Ancient Egypt: Apopis
Egypt's History
Robert Guisepi, 1984
The Valley of the Nile
Apopis was the last great Hyksos king of Egypt (reigned c. 1585-1542 BC). Initially, he controlled most of Egypt but was gradually driven back northward to the vicinity of his capital in the Nile River delta due to successive attacks from the Theban pharaohs.
Apopis is attested in Upper Egypt by stone fragments from Al-Gabalayn, where his name is surrounded by the sun disks of the solar god, Re. A story concerning Apopis and the Theban king Seqenenre reveals that the Thebans were vassals of the Hyksos ruler. For some time, Egyptians and Hyksos peacefully coexisted, with the Thebans grazing their cattle in the Nile delta, which was ruled by the Hyksos.
However, a quarrel arose between Apopis and Seqenenre, possibly leading to war. The Theban king’s mummy displays terrible head wounds, which may be evidence of the conflict. Seqenenre's successor, Kamose, declared a Middle Egyptian town as his northern frontier and continued the war, as evidenced by two monuments from Thebes. Kamose’s forces drove the Hyksos northward to the vicinity of Memphis (near Cairo), and a Theban fleet sailed by Avaris, Apopis' delta capital.
In response, Apopis sought help from his ally to the south, the Cushite prince, to attack the Thebans in their rear. However, his messenger was intercepted, and Kamose thwarted his plan. Shortly thereafter, before the final expulsion of the Hyksos, Apopis died. Contrary to later Egyptian propaganda, Apopis honored the sun god Re and had many collaborators in Middle and Lower Egypt.
