SESOS1RIS, the Greek name of a celebrated Egyptian monarch, who is supposed to have conquered all Asia and Ethiopia. His name has passed into the series of those eon• querors who have almost achieved universal empire. According to the Greek legendary history, when Sesostris mounted the throne of Egypt, he began his scheme of conquest. first dividing Egypt itself into 36 mimes, placing his brother as regent, and laying on him injunctious not to assume the diadem, or interfere with the royal harem. Sesostris then marched at the head of a large army, and invaded Libya, Arabia, Asia, penetrating further e. than Darius. Advancing through Asia Minor, he invaded Europe, and sub dued Thrace and Scythia, leaving a colony at Colehis on his return. In the s. he sub dued Ethiopia, and placing a fleet ou the Hod sea, conquered the adjacent isles, and extended his dominions to ludia itself. On his.return to Egypt from his northern cam paigns, his brother, who had disobeyed his iustructions. endeavored to destroy him by inviting him to a banquet at Daphnrn, and treacherously attempting to burn him and his whole family by firing the house. Sesostris threw two of his children into the tire, and making a bridge of their burning bodies, escaped. Sesostris, in his triumphs, dragged his captives attached to the wheels of his chariot. The captives were employed on the public works, the enlargement of the llepluesteum at Memphis (q.v.), and other temples, and in the construction of canals and mounds. Memorials of his reign, it was said, were left as steles or tablets in the conquered countries: and lierudotus saw some in Palestine, which are supposed to be the tablets of Harnesses II. (see HauEssEs), still exist
ing in the pass of Nahr-el-Kelb, or the Lycus, and the sculptured rock at Nymphi, near Smyrna. Sesostris is said to have grown infirm and blind after a reign of 33 years, and to have ended his days by his own hand.
Not only does the greatest confusion and difficulty about identifying this monarch exist among modern, but also in the classical authors. llerodotus places his reign long before that of Cheops of the 4th dynasty. Diemearchus makes him rule 3712 B.C., and is followed by Aristotle and other authors. Bunsen supposes that there were mom than one monarch of this name, and that one was Tosorthos, of the 3d dynasty; another, Sesortesen II., of the 12th dynasty. Lepsius conjectures that he is the Sethos I. and Harn esses II. of the 19th dynasty. But the exploits of Sesostris seem to be a conglomeration of the conquests of the kings of the 18th and 19th dynasties, especially the Thothmcs and Harnesses (q.v.), who extended the empire of Egypt far to the w. and east. No one monarch of the Egyptian monarchy can represent Sesostris. flerodotus, ii, c. 102; Dio dorus, i. c. 55-57; Val. F1accus, v. 419; St•abo, xvi.; Wilkinson, Mann. and Cast. i. 99-106; ii. 70; iii. 190; Lepsius, kit. a. 2;8; .Bunsen, Aegyptens Stelle, book ii. 83, 86, 312-324.