Self-Presentation in the Autobiography of Ankhtifi of Moalla between Tradition and Innovation

This paper studies the combination of the traditions and innovations in the autobiographical self-presentation of Ankhtifi of Moalla, nomarch of Edfu and Hierakonpolis during the Ninth Dynasty. The significance of the Autobiography of Ankhtifi results from the historical context, specifically his occupational role and provenance, and the way he presented himself. The study analyses the themes and phraseology of his autobiography and compares them with relevant parallels. This raises the question of how innovative his autobiography is and what its traditional characteristics are. The study proves that the Autobiography of Ankhtifi is mostly innovative. Ankhtifi employed the traditional themes of efficient provincial administrator and local patronage and social leadership so typical of the Sixth Dynasty. He also introduced innovations in themes, like famine and military conflicts among nomes, which became characteristic topics in First Intermediate Period texts. He employed new phraseology to express his prominence by claiming achievements superior to his predecessors and even to his successors and to show his independence and power as nomarch, with no reference to the ruling king in his autobiography, in contrast to the Old Kingdom officials who stressed their relation to the king, competence in office or receipt of special royal favour.