pharaoh
The pharaoh was the ruler of ancient Egypt, the title for the monarch who unified Upper and Lower Egypt. The term derives from Greek pharaō, from Egyptian per-ʾa, meaning "great house" or "palace." In inscriptions the king is described as ruler of the two lands, and as a divine or semi-divine figure.
The pharaoh held political and religious authority, overseeing taxation, justice, and defense. Government ran through a
The pharaoh was considered the earthly embodiment of the gods, especially Horus, and in death linked with
The ruler bore a formal royal titulary, including the prenomen and nomen, and various honorifics. These names
Pharaohs were buried in monumental tombs, from the Old Kingdom pyramids to later mortuary temples. Tombs contained
The institution lasted roughly three thousand years, ending with the Roman conquest; the term pharaoh remains