In Egyptian mythology, Apep is the giant serpent who opposes the sun god Ra.
Apep, also called Apophis, represents chaos, darkness, and forces opposed to ma’at—the Egyptian ideal of order, truth, and cosmic balance. Each night, Ra was believed to travel through the underworld in his solar barque. Apep attacked or threatened the journey, attempting to prevent the sun from rising again. The daily sunrise therefore symbolized the triumph of order and light over chaos.
Egyptian religious texts describe rituals intended to defeat or repel Apep. Priests could recite spells, draw images of the serpent, and symbolically bind, stab, burn, or destroy it. These rites were not simply stories about a monster; they helped express the religious belief that cosmic stability had to be continually maintained.
The name Apep is the Egyptian form, while Apophis is the Greek rendering most often used in English reference works. This can cause confusion with 99942 Apophis, a real near-Earth asteroid whose name comes from the same mythological figure. Apep is also distinct from Hydra, Python, and Jörmungandr, which belong to Greek or Norse traditions rather than ancient Egyptian religion.