A nome (;Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition. Merriam-Webster, 2007. p. 841 from , nomós, "district") was a territorial division in ancient Egypt.
Each nome was ruled by a nomarch (, "Great Chief"). The number of nomes changed through the various periods of the history of ancient Egypt.
Etymology The term nome comes from Ancient Greek νομός nomós meaning "pasture" extended to "dwelling" and "district"; the Ancient Egyptian term was ( /sɛpɑt/). Today's use of the Ancient Greek rather than the Ancient Egyptian term came about during the Ptolemaic period, when the use of Greek was widespread in Egypt. The availability of Greek records on Egypt influenced the adoption of Greek terms by later historians.
History Dynastic Egypt
The division of ancient Egypt into nomes can be traced back to the Early Dynastic period, before the Third Dynasty. One of the earliest direct attestations 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 king Nynetjer. Another attestation dates to the slightly later reign of Seth-Peribsen. The nome system may have originated earlier still, being coeval with the unification of Egypt as such a regional administration 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, like Xois in the Nile Delta or Khent in Upper Egypt, were first mentioned on the Palermo Stone, which was inscribed in the Fifth Dynasty. The names of a few, like the nome of Bubastis, appeared no earlier than the New Kingdom. Under the system that prevailed for most of pharaonic Egypt's history, the country was divided into 42 nomes.
Lower Egypt nomes
Lower Egypt (Egyptian: "Ā-meḥty"), from the Old Kingdom capital Memphis to the Mediterranean Sea, comprised 20 nomes. The first was based around Memphis, Saqqara, and Giza, in the area occupied by modern-day Cairo. 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 nomes Upper Egypt was divided into 22 nomes. The first of these was centered on Elephantine close to Egypt's border with Nubia at the First Cataract – the area of modern-day Aswan. From there the numbering progressed downriver in an orderly fashion along the narrow fertile strip of land that was the Nile valley. Waset (ancient Thebes or contemporary Luxor) was in the Fourth Nome, Amarna in the Fourteenth, and Meidum in the Twenty-first.
Ptolemaic Egypt
Some nomes were added or renamed during the Graeco-Roman era of Egypt. For example, the Ptolemies renamed the Crocodilopolitan nome to Arsinoe. Roman Egypt
The nomes survived into Roman 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 of Diocletian and Constantine the Great. Additionally, Hadrian created a new nome, Antinoopolites, for which Antinoöpolis was the capital.
From AD 307/8, their place was taken by smaller units called pagi. 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 the pagi from which they originated.
Nomarch
For most of the history, each nome was headed by a nomarch. The position of the nomarch was at times hereditary, while at others they were appointed by the pharaoh. 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. Conflicts among these different hereditary nomarchies were common, most notably during the First 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.
List of nomes The nomes ( , ) are listed in separate tables for "Isti" - "the two Egypts" (Upper and Lower Egypt).
Note:
older or other variants of the name in square brackets '[ ]'; names vary from different time or era, or even titles, most epithets, honorific titles with a slash '/'; Greek-Egypto derived names from the original Egyptian in parentheses '()'
Lower Egypt NumberNome Standard (Symbol on top of head of man or woman)Ancient Egyptian Nome NameAncient Greek and Coptic Nome Name Capital Modern name of capital site GodImageUnicodeTransliterationTranslationGreekCoptic 1𓈠 jnb-ḥḏ Inebu-hedj White Walls Μεμφίτης Memphitesⲙⲛⲫⲉ/ ⲉⲕⲉⲡϯⲁ jnb-ḥḏ Ineb-Ḥedj ( 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖 mn-nfr Mennefer) (Memphis) Mit Rahina Ptah 2𓈡 ḫpš Khepesh Cow's thighΛητοπολίτης Letopolitesⲃⲟⲩϣⲏⲙ𓐍𓋉𓅓𓊖 ḫm Khem [Sekhem/ Iry] (Letopolis) Ausim Horus 3𓈢 jmntt Imentet/Amentet West Γυναικοπολίτης Gynaikopolites I-am/ Imu (Apis) Kom El Hisn Hathor 4𓈣 nt-rsj/nt-rsw Nit Resy/Nit ResuSouthern NeithΠροσωπίτης Prosopitesⲡϣⲁϯ Niciu Zawyet el-Razin4 (21)𓈣 nt-rsj/rsw Nit Resy/ResuSouthern Neith Φθεμφουθ PhthemphouthPtkhekaTantaSobek, Isis, Amun 5𓈤/𓈥 nt-mḥtt Nit Meḥtet Northern Neith Σαίτης Saitesⲥⲁⲓ𓊃𓅭𓄿𓅱𓊖 zꜣw Sau/ Zau (Sais) Sa El Hagar Neith 6𓈦 ḫꜣsww Khasuu Mountain bull Ξοίτης Xoitesⲥϧⲱⲟⲩ𓆼𓋴𓅱𓅱𓏏𓊖 ḫꜣsww Khasu (Xois) Sakha Amun-Ra 7𓈧ḥww-(gs)-jmnty Huu-(ges)-Imenti West harpoon Μενελαίτης Menelaites 𓂧𓏇𓇌𓊖𓏌𓅃𓏤 (Hermopolis Parva, Metelis) Damanhur Hu 8𓈨 ḥww-(gs)-jꜣbty Huu-(ges)-Iabty East harpoon Ἡροοπολίτης Heroopolites Thek/ Tjeku / Iset-Tem 𓉐𓏤𓏏𓍃𓅓𓏏𓊖 pr-jtmw Per-Atum/ Ān (Heroonpolis, Pithom) Tell al-Maskhuta Atum 9𓈩 ꜥnḏty AndjetyAndjety Βουσιρίτης Bousiritesⲡⲁⲛⲁⲩ𓉐𓏤𓊨𓁹𓎟𓊽𓂧𓅱𓊖 ḏdw Djedu (Busiris) Abu Sir Bara Osiris 10𓈪 km-wr/kꜣ-km Kem-Wer/Ka-kem Black bullἈθριβίτης Athribitesⲁⲑⲣⲏⲃⲓ𓉗𓏏𓉐𓇾𓁷𓄣𓊖 Hut-hery-ib (Athribis) Banha (Tell Atrib) Horus 11𓈫 (kꜣ)-ḥsb (Ka)-Heseb Heseb bull Λεοντοπολίτης Leontopolites ⲛⲁⲑⲱ Taremu/ Ikhenu (Leontopolis) Tell el-Muqdam Isis 12𓈬 ṯb-kꜣ/ṯb-nṯr Tjeb-Ka/Tjeb-Netjer Calf and Cow Σεβεννύτης Sebennytesϫⲉⲙⲛⲟⲩϯ𓊹𓍿𓃀𓊖 ṯb-nṯr (Tjeb netjer) (Sebennytos) Samanud Anhur 13𓈭 ḥqꜣ-ꜥḏ Heka-Adj Prospering Sceptre Ἡλιοπολίτης Heliopolitesⲱⲛ jwnw (Iunu)/ In-meḥ/ Iset-Tem/ Igert, Igertet, Iqert, Iugertet (Heliopolis) Materiya (suburb of Cairo) Ra 14𓈮 ḫnty-jꜣbty Khenti-IabtiForemost of the East Σεθρωίτης Sethroites Tjaru/ Dj'anet (Sile, Tanis) Tell Abu Sefa Horus 15𓈯ḏḥwty Djeḥuti ThothΜενδήσιος Mendesiosⲛⲓⲙⲉϣϣⲱⲧ Ba'h / Weprehwy (Hermopolis Parva) BaqliyaThoth 16𓈰 ḥꜣt-mḥyt Hatmehyt Fish/ Foremost of the Fish Μενδήσιος Mendesiosⲛⲓⲙⲉϣϣⲱⲧ Djedet/ Ā'atjaba (Mendes) Tell El Rubˁ Banebdjedet and Hatmehyt 17𓈱/𓈲 bḥdt/smꜣ-bḥdt Behdet/Sema-Behdet Throne/ Uniting the throne?Διοπολίτης Κάτω Diospolites Katoⲡⲟⲩⲛⲉⲙⲟⲩ Sema-behdet (Diospolis Inferior) Tel El Balamun Amun-Ra 18𓈳 jmty-ḫnty Imty Khenti Southern Prince Βουβαστίτης Boubastitesⲡⲟⲩⲃⲁⲥϯ Per-Bastet (Bubastis) Tell Bastah (near Zagazig) Bastet 19𓈴jmty-pḥw Imty Pehu Northern PrinceΤανίτης Tanitesϫⲁⲛⲏ Dja'net (Leontopolis Tanis) Tell Nebesha or San El Hagar Wadjet 20𓈵spdw SopduSopdu Ἀραβία Arabiaϯⲁⲣⲁⲃⲓⲁ Per-Sopdu Saft El Hinna Sopdet
Upper Egypt NumberNome Standard (Symbol on top of head of man or woman)Ancient Egyptian Nome NameCapitalModern Capital GodImageUnicodeTransliterationTranslation 1𓈶tꜣ-sty Ta-Seti Land of the bow 𓍋𓃀𓃰𓅱𓎶𓈊 Abu / Yeb [Yb] (Elephantine) Sunnu/ Irp-Ḥesp (Aswan) Khnum 2𓈷wṯs-ḥrw Wetjes-Hor Throne of Horus𓌥𓃀𓊖 Djeba (Apollonopolis Magna) Behdet/Wetjes-Hor (Edfu) Horus-Behdety 3𓈸nḫn Nekhen Shrine Nekhen (Hierakonpolis) Elkab Nekhebet 4𓈹wꜣst Waset Sceptre Waset (Thebes) Luxor Amun-Ra 5𓈺bjkwy/nṯrwy/ḥrwy Bikuy/Netjerui/Herui Two falcons/Two gods/Two Horuses 𓎤𓃀𓅂𓊖 Gebtu/ Iter-Shemā (Coptos) Qift Min 6𓈻jqr/msḥ Iqer/Meseh The crocodile Iunet (Tantere/ Tentyra/ Dendera) Tantere/ Tentyra/ Dendera Hathor 7𓈼bꜣt/sšš Bat/Seshesh Bat/Sistrum Seshesh/ Pa-Khen-Iment/ Uas-Meḥ (Diospolis Parva) Hu Hathor 8𓈽tꜣ-wr Ta-wer Great land Thinis Anhur 9𓈾 mnw MinMin Ip/ Ipi/ Ipu/ Apu/ [later: Khen-Min, perhaps another name for "Khemenu"]/ Ārty-Ḥeru (Panopolis) Akhmim Min 10𓈿/𓉀wꜣḏyt WadjetWadjet Djew-qa / Tjebu (Antaeopolis) Qaw El Kebir Hathor 11𓉁/𓉂šꜣ ShaSet-animalShashotep (Hypselis) Shutb Khnum 12𓉃ḏw-ft Dju-fet Viper mountain Pr nmty (Hieracon) al Atawla Horus 13𓉄ꜣtf ḫntt/nḏft-ḫntt Atef Khentet/ Nedjefet KhentetSouthern ꜣtf/nḏft-Tree Zawty (z3wj-tj, Lycopolis) Asyut Apuat 14𓉅ꜣtf-pḥt/nḏft-pḥt Atef Peht/Nedjfet Peht Northern ꜣtf/nḏft-Tree Qesy (Cusae) El Qusiya Hathor 15𓉆wnt Wenet Hare Khemenu (Hermopolis Magna) El Ashmounein Thoth 16𓉇mꜣ-ḥḏ Ma-ḤedjOryx Herwer? Hur? Horus 17𓉈jnpw(t) Anpu/AnputAnubis/Anput Saka (Cynopolis) El Qais Anubis 18𓉉/𓉊nmty NemtyNemty Teudjoi / Hutnesut (Alabastronopolis) El Hiba Anubis 19𓉋wꜣbwy Wabwi/Wabui Two scepters?Per-Medjed/ Per-Mādjet/ Uabu-t (Oxyrhynchus) El Bahnasa Set 20𓉌nꜥrt-ḫntt Nart Khentet Southern nꜥrt-tree Henen-nesut (Herakleopolis Magna) Ihnasiya Heryshaf 21𓉍nꜥrt-pḥt Nart PehtNorthern nꜥrt-tree Shenakhen / Semenuhor/ Ium'ā (Crocodilopolis, Arsinoe) Faiyum Khnemu 22𓉎/𓉏mdnjt Mednit/MedenitKnife𓁶𓏤𓃒𓏪𓊖 Tepihu (Aphroditopolis) Atfih Hathor
References Citations
BIbliography . . Helck, Wolfgang (1974). Die altägyptischen Gaue [The Ancient Egyptian Nomes]. Tübinger Atlas des Vorderen Orients, Beihefte, vol. B 5. Wiesbaden: Ludwig Reichert, (with chapters on all known individual nomes).
External links
Details of the nomes