aries, to the same place again,) as set forth in the Genesis of Hermes, and in the Cyrannic books.
The time of Hephaestus [first of the Aurites] is not stated, because he shines night and day. Helios [the sun], the son of Hephaestus, reigned 30,000 years. Then Kronos, and the rest of the twelve gods, reigned 3984 years. Then the demi-gods, who were eight, 217 years.
After them, fifteen generations of the Cynic Cycle [or Mesraites] are said to have reigned 443 years.
Next succeeded the sixteenth dynasty [of Egyptians,] namely, Tanites, [or Thinites,] eight generations in 190 years; the seventeenth dynasty of Memphites, four generations in 103 years; the eighteenth of Memphites, fourteen generations in 348 years; the nineteenth of Diospolites, five generations in 194 years; the twentieth dynasty of Diospolites, eight generations in 228 years; the twenty-first of Tanites, six generations in 121 years; the twenty-second of Tanites, three generations in 48 years; the twenty-third of Diospolites, two generations in 19 years; the twenty-fourth of Saites, three generations in 44 years; the twenty-sixth of Memphites, seven generations in 177 years; the twenty-seventh of Persians, five generations in 124 years; [the twenty-eighth omitted, but supplied by Manetho, of Saites, one generation in 6 years;] the twenty-ninth [five generations of Tanites, here omitted, but supplied from Eusebius] in 39 years; the thirtieth dynasty of Tanites, one generation in 18 years.
The sum of these thirty dynasties is 36,525 years, indicating the celebrated period of the revolution of the Zodiac, among the Egyptians and Greeks; (or the time of the return of the vernal equinoctial point, from the first degree of the sign Aries, to the same place again,) as set forth in the Genesis of Hermes, and in the Cyrannic books.
