Menes is one of the archaic Egyptian kings bearing the name Scorpion. Some sources say he was the son of Narmer while others say he was Narmer. There is no tangible proof either way. Menes was the founding king of the 1st Dynasty, and was considered to be the first king to unify Upper and Lower Egypt into one kingdom. Whether unification was achieved by military or peaceful means is uncertain, though many suspect it was by war and administrative measures.
Menes founded the city of Memphis, near modern day Cairo. He chose as its location an island in the Nile, so that it would be easy to defend. He was also the founder of Crocodopolis where he and built the first temple to the god Ptah. During his time, the Egyptian army performed raids against the Nubians in the south and expanded his sphere of influence as far as the First Cataract. He sent ambassadors to Canaan and Byblos in Phoenicia to establish peaceful commercial trade links.
According to Manetho, Menes was killed by a hippopotamus or by crocodiles after a 62 year reign. His was buried at Saqqara, the necropolis of Memphis. Excavations at Saqqara, the cemetery for Memphis, have revealed that the earliest royal tomb located there belongs to the reign of Menes. His wife Neithotep became regent until his son Djer, was old enough to reign.
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