Decree of Canopus

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The Decree of Canopus (Stone of Canopus) is the memorial stone inscribed by the Pharaoh Ptolemy III Euergetes, in 239 B.C.E.

This is the earliest of the series of bilingual inscriptions of the "Rosetta Stone Series", the next being the Decree of Memphis (Ptolemy IV), for Ptolemy IV, and the third, final stone, being the Rosetta Stone, inscribed for Ptolemy V, in 196 B.C.E.

Having a greater representation of hieroglyphics than the Rossetta Stone, the Canopus Stone has proved crucial in deciphering them. The stone also shows examples of famine relief, military campaigns, Egyptian religion and governmental organization in Ptolemaic Egypt. Furthermore, the stone describes the most accurate ancient calendar known to the modern world, one with 365 1/4 days per year. Every fourth year, the "Opening of the Year" ceremonies would include an additional sixth-(6th). (The three-season, 120 day seasons required a yearly 5-day festival to be adde to the 360 day year.)

See Ptolemy III, and a discussion under Intercalation (first mention of leap year on the Stone of Canopus) .

See Ptolemy IV, and the Decree of Memphis (Ptolemy IV), for Stone #2.

[edit] See also

• Ptolemaic Decrees
• Canopus, Egypt
• Rosetta Stone, for the ( 6 ) stelae in the 3-Stone Series, for the 3-Decree Series. (Includes some stone/Script specifics, and type of Rock used. )
• Season of the Inundation, Emergence, Harvest

[edit] External link

• Full translation (about 1800 words)(25 paragraphs):The Canopus Decree

[edit] References

• Budge. The Rosetta Stone, E.A.Wallace Budge, (Dover Publications), c 1929, Dover edition(unabridged), 1989.