Claim profile
2000–1001 BC

The 2nd millennium BC

Whose working lives fell in the 2nd millennium BC. Books are measured from 1800 and readers from 2015, so for this period we can say who lived then, not who was talked about then.

Lived then

The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 2nd millennium BC, ranked where Wikipedia coverage and readership agree.

CountryAll🇪🇬 Egypt🇨🇳 China🇮🇱 Israel🇬🇧 United Kingdom
FieldAllHistorical FiguresPoliticiansReligious FiguresWritersModelsArtistsAcademicsArchitectsScientistsMusicians
  1. 1DavidDavid1039 BC–969 BC · Historical Figuresnot measured—
  2. 2TutankhamunTutankhamun1343 BC–1324 BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Models8 decades
  3. 3NefertitiNefertiti1370 BC–1330 BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt10 decades
  4. 4Ramesses IIRamesses II1303 BC–1213 BC · Politicians11 decades
  5. 5AkhenatenAkhenaten1400 BC–1336 BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt13 decades
  6. 6HatshepsutHatshepsut1507 BC–1458 BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Politicians13 decades
  7. 7HammurabiHammurabi1810 BC–1750 BC · Historical Figures15 decades
  8. 8GoliathGoliath1100 BC–1023 BC22 decades
  9. 9Thutmose IIIThutmose III1481 BC–1425 BC · Politicians12 decades
  10. 10Seti ISeti I1323 BC–1279 BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Politicians15 decades
  11. 11Amenhotep IIIAmenhotep III1400 BC–1351 BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Historical Figures15 decades
  12. 12IbrahimIbrahimborn 1813 BCnot measured—
  13. 13Ramesses IIIRamesses III1217 BC–1155 BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Historical Figures7 decades
  14. 14NefertariNefertari1290 BC–1255 BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Historical Figuresnot measured—
  15. 15Ramesses IRamesses I1300 BC–1290 BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Historical Figures0 decades
  16. 16Ahmose IAhmose I1560 BC–1525 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  17. 17MerneptahMerneptah1300 BC–1203 BC · Politicians13 decades
  18. 18HoremhebHoremheb1350 BC–1292 BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Politicians13 decades
  19. 19Thutmose IThutmose I1600 BC–1493 BC · Models4 decades
  20. 20Thutmose IIThutmose II1510 BC–1479 BC · Politicians2 decades
  21. 21AyAy1400 BC–1400 BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Historical Figuresnot measured—
  22. 22Amenhotep IAmenhotep I1527 BC–1506 BC · Religious Figures3 decades
  23. 23AnkhesenamunAnkhesenamun1348 BC–1322 BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt2 decades
  24. 24King Wu of ZhouKing Wu of Zhou1150 BC–1043 BC · 🇨🇳 China · Historical Figures2 decades
  25. 25TiyeTiye1398 BC–1338 BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Historical Figures5 decades
  26. 26Amenhotep IIAmenhotep II1401 BC–1401 BC · Historical Figures11 decades
  27. 27Thutmose IVThutmose IV1500 BC–1400 BC · Politicians3 decades
  28. 28Nebuchadnezzar INebuchadnezzar I1200 BC–1104 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  29. 29SmenkhkareSmenkhkare1400 BC–1334 BC · Politicians4 decades
  30. 30Senusret IIISenusret III1950 BC–1842 BC · Politicians0 decades
  31. 31Senusret ISenusret I2000 BC–1919 BC · Politicians0 decades
  32. 32MeritatenMeritaten1400 BC–1400 BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  33. 33Ramesses IVRamesses IV1200 BC–1156 BC · Politicians0 decades
  34. 34SobekneferuSobekneferu1900 BC–1793 BC · Politicians0 decades
  35. 35TwosretTwosret1201 BC–1189 BC · Politicians0 decades
  36. 36Amenemhat IIIAmenemhat III1900 BC–1806 BC · Politicians6 decades
  37. 37KamoseKamose1600 BC–1549 BC · Politicians6 decades
  38. 38Amenemhat IAmenemhat Idied 1965 BC · Politicians0 decades
  39. 39IsmailIsmail1800 BC–1800 BC · 🇮🇱 Israelnot measured—
  40. 40Seti IISeti II1300 BC–1194 BC · Politicians4 decades
  41. 41Ramesses VIRamesses VI1175 BC–1136 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  42. 42Ramesses XIRamesses XI1200 BC–1077 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  43. 43Seqenenre TaoSeqenenre Tao1590 BC–1554 BC · Politicians0 decades
  44. 44SetnakhteSetnakhte1300 BC–1186 BC · Politicians0 decades
  45. 45Šuppiluliuma IŠuppiluliuma I1375 BC–1335 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  46. 46Psusennes IPsusennes I1100 BC–1001 BC · Politicians0 decades
  47. 47Ramesses VRamesses V1200 BC–1145 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  48. 48SiptahSiptah1300 BC–1191 BC · Politicians4 decades
  49. 49Senusret IISenusret II2000 BC–1900 BC · Politicians0 decades
  50. 50Amenemhat IIAmenemhat II2000 BC–1885 BC · Politicians0 decades
  51. 51Ahmose-NefertariAhmose-Nefertari1562 BC–1495 BC0 decades
  52. 52Ramesses VIIIRamesses VIII1200 BC–1129 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  53. 53Ramesses IXRamesses IX1150 BC–1111 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  54. 54SmendesSmendes1200 BC–1052 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  55. 55Tiglath-Pileser ITiglath-Pileser I1200 BC–1076 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  56. 56Ḫattušili IIIḪattušili III1300 BC–1300 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  57. 57Ahhotep IAhhotep I1560 BC–1530 BC · Politicians0 decades
  58. 58Ramesses VIIRamesses VII1150 BC–1129 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  59. 59SenenmutSenenmut1600 BC–1463 BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Architects3 decades
  60. 60AmenmesseAmenmesse1250 BC–1200 BC · Politicians0 decades
  61. 61ApepiApepi1600 BC–1540 BC · Politicians7 decades
  62. 62Muwatalli IIMuwatalli II1300 BC–1300 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  63. 63WegafWegaf1800 BC–1800 BC · Politicians0 decades
  64. 64King Zhou of ShangKing Zhou of Shang1105 BC–1046 BC · 🇨🇳 China · Politicians0 decades
  65. 65MIMursili II1400 BC–1300 BC · Models0 decades
  66. 66Ramesses XRamesses X1150 BC–1107 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  67. 67NeferneferuatenNeferneferuaten1400 BC–1400 BC · Historical Figuresnot measured—
  68. 68KiyaKiya1400 BC–1400 BC · Historical Figuresnot measured—
  69. 69Amenhotep, son of HapuAmenhotep, son of Hapu1420 BC–1400 BC · Architectsnot measured—
  70. 70Tukulti-Ninurta ITukulti-Ninurta I1300 BC–1300 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  71. 71Shalmaneser IShalmaneser I1400 BC–1300 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  72. 72Shamshi-Adad IShamshi-Adad I1860 BC–1776 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  73. 73Zimri–limZimri–lim1800 BC–1761 BCnot measured—
  74. 74MeketatenMeketaten1348 BC–1338 BC · Politicians0 decades
  75. 75Wu DingWu Ding1300 BC–1192 BC0 decades
  76. 76MIMursili I1700 BC–1590 BC0 decades
  77. 77Amenemhat IVAmenemhat IV1900 BC–1790 BC · Politicians0 decades
  78. 78Senakhtenre AhmoseSenakhtenre Ahmose1600 BC–1600 BC · Foundersnot measured—
  79. 79SiamunSiamun1050 BC–959 BC0 decades
  80. 80Psusennes IIPsusennes II1100 BC–945 BC · Politicians0 decades
  81. 81Suppiluliuma IISuppiluliuma II1300 BC–1200 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  82. 82Samsu-ilunaSamsu-iluna1792 BC–1712 BC · Historical Figures2 decades
  83. 83Fu HaoFu Hao1300 BC–1200 BC · Historical Figures2 decades
  84. 84TetisheriTetisheri1600 BC–1540 BC · Politicians0 decades
  85. 85TangTang1675 BC–1587 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  86. 86TushrattaTushratta1500 BC–1340 BC · Historical Figures5 decades
  87. 87ViśvāmitraViśvāmitra2000 BC–2000 BC1 decades
  88. 88IsetnofretIsetnofretborn 1250 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  89. 89King Wen of ZhouKing Wen of Zhou1112 BC–1050 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  90. 90Ḫattušili IḪattušili I1700 BC–1620 BC · Historical Figuresnot measured—
  91. 91NeferureNeferure1500 BC–1500 BC · Politicians1 decades
  92. 92AhmoseAhmose1505 BC–1493 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  93. 93AmenemnisuAmenemnisu1100 BC–1047 BC · Politicians0 decades
  94. 94TuyaTuya1325 BC–1258 BC7 decades
  95. 95The Younger LadyThe Younger Lady1370 BC–1330 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  96. 96YuyaYuya1500 BC–1400 BC · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  97. 97Jiang ZiyaJiang Ziya1128 BC–1015 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  98. 98TjuyuTjuyu1400 BC–1370 BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt0 decades
  99. 99VasishthaVasishtha2000 BC–2000 BC · Scientists20 decades
  100. 100Ashur-uballit IAshur-uballit I1400 BC–1318 BC · Historical Figures0 decades

How this is measured

  • Placing people in time. Each person belongs to the century in which they were most active — around age 35, and never after their death.
  • Who ranks highest. Within a century, people are ranked where two independent signals agree: how many of the world’s Wikipedia language editions cover them, and how many people actually read about them. Article counts alone can be lifted by a person’s own circle; readers cannot.
  • Fame in print. The curves count how often a name appears in Google Books from 1800 to 2019, as a share of all the words printed each year, in the person’s own language wherever that corpus exists. Those decades are over, so each measurement is made once and kept.
  • What is left out. A lifetime is measured only from 1820, when there is enough print to judge; the five years after a death are skipped as obituaries; and a name shared with someone equally notable is credited to neither.