Abstract: By selectively hydrogenating a feedstock containing two or more hydrocarbons selected from the group consisting of tricyclic aromatic hydrocarbons having an anthracene skeleton and tricyclic aromatic hydrocarbons having a phenanthrene skeleton to 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydro bodies using, as a hydrogenation catalyst, a catalyst containing two or more active metals selected from the group consisting of nickel, molybdenum, cobalt, and tungsten and then, by oxidizing the 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydro body using a metal oxide, a benzenetetracarboxylic acid can be efficiently manufactured.