Sheshi

Sheshi was a ruler of Egypt during the Second Intermediate Period, usually assigned to the Fifteenth Dynasty or to an otherwise uncertain Hyksos dynasty. His reign is known chiefly from scarab seals bearing his name.

Sheshi scarabs: Egyptian scarab seals inscribed with the name of the ruler Sheshi. These objects provide the principal evidence for Sheshi’s name and wide geographic reach.
Second Intermediate Period: A period of political division in Egypt between the Middle Kingdom and the New Kingdom. Sheshi’s reign belongs to this era of competing dynasties and uncertain chronology.
Egyptian royal titulary: The set of formal names and titles used by ancient Egyptian kings. Separating throne names from personal names is essential when identifying Sheshi in inscriptions.
Hyksos chronology: The disputed sequence and dating of Hyksos rulers during the Second Intermediate Period. Placing Sheshi within this sequence is difficult because his reign lacks secure chronological anchors.
Sewahenre: A throne name associated with Sheshi on some scarabs and other inscribed objects. Its association with Sheshi is debated and affects how his royal titulary is reconstructed.
Fifteenth Dynasty of Egypt: A dynasty of Hyksos rulers that controlled much of northern Egypt during the Second Intermediate Period. Sheshi is often assigned to this dynasty, though his precise position remains unsettled.
Scarab seal: A seal shaped like a scarab beetle, commonly inscribed and used in ancient Egypt. Sheshi’s name survives chiefly on scarabs, objects that could circulate far from their origin.
Second Intermediate Period king lists: Lists and reconstructions used to identify rulers of Egypt’s politically divided Second Intermediate Period. Sheshi’s absence or uncertain identification in king lists complicates his historical placement.
Maaibre: A throne name associated with Sheshi in some interpretations of Second Intermediate Period inscriptions. Some scholars identify this name with Sheshi, while others assign it to a different ruler.
Hyksos: Rulers of foreign origin who governed parts of Egypt during the Second Intermediate Period. Sheshi is generally treated as a Hyksos ruler, linking him to this wider political group.

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Fourteenth Dynasty of EgyptRelated: His widespread scarabs are central to debates about the dynasty's rulers and territory.