Ancient site · Minya
Hermopolis
The ruins of ancient Khemenu near el-Ashmunein in Minya, the city of the eight gods, which flourished from pharaonic times through the Roman era.
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The story
Hermopolis was a major city of antiquity, close to the boundary between Lower and Upper Egypt. Its ancient Egyptian name, Khemenu, comes from the eight gods said to dwell there. It served as a provincial capital from the Old Kingdom, grew into an important Roman-era city and became an early Christian centre from the third century. It was abandoned after the Muslim conquest, and its remains lie near the village of el-Ashmunein in the Mallawi district.
Good to know
- The ancient name Khemenu derives from the eight deities, the Ogdoad, associated with the city.
- The city was the main cult centre of the god Thoth, whom the Greeks identified with Hermes, hence its Greek name, the City of Hermes.