Thutmose III meaning “Thoth is born” was a New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, pharaoh from 1479-1425 BC, ascending the throne at 2 years old, he was co-regent with his aunt, Hatsheput, for the first 22 years of his reign. Following many successful military campaigns, Thutmose III expanded the Egyptian empire to its largest extent, conquering land in Syria and Nubia. Thutmose III’s reign also saw some significant developments in the arts including new forms in monument and sculpture. He is known also as Thutmose the Great and adopted this particular variant to his Throne name when he ascended to co-Regent, that is after the 21st year of his reign.
Not all scarabs bearing a royal name are contemporaneous to the ruling pharaoh. Some kings were held in particularly high regard, and thus their name appears on scarabs hundreds of years after their reign. Thutmose III was particularly honoured in this way, with his praenomen, Men-Kheper-Re, used on scarabs for a period of circa 1000 years. Given the varied formulation of this scarab, we can ascertain a postumus dating, after Thutmose III’s reign.
