马涅托及其《埃及史》

Manetho and His History of Egypt

马涅托是出生于托勒密一世和二世时代的一位僧侣和著名的学者,他写了8部重要著作,特别是他搜集文献和口头传说的史料,写作了《埃及史》,使他成为古代埃及第一位伟大的历史学家和"埃及史之父",在古典史学发展史占有重要地位。他的《埃及史》重要价值在于:他提供了第一部有系统的、完整的埃及法老史;其次,这部著作保留了古代埃及的神话与宗教思想、并把古埃及的神和希腊的神相匹对,有利于东西文化宗教思想的交流;最后《埃及史》的王朝体系为现代埃及学研究奠定了相对年代学的基础。

Manetho was a priest and famous scholar , who was born in the reigns of Ptolemy I and Ptolemy II. He accomplished eight important writings, and especially finished the work of History of Egypt , by gathering historical materials in forms of ancient written records and oral legends , which established him as the first Great historian in ancient Egypt and ＂the Father of Egypt Historiography＂. Meanwhile he played a very important role in the development of classical historiography. We can recognize the value of the History of Egypt as the following ： Firstly, It exists as the first complete and systematic history of Pharaonic Egypt. Secondly, this work reserved Egyptian myths and religious ideas, and made comparison between Egyptain gods and Greek＇ s, which promoted communication of culture and religious ideas between the East and West. Lastly, Manetho＇s dynastical system laid relative chronological foundation for morden researching of Egyptology.