HIEROGRAMMATISTS, (Hierogrammatei), i.e. holy registers, were an order of priests among the ancient:
Hieroman- ancient Egyptians, who presided over learning and re-
cy religion. They had the care of the hieroglyphics, and
were the expositors of religious doctrines and opinions.
Hierophan- They were looked upon as a kind of prophets; and it
tes. is pretended, that one of them predicted to an Egypt-
ian king, that an Israelite (meaning Moses), eminent
for his qualifications and achievements, would lessen
and depress the Egyptian monarchy.—The hierogram-
matei were always near the king, to assist him with
their informations and counsels. The better to fit
them for this, they made use of the skill and knowl-
edge they had acquired in the stars and the motions
of the heavenly bodies, and even of the writings of
their predecessors, wherein their functions and duties
were delivered. They were exempted from all civil
employments, were reputed the first persons in dignity
next the king, and bore a kind of sceptre in form of a
ploughshare.—After Egypt became a province of
the Roman empire, the hierogrammatei sunk into
neglect.