Seti

Who is Seti?

Seti or Suti was an ancient Egyptian soldier during the late 18th dynasty, the commander of the army, later mentioned as vizier on monuments of his son, Pharaoh Ramesses I.

Seti, the forefather of the 19th dynasty was from a military family in the Delta. According to one theory he is identical with a royal envoy mentioned in the Amarna letters as Shuta. His brother Khaemwaset is probably identical with the Royal Fanbearer and Chief of the Bowmen of Kush Khaemwaset, who is mentioned on a statue dating to Tutankhamen's reign. Khaemwaset's wife Taemwadjsy was mistress of the Harem of Amun and is probably the same Taemwadjsy who was sister to Huy, Viceroy of Kush. So Seti was the member of a very prominent family, and after his son Paramessu was chosen by Pharaoh Horemheb as his successor, Seti's descendants went on to form one of the most powerful dynasties of Egypt.

A fragment of a votive stela of his is now in the Oriental Institute in Chicago. This fragment is 115 cm wide and 65–70 cm high, its upper part depicts a sitting male and female figure, but only the feet remained intact. Its lower part shows three persons in clothing influenced by Amarna-style, flanked by Khaemwaset and Ramesses, who is named Ramose here. The stela's inscription is: “an offering to the ka of Osiris-Suti, Commander of the Troops of the Lord of the Two Lands”.