Anome (/noʊm/,[1] fromAncient Greek:νομός,nomós, "district") was a territorial division inancient Egypt.[2]
Each nome was ruled by anomarch (Ancient Egyptian:ḥrj tpꜥꜣ, "Great Chief").[3] The number of nomes changed through the various periods of thehistory of ancient Egypt.[4]
The termnome comes fromAncient Greekνομόςnomós meaning "pasture" extended to "dwelling" and "district"; theAncient Egyptian term wasspꜣt (modern pronunciation /sɛpɑt/).[5] Today's use of the Ancient Greek rather than theAncient Egyptian term came about during thePtolemaic period, when the use of Greek was widespread in Egypt.[6] The availability of Greek records on Egypt influenced the adoption of Greek terms by later historians.
The division of ancient Egypt into nomes can be traced back to theEarly Dynastic period, before theThird Dynasty. One of the earliest direct attestation of the name of an Egyptian nome is an ink inscription on a jar found in the galleries beneath Djoser's pyramid and which may date to the reign of the Second Dynasty kingNynetjer. Another attestation dates to the slightly later reign ofSeth-Peribsen.The nome system may have originated earlier still, being coeval with the unification of Egypt as such a regionaladministration would have been essential for the cohesion of the recently unified lands. Alternatively, Egyptologists have held the view that the system emerged from the economic demands due to pyramid-building. This view however is weakened by the observations that the early attestations pre-date the first pyramid, and that other very large building projects had already taken place prior to Djoser's reign, notably the enclosures of Khasekhemwy at Hierakonpolis and Abydos.
Not only did the division into nomes remain in place for more than three millennia, the areas of the individual nomes and their ordering remained remarkably stable. Some, likeXois in theNile Delta orKhent inUpper Egypt, were first mentioned on thePalermo Stone, which was inscribed in theFifth Dynasty. The names of a few, like the nome ofBubastis, appeared no earlier than theNew Kingdom. Under the system that prevailed for most of pharaonic Egypt's history, the country was divided into 42 nomes.
Lower Egypt (Egyptian: "Ā-meḥty"), from the Old Kingdom capitalMemphis to theMediterranean Sea, comprised 20 nomes. The first was based around Memphis,Saqqara, andGiza, in the area occupied by modern-dayCairo. The nomes were numbered in a more or less orderly fashion south to north through the Nile Delta, first covering the territory on the west before continuing with the higher numbers to the east. Thus,Alexandria was in the Third Nome;Bubastis was in the Eighteenth.
Upper Egypt was divided into 22 nomes. The first of these was centered onElephantine close to Egypt's border withNubia at theFirst Cataract – the area of modern-dayAswan. From there the numbering progressed downriver in an orderly fashion along the narrow fertile strip of land that was the Nile valley. Waset (ancientThebes or contemporaryLuxor) was in the Fourth Nome,Amarna in the Fourteenth, andMeidum in the Twenty-first.
Some nomes were added or renamed during the Graeco-Roman occupation of Egypt.[7] For example, the Ptolemies renamed theCrocodilopolitan nome to Arsinoe.Hadrian created a new nome, Antinoopolites, for whichAntinoöpolis was the capital.
The nomes survived intoRoman times. Under Roman rule, individual nomes minted their own coinage, the so-called "nome coins", which still reflect individual local associations and traditions. The nomes of Egypt retained their primary importance as administrative units until the fundamental rearrangement of the bureaucracy during the reigns ofDiocletian andConstantine the Great.
From AD 307/8, their place was taken by smaller units calledpagi. Eventually powerful local officials arose who were called pagarchs, through whom all patronage flowed. The pagarch's essential role was as an organizer of tax-collection. Later the pagarch assumed some military functions as well. The pagarchs were often wealthy landowners who reigned over thepagi from which they originated.
For most of the history, each nome was headed by anomarch. The position of the nomarch was at times hereditary, while at others they were appointed by thepharaoh. Generally, when the national government was stronger, nomarchs were the king's appointed governors. When the central government was weaker, however—such as during foreign invasions or civil wars—individual nomes would assert themselves and establish hereditary lines of succession.[4] Conflicts among these different hereditary nomarchies were common, most notably during theFirst Intermediate Period, a time that saw a breakdown in central authority lasting from the 7th–11th Dynasties which ended when one of the local rulers became strong enough to again assert control over the entire country as pharaoh.
The nomes (Ancient Egyptian:spꜣtsepat,Coptic:ⲡⲑⲱϣ) are listed in separate tables for "Isti" - "the two Egypts" (Upper andLower Egypt).
Note:
| Number | Nome Standard (Symbol on top of head of man or woman) | Ancient Egyptian Nome Name | Ancient Greek and Coptic Nome Name | Capital | Modern name of capital site | God | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image | Unicode | Transliteration | Translation | Greek | Coptic | ||||
| 1 |  | 𓈠 | jnb-ḥḏ | White Walls | Μεμφίτης Memphites | ⲙⲛⲫⲉ/ ⲉⲕⲉⲡϯⲁ | jnb-ḥḏ Ineb-Ḥedj (𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖 mn-nfr Mennefer) (Memphis) | Mit Rahina | Ptah |
| 2 |  | 𓈡 | ḫpš Khepesh | Cow's thigh | Λητοπολίτης Letopolites | ⲃⲟⲩϣⲏⲙ | 𓐍𓋉𓅓𓊖 ḫm Khem [Sekhem/ Iry] (Letopolis) | Ausim | Horus |
| 3 |  | 𓈢 | jmntt Imentet/Amentet | West | Γυναικοπολίτης Gynaikopolites | I-am/ Imu (Apis) | Kom El Hisn | Hathor | |
| 4 |  | 𓈣 | nt-rsj/nt-rsw Nit Resy/Nit Resu | Southern Neith | Προσωπίτης Prosopites | ⲡϣⲁϯ | Niciu | Zawyet el-Razin | |
| 4 (21) | | 𓈣 | nt-rsj/rsw Nit Resy/Resu | Southern Neith | Φθεμφουθ Phthemphouth | Ptkheka | Tanta | Sobek,Isis,Amun | |
| 5 |   | 𓈤/𓈥 | nt-mḥtt Nit Meḥtet | Northern Neith | Σαίτης Saites | ⲥⲁⲓ | 𓊃𓅭𓄿𓅱𓊖 zꜣw Sau/ Zau (Sais) | Sa El Hagar | Neith |
| 6 |  | 𓈦 | ḫꜣsww | Mountain bull | Ξοίτης Xoites | ⲥϧⲱⲟⲩ | 𓆼𓋴𓅱𓅱𓏏𓊖 ḫꜣsww Khasu (Xois) | Sakha | Amun-Ra |
| 7 |  | 𓈧 | ḥww-(gs)-jmnty Huu-(ges)-Imenti | West harpoon | Μενελαίτης Menelaites | 𓂧𓏇𓇌𓊖𓏌𓅃𓏤 (Hermopolis Parva, Metelis) | Damanhur | Hu | |
| 8 |  | 𓈨 | ḥww-(gs)-jꜣbty | East harpoon | Ἡροοπολίτης Heroopolites | Thek/ Tjeku / Iset-Tem 𓉐𓏤𓏏𓍃𓅓𓏏𓊖 pr-jtmw Per-Atum/ Ān (Heroonpolis,Pithom) | Tell al-Maskhuta | Atum | |
| 9 |  | 𓈩 | ꜥnḏty Andjety | Andjety | Βουσιρίτης Bousirites | ⲡⲁⲛⲁⲩ | 𓉐𓏤𓊨𓁹𓎟𓊽𓂧𓅱𓊖 ḏdw Djedu (Busiris) | Abu Sir Bara | Osiris |
| 10 |  | 𓈪 | km-wr/kꜣ-km Kem-Wer/Ka-kem | Black bull | Ἀθριβίτης Athribites | ⲁⲑⲣⲏⲃⲓ | 𓉗𓏏𓉐𓇾𓁷𓄣𓊖 Hut-hery-ib (Athribis) | Banha (Tell Atrib) | Horus |
| 11 |  | 𓈫 | (kꜣ)-ḥsb (Ka)-Heseb | Heseb bull | Λεοντοπολίτης Leontopolites | ⲛⲁⲑⲱ | Taremu/ Ikhenu (Leontopolis) | Tell el-Muqdam | Isis |
| 12 |  | 𓈬 | ṯb-kꜣ/ṯb-nṯr Tjeb-Ka/Tjeb-Netjer | Calf and Cow | Σεβεννύτης Sebennytes | ϫⲉⲙⲛⲟⲩϯ | 𓊹𓍿𓃀𓊖 ṯb-nṯr (Tjeb netjer) (Sebennytos) | Samanud | Anhur |
| 13 |  | 𓈭 | ḥqꜣ-ꜥḏ | Prospering Sceptre | Ἡλιοπολίτης Heliopolites | ⲱⲛ | jwnw (Iunu)/ In-meḥ/ Iset-Tem/ Igert, Igertet, Iqert, Iugertet (Heliopolis) | Materiya (suburb ofCairo) | Ra |
| 14 |  | 𓈮 | ḫnty-jꜣbty Khenti-Iabti | Foremost of the East | Σεθρωίτης Sethroites | Tjaru/ Dj'anet (Sile,Tanis) | Tell Abu Sefa | Horus | |
| 15 |  | 𓈯 | ḏḥwty Djeḥuti | Thoth | Μενδήσιος Mendesios | ⲛⲓⲙⲉϣϣⲱⲧ | Ba'h / Weprehwy (Hermopolis Parva) | Baqliya | Thoth |
| 16 |  | 𓈰 | ḥꜣt-mḥyt | Fish/ Foremost of the Fish | Μενδήσιος Mendesios | ⲛⲓⲙⲉϣϣⲱⲧ | Djedet/ Ā'atjaba (Mendes) | Tell El Rubˁ | Banebdjedet andHatmehyt |
| 17 |   | 𓈱/𓈲 | bḥdt/smꜣ-bḥdt Behdet/Sema-Behdet | Throne/ Uniting the throne? | Διοπολίτης Κάτω Diospolites Kato | ⲡⲟⲩⲛⲉⲙⲟⲩ | Sema-behdet (Diospolis Inferior) | Tel El Balamun | Amun-Ra |
| 18 |  | 𓈳 | jmty-ḫnty Imty Khenti | Southern Prince | Βουβαστίτης Boubastites | ⲡⲟⲩⲃⲁⲥϯ | Per-Bastet (Bubastis) | Tell Bastah (nearZagazig) | Bastet |
| 19 |  | 𓈴 | jmty-pḥw Imty Pehu | Northern Prince | Τανίτης Tanites | ϫⲁⲛⲏ | Dja'net (Leontopolis Tanis) | Tell NebeshaorSan El Hagar | Wadjet |
| 20 |  | 𓈵 | spdw Sopdu | Sopdu | Ἀραβία Arabia | ϯⲁⲣⲁⲃⲓⲁ | Per-Sopdu | Saft El Hinna | Sopdet |
| Number | Nome Standard (Symbol on top of head of man or woman) | Ancient Egyptian Nome Name | Capital | Modern Capital | God | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image | Unicode | Transliteration | Translation | ||||
| 1 |  | 𓈶 | tꜣ-sty | Land of the bow | 𓍋𓃀𓃰𓅱𓎶𓈊 Abu / Yeb [Yb] (Elephantine) | Sunnu/ Irp-Ḥesp (Aswan) | Khnum |
| 2 |  | 𓈷 | wṯs-ḥrw | Throne ofHorus | 𓌥𓃀𓊖 Djeba (Apollonopolis Magna) | Behdet/Wetjes-Hor (Edfu) | Horus-Behdety |
| 3 |  | 𓈸 | nḫn | Shrine | Nekhen (Hierakonpolis) | Elkab | Nekhebet |
| 4 |  | 𓈹 | wꜣst Waset | Sceptre | Waset (Thebes) | Luxor | Amun-Ra |
| 5 |  | 𓈺 | bjkwy/nṯrwy/ḥrwy Bikuy/Netjerui/Herui | Two falcons/Two gods/Two Horuses | 𓎤𓃀𓅂𓊖 Gebtu/ Iter-Shemā (Coptos) | Qift | Min |
| 6 |   | 𓈻 | jqr/msḥ Iqer/Meseh | The crocodile | Iunet (Tantere/Tentyra/Dendera) | Tantere/Tentyra/Dendera | Hathor |
| 7 |  | 𓈼 | bꜣt/sšš Bat/Seshesh | Bat/Sistrum | Seshesh/ Pa-Khen-Iment/ Uas-Meḥ (Diospolis Parva) | Hu | Hathor |
| 8 |  | 𓈽 | tꜣ-wr | Great land | Thinis | Anhur | |
| 9 |  | 𓈾 | mnw Min | Min | Ip/ Ipi/ Ipu/ Apu/ [later: Khen-Min, perhaps another name for "Khemenu"]/ Ārty-Ḥeru (Panopolis) | Akhmim | Min |
| 10 |   | 𓈿/𓉀 | wꜣḏyt | Wadjet | Djew-qa /Tjebu (Antaeopolis) | Qaw El Kebir | Hathor |
| 11 |   | 𓉁/𓉂 | šꜣ Sha | Set-animal | Shashotep (Hypselis) | Shutb | Khnum |
| 12 |  | 𓉃 | ḏw-ft Dju-fet | Viper mountain | Pr nmty (Hieracon) | al Atawla | Horus |
| 13 |  | 𓉄 | ꜣtf ḫntt/nḏft-ḫntt Atef Khentet/ Nedjefet Khentet | Southern ꜣtf/nḏft-Tree | Zawty (z3wj-tj,Lycopolis) | Asyut | Apuat |
| 14 |  | 𓉅 | ꜣtf-pḥt/nḏft-pḥt Atef Peht/Nedjfet Peht | Northern ꜣtf/nḏft-Tree | Qesy (Cusae) | El Qusiya | Hathor |
| 15 |  | 𓉆 | wnt | Hare | Khemenu (Hermopolis Magna) | El Ashmounein | Thoth |
| 16 |  | 𓉇 | mꜣ-ḥḏ | Oryx | Herwer? | Hur? | Horus |
| 17 |  | 𓉈 | jnpw(t) Anpu/Anput | Anubis/Anput | Saka (Cynopolis) | El Qais | Anubis |
| 18 |  | 𓉉/𓉊 | nmty Nemty | Nemty | Teudjoi / Hutnesut (Alabastronopolis) | El Hiba | Anubis |
| 19 |  | 𓉋 | wꜣbwy Wabwi/Wabui | Two scepters? | Per-Medjed/ Per-Mādjet/ Uabu-t (Oxyrhynchus) | El Bahnasa | Set |
| 20 |  | 𓉌 | nꜥrt-ḫntt Nart Khentet | Southern nꜥrt-tree | Henen-nesut (Herakleopolis Magna) | Ihnasiya | Heryshaf |
| 21 |  | 𓉍 | nꜥrt-pḥt Nart Peht | Northern nꜥrt-tree | Shenakhen / Semenuhor/ Ium'ā (Crocodilopolis, Arsinoe) | Faiyum | Khnemu |
| 22 |  | 𓉎/𓉏 | mdnjt Mednit/Medenit | Knife | 𓁶𓏤𓃒𓏪𓊖 Tepihu (Aphroditopolis) | Atfih | Hathor |
