Menes was the legendary first king of ancient Egypt who is credited with uniting Upper and Lower Egypt into a single kingdom around 3100 BCE.

Menes was the legendary first king of ancient Egypt who is credited with uniting Upper and Lower Egypt into a single kingdom around 3100 BCE. 

The identity of Menes is still debated by scholars, but the most widely accepted view is that he is the ruler Narmer, the first pharaoh of the First Dynasty. 

According to ancient sources, Menes is said to have founded the capital city of Memphis, diverted the course of the Nile River, and introduced the worship of the gods to Egypt. He is also credited with bringing greater sophistication, elegance, and luxury to Egyptian society. 

The legend of Menes served as an important symbolic figure in ancient Egyptian culture, representing the unification and harmonious balance of the two lands of Egypt. Whether he was a single historical king or a composite figure is still uncertain, but his story was deeply significant to the Egyptians. 

Menes is said to have reigned for either 30, 60, or 62 years, and according to the historian Manetho, he was eventually killed by a hippopotamus. His tomb has not been identified with certainty by modern archaeologists, though some speculate it may be one of the large mastaba tombs at Umm el-Qa'ab near Abydos.