It is disputed whether the Egyptian priest and historian was born at Mendes or Heliopolis. He was Egyptian and could read the scripts, although he wrote in Greek. His major work was a History of Egypt called AEGYPTIACA. It was probably prepared when he was a priest at the temple of Sebennytos. He most probably played a part in the establishment of the cult of SERAPIS. As priest he would have had access to the temples archives, and he read hieroglyphs. He dedicated a valuble study to Ptolemy II (285-246 BC).

His history dint survive intact. It is preserved in a series of contradictory fragments in the work of other writers. Josephus (first century AD), Christian writers Julius Africanus (c. AD 220), Eusebius (c. AD 320) and George called Syncellus (c. AD 800). His divisions of the rulers into DYNASTIES has been a major influence on modern day perceptions of the outline of Egyptian history.

Manetho is credited with seven books: The Sacred Book, An Epitome of Physical Doctrines, On Festivals, On Ancient Ritual and Religion, On Making Kyphi (incense), Criticisms of Herodotus and the Book of Sothis. It is possible that some of the alleged works were never written.