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. 1Ramesses IIRamesses II1303 BC–1213 BC · Politicians11 decades
  2. 2HatshepsutHatshepsut1507 BC–1458 BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Politicians13 decades
  3. 3Thutmose IIIThutmose III1481 BC–1425 BC · Politicians12 decades
  4. 4Seti ISeti I1323 BC–1279 BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Politicians15 decades
  5. 5MerneptahMerneptah1300 BC–1203 BC · Politicians13 decades
  6. 6HoremhebHoremheb1350 BC–1292 BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Politicians13 decades
  7. 7Thutmose IIThutmose II1510 BC–1479 BC · Politicians2 decades
  8. 8Thutmose IVThutmose IV1500 BC–1400 BC · Politicians3 decades
  9. 9SmenkhkareSmenkhkare1400 BC–1334 BC · Politicians4 decades
  10. 10Senusret IIISenusret III1950 BC–1842 BC · Politicians0 decades
  11. 11Senusret ISenusret I2000 BC–1919 BC · Politicians0 decades
  12. 12Ramesses IVRamesses IV1200 BC–1156 BC · Politicians0 decades
  13. 13SobekneferuSobekneferu1900 BC–1793 BC · Politicians0 decades
  14. 14TwosretTwosret1201 BC–1189 BC · Politicians0 decades
  15. 15Amenemhat IIIAmenemhat III1900 BC–1806 BC · Politicians6 decades
  16. 16KamoseKamose1600 BC–1549 BC · Politicians6 decades
  17. 17Amenemhat IAmenemhat Idied 1965 BC · Politicians0 decades
  18. 18Seti IISeti II1300 BC–1194 BC · Politicians4 decades
  19. 19Seqenenre TaoSeqenenre Tao1590 BC–1554 BC · Politicians0 decades
  20. 20SetnakhteSetnakhte1300 BC–1186 BC · Politicians0 decades
  21. 21Psusennes IPsusennes I1100 BC–1001 BC · Politicians0 decades
  22. 22SiptahSiptah1300 BC–1191 BC · Politicians4 decades
  23. 23Senusret IISenusret II2000 BC–1900 BC · Politicians0 decades
  24. 24Amenemhat IIAmenemhat II2000 BC–1885 BC · Politicians0 decades
  25. 25SmendesSmendes1200 BC–1052 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  26. 26Ahhotep IAhhotep I1560 BC–1530 BC · Politicians0 decades
  27. 27AmenmesseAmenmesse1250 BC–1200 BC · Politicians0 decades
  28. 28ApepiApepi1600 BC–1540 BC · Politicians7 decades
  29. 29WegafWegaf1800 BC–1800 BC · Politicians0 decades
  30. 30King Zhou of ShangKing Zhou of Shang1105 BC–1046 BC · 🇨🇳 China · Politicians0 decades
  31. 31MeketatenMeketaten1348 BC–1338 BC · Politicians0 decades
  32. 32Amenemhat IVAmenemhat IV1900 BC–1790 BC · Politicians0 decades
  33. 33Psusennes IIPsusennes II1100 BC–945 BC · Politicians0 decades
  34. 34TetisheriTetisheri1600 BC–1540 BC · Politicians0 decades
  35. 35TangTang1675 BC–1587 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  36. 36IsetnofretIsetnofretborn 1250 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  37. 37NeferureNeferure1500 BC–1500 BC · Politicians1 decades
  38. 38AhmoseAhmose1505 BC–1493 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  39. 39AmenemnisuAmenemnisu1100 BC–1047 BC · Politicians0 decades
  40. 40Jiang ZiyaJiang Ziya1128 BC–1015 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  41. 41MutemwiyaMutemwiya1500 BC–1400 BC · Politicians0 decades
  42. 42KhyanKhyan1700 BC–1600 BC · Politicians0 decades
  43. 43BintanathBintanath1300 BC–1300 BC · Politicians0 decades
  44. 44Neferhotep INeferhotep I1800 BC–1730 BC · Politicians0 decades
  45. 45Nubkheperre IntefNubkheperre Intefborn 1560 BC · Politicians0 decades
  46. 46MeritamenMeritamen1400 BC–1300 BC · Politicians0 decades
  47. 47SitamunSitamun1370 BC–1300 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  48. 48Seneb KaySeneb Kay1700 BC–1700 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  49. 49Merytre-HatshepsutMerytre-Hatshepsut1500 BC–1425 BC · Politicians0 decades
  50. 50KhendjerKhendjer1800 BC–1800 BC · Politicians0 decades
  51. 51Sobekemsaf ISobekemsaf I1650 BC–1603 BC · Politicians0 decades
  52. 52RahotepRahotepborn 1650 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  53. 53SetepenreSetepenre1400 BC–1400 BC · Politicians1 decades
  54. 54Sekhemre-Wepmaat IntefSekhemre-Wepmaat Intef1600 BC–1600 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  55. 55Sekhemre-Heruhirmaat IntefSekhemre-Heruhirmaat Intef1600 BC–1600 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  56. 56Sobekhotep IIISobekhotep III1800 BC–1800 BC · Politicians0 decades
  57. 57MutnofretMutnofret1525 BC–1500 BC · Politicians1 decades
  58. 58MaathorneferureMaathorneferure1250 BC–1250 BC · Politicians0 decades
  59. 59TytiTytiborn 1150 BC · Politicians0 decades
  60. 60Ahmose-MeritamunAhmose-Meritamun1525 BC–1504 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  61. 61Sobekhotep ISobekhotep I1800 BC–1800 BC · Politicians0 decades
  62. 62SekhemkareSekhemkare1800 BC–1800 BC · Politicians0 decades
  63. 63NehesyNehesy1700 BC–1700 BC · Politicians0 decades
  64. 64TeyTey1400 BC–1400 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  65. 65Isetnofret IIIsetnofret IIborn 1250 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  66. 66Sobekhotep VSobekhotep V1700 BC–1700 BC · Politicians0 decades
  67. 67DjehutiDjehutiborn 1650 BC · Politicians0 decades
  68. 68Ameny QemauAmeny Qemau1700 BC–1700 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  69. 69NebettawyNebettawy1250 BC–1250 BC · Politicians0 decades
  70. 70SensenebSenseneb1600 BC–1500 BC · Politicians0 decades
  71. 71Iset Ta-HemdjertIset Ta-Hemdjert1300 BC–1200 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  72. 72ImyremeshawImyremeshaw1800 BC–1800 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  73. 73SatiahSatiahborn 1450 BC · Politicians1 decades
  74. 74Amenemhet VIAmenemhet VI1800 BC–1800 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  75. 75NINeferu III2000 BC–2000 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  76. 76AatAat1900 BC–1800 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  77. 77IIufni1800 BC–1800 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  78. 78SHSewadjkare Hori1687 BC–1646 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  79. 79Ahmose-HenuttamehuAhmose-Henuttamehu1574 BC–1500 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  80. 80NodjmetNodjmet1150 BC–1064 BC · Politicians0 decades
  81. 81Senusret IVSenusret IV2000 BC–2000 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  82. 82Chancellor BayChancellor Bay1300 BC–1200 BC · Politicians0 decades
  83. 83KZKing Zu Geng1300 BC–1184 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  84. 84SitdjehutiSitdjehuti1600 BC–1600 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  85. 85Neferhotep IIINeferhotep IIIborn 1600 BC · Politicians0 decades
  86. 86Merhotepre IniMerhotepre Iniborn 1650 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  87. 87TakhatTakhatborn 1250 BC · Politicians4 decades
  88. 88Yi YinYi Yin1648 BC–1549 BC · Politicians1 decades
  89. 89NNedjemibre1780 BC–1736 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  90. 90Sehetepkare IntefSehetepkare Intef1800 BC–1760 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  91. 91SSakir-Har1600 BC–1600 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  92. 92SSewadjkareborn 1750 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  93. 93Sobekhotep VIIISobekhotep VIII1700 BC–1700 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  94. 94SheshiSheshi1700 BC–1700 BC · Politicians0 decades
  95. 95Khenemetneferhedjet IKhenemetneferhedjet I1950 BC–1900 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  96. 96WWasashatta1201 BC–1201 BC · Politicians0 decades
  97. 97Duathathor-HenuttawyDuathathor-Henuttawyborn 1050 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  98. 98RRenseneb1800 BC–1800 BC · Politicians0 decades
  99. 99Dedumose IIDedumose IIborn 1600 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  100. 100MMerkareborn 1650 BC · Politicians0 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.