Ancient Egyptian History IV

second Grade Tourist Guidance Department The 25th Dynasty 25/3/2020

Dr. Heba Mahran [email protected] The Nubian Invasion

• Control of Nubia stretching from Aswan far into modern Sudan comprising ancient Kush, had been a key Egyptian foreign policy objective since early dynasties. • At the end of the 20th Dynasty, difficulties concerning the viceroy had resulted in warfare for a number of years. • While members of the Theban High Priestly family claimed the vicarage title during the 21st Dynasty. Nubia was under the rule of elements related to the former vice- regal regime. • It would appear that some of these rulers assumed the title of local pharaoh with titularies and relief styles recalling those of the kings of the recently ended Ramesside period. • It seems that they flourished during the 21st and 22nd dynasties. They may have established a line of rulers building mastabas at El Kuru, deep south in Nubia and close to Napata (Gebel Barkal), the capital of Kush.

The Nubian Invasion

• There is a gap of knowledge until the appearance of a ruler called Alara. His successor Kashta assumed full Pharaonic titles and extended his power to Nubia. This was the father of Piye, the founder of the 25th Dynasty. • Kashta, the ruler of Kush, had authority over Nubia and the south of Egypt as far as Aswan where he was depicted as king of Upper and Lower Egypt. • He even installed his daughter Amenirdis I as Chief Priestess of Amun at Thebes. • Kashta’s son, Piye (Pi-ankhy), followed his father’s policy and extended his authority in the south probably through a treaty with one of the 23rd Dynasty northern kings such as Osorkon IV The Nubian Invasion

• Evidence from the Victory stela of Piye (found at Gebel Barkal in 1862) suggested that Tefnakhte had power over Memphis, Buto and Kom Firin while Leontopolis was under the control of Iuput II, and Osorkon IV ruled the northern cities of Bubastis and Tanis. • Hermopolis was under the power of the Libyan king, Nimlot D, and Herakleopolis was in the hands of Peftjauawybast. Mendes was ruled by Djed-Amun-Iuf-Ankh. • The rising military power of Tefnakhte, who subdued all the cities in the Western Delta and Memphis, continued when he marched with his army towards the northern cities of Upper Egypt; this undoubtedly provoked the Nubian invasion. • Piye used high wooden towers as siege equipment for the archers to climb the high walls of the Egyptian cities.

Piye (Pi-ankh)

• He ruled for about 31 years most of which he spent in Nubia. A dated inscription on a mummy shroud in the British Museum refers to Year 20 of his reign. • He was buried at el Kurru in a tomb with a pyramid superstructure in the royal cemetery found in 1919. • His burial shows some strong Egyptian religious and cultural characteristics such as shabti figures mixed with unique Nubian traditions such as the burial of chariot horses.

Shabaka

• He ruled for around 14 years. • An inscription on a block statue at the British Museum records Year 15 of his reign. • Around 716 B. C., he led the second Nubian invasion, expanded his authority over the northern region and was recognized by the northern kings as an Egyptian pharaoh. Egypt was still far from being unified under one king at this stage as the government was still decentralized. • He was probably a brother of Piye. His tomb was found in the Royal Cemetery at El Kurru in 1919.

Shebitku

• He ruled for about 16 years as recorded in the annals of the Assyrian king Sargon II. • His third year as a king is recorded on the Nile level number 33. • He was responsible for the extradition of Yamani to the Assyrians after he was granted asylum by Shabaka. • Shebitku‟s coronation was recorded at the Temple of Amun at Karnak where he was depicted wearing a Double Crown. • His pyramid was found in El Kurru cemetery.

Taharqa

• It is widely accepted, although not certain, that he was the son of Piye as the inscription on the stela of Nitokris suggests. • He is famous for; his many campaigns to defend the Egyptian borders against the Assyrian attacks, as well as many architectural achievements in Nubia and Egypt such as the Osirian temple at Karnak. • Taharqa was defeated by the Assyrian king, Esarhaddon, and later again by his son, Ashurbanipal, before he took flight to Nubia. He was probably a brother of Shebitku. • His royal residence was in Memphis which became the main city during the Nubian period. • He died in 664 B. C. and was buried in a stone pyramid in the royal necropolis at Nuri in Nubia.

• Sphinex of Taharqa, Kuru, Sudan Tantamani

• He was the last Nubian Pharaoh. • He led a military campaign to re-establish the Nubian authority over Egypt after Taharqa’s defeat. • He gained victory over the governors, appointed by the Assyrians to control the northern towns, but the Assyrians sent a strong army that subdued all the northern Egyptian towns and marched as far as Thebes. • Tantamani fled to Nubia and Egypt was ruled by Psamtek who managed to reunite Egypt once more and bring an end to the Third Intermediate Period. • He was buried in a stone pyramid at the cemetery of El Kurru which was discovered in 1919.

Art and Culture during the Third Intermediate Period • The importance of the temple sphere obtained, with more or less visibility, for the ensuing first millennium. • Relatively little building took place during the Third Intermediate Period, but the creation of stylistically and technologically innovative bronze and precious temple statuary of gods, kings and great temple officials flourished. • Gold and silver royal burial equipment from Tanis shows the highest quality of craftsmanship. No royal coffins and papyri bear elaborate scenes and texts that ensured the rebirth of the deceased.

• New emphasis was placed on the king as the child or son of a divine pair. This theme and other royal themes are expressed on a series of delicate relief- decorated vessels and other small objects chiefly in faience, but also of precious metal. • Faience chalices derived from the shape of the blossom and other faience delicacies were decorated with relief scenes evoking a constellation of myths having to do with the birth of the king as child of the sun god. • Egyptian birth houses (mammisis) are an important feature of many Late Period and Ptolemaic and Roman temple complexes