Lecture on The Late Period the 26th Dynasty The Late Period of ancient Egypt refers to the last
flowering of native Egyptian rulers after the Third
Intermediate Period from the 26th Saite Dynasty in
664 B. C. through a series of Persian and
Macedonian-Greek conquests that ended with the
death of Alexander the Great in 323 B. C.
The Twenty-Sixth Dynasty (685-525 B. C.) was the last native dynasty to rule Egypt before the Persian conquest in 525 B. C. The Twenty-Sixth Dynasty is also called the Saite Period after the city of Sais, where its pharaohs had their capital, and marks the beginning of the Late Period of ancient Egypt. The Saite pharaohs had to rely in their military campaigns on foreign mercenaries; 1. Carian (from southwestern Asia Minor, modern Turkey). 2. Phoenician (were the people who occupied the coast of the Levant, eastern Mediterranean, and their major cities were Tyre, Sidon, Byblos, and Arwad). 3. Greek, as well as Egyptian soldiers. These different ethnic groups lived in their
own quarters of the capital city, Memphis.
The Greeks were also allowed to establish a
trading settlement at Naukratis in the western
Delta. This served as a conduit for cultural
influences traveling from Egypt to Greece.
The kings of the 26th Dynasty: 1.Nekau I the ruler of Sais.
2.Psamtik I. the founder of the 26th Dynasty.The city of Naukratis that is located at 21 km south of Damanhur is suggested to have been established during his reign. He prevented the effect of the Assyrian invasion, and was also perhaps reacting against the presence of the growing numbers of foreigners in Egypt. The cult of divine animals was developed during the reign of king Psamtik I. He enlarged the Serapeum at Saqqara during the 52nd year of his reign.
3. Nekau II. He pursued a policy of opening Egypt up to the Greek world by encouraging the establishment of Greek colonies. He started a massive building program in Wadi Tumilat, employing 12,000 workers to excavate a canal between the Pelusiac branch of the Nile and the Red Sea.
4. Psamtik II. He had engaged in hostilities with the land of Kush. This is considered to be the first confrontation between Egypt and Nubia since the time of the last king of the 25th Dynasty, king Tantamani. The troops of king Psamtik II included numerous Carians, who carved their names on the monuments at Abu Simbel.
5. Apries. 6. Ahmose II. General Ahmose II was proclaimed by the Egyptian soldiers as their new king, since he had gained great glory for his role in a campaign against the Nubians. Apries was killed and Ahmose II buried him in Sais with due honor. 7. Psamtik III. In 525 B. C., the Persian king Cambyses marched on Egypt, defeating the army of Psamtik III at Pelusium (Tel Farma in Port Said). Psamtik III took refuge at Memphis but the city was besieged and finally fell to the Persians. Although Psamtik III managed to escape again to gather together his last forces, he was eventually recaptured.