Late period
The Ancient Egypt
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|---|---|
| Timeline | |
| Prehistory : | before 4000 BC Chr. |
| Predynastic time : |
approx. 4000-3032 BC BC 0. Dynasty |
| Early Dynastic Period : |
approx. 3032-2707 BC Chr. 1st-2nd Dynasty |
| Old Empire : |
approx. 2707-2216 BC Chr. 3rd to 6th Dynasty |
| First intermediate time : |
approx. 2216-2137 BC Chr. 7th to 11th Dynasty |
| Middle Kingdom : |
approx. 2137–1781 BC Chr. 11 to 12th Dynasty |
| Second split time : |
approx. 1648–1550 BC BC 13th to 17th Dynasty |
| New Kingdom : |
approx. 1550-1070 BC Chr. 18 to 20 Dynasty |
| Third intermediate time : |
approx. 1070–664 BC BC 21st to 25th Dynasty |
| Late period : |
approx. 664-332 BC Chr. 26 to 31 Dynasty |
| Greco-Roman time : | 332 BC Chr. To 395 AD |
| Data based on Stan Hendrickx and Jürgen von Beckerath | |
| Summary | |
| History of Ancient Egypt | |
| Further information | |
| Portal Egyptology | |
The period of the 26th – 31st centuries is generally considered to be the late period of ancient Egypt . Dynasty (after Manetho ). In addition to periods of independence (26th and 28th – 30th dynasties), the late period also included the periods of Persian foreign rule (27th and 31st dynasties). As the beginning of the Late Period already else to is sometimes Third Intermediate projected 25, "Nubian" Dynasty viewed. The end of the Late Period is generally considered to be the year 332, when Alexander the Great took Egypt without a fight and thus ushered in the Greco-Roman period for Egypt . If the “late period” is generally referred to as the last period in which pre-Hellenistic Egypt appeared as an independent great power, it should be remembered that this characterization only applies to the 26th, “Saïtic” dynasty.
prehistory
The Assyrian rule under Ashurbanipal reached its climax with the conquest and destruction of Thebes with all the sanctuaries of the Egyptians that were located there. But after Ashurbanipal's death, the Assyrian power died out just as quickly as it had grown stronger before.
26th Dynasty
The 26th dynasty is often referred to in historical research as the time of the Egyptian restoration . The reason for this is that during the reign of this dynasty, for the last time in ancient times, the country boasted a strong and stable state capable of defending Egypt against its external enemies.
With Assyrian support, a new dynasty of Egyptian pharaohs was able to establish itself in the Nile Delta. This is also known as the Saïtendynasty after the name of its capital Sais . Its founder Psammetich I , who from 664 to 610 BC BC when Pharaoh ruled, was installed by the Assyrians as Egyptian king, as he had the mission to ensure peace among the individual Assyrian principalities in the Nile Delta.
Psammetich I raised a large army for the fulfillment of his mission, which was composed not only of Egyptians, but also of mercenaries from all over the Mediterranean . Most of them were Greeks and Carians from Asia Minor .
When the Assyrian Empire rebelled in Babylon around 650 BC. Was weakened, Psammetich I used 653 BC. The opportunity to restore Egyptian independence. An attempt by the growing New Babylonian Empire to bring Egypt under its control, he succeeded in 627 BC. Fend off.
During his reign of over fifty years, all of Egypt benefited from an economic opening to the outside world. Culture and art experienced a new boom.
His son Necho II was the first pharaoh to build a naval force . Since the Egyptians had comparatively little nautical experience, he recruited the crews mainly from Greeks and Phoenicians . He also started the project of a navigable canal between the Red Sea and the Pelusian branch of the Nile. He also initiated various voyages of discovery, for example the first sailing around Africa in 596 BC. Attempts by Nechos II to expand the territory of Egypt to include the Syrian provinces of the Neo-Babylonian Empire failed due to a military defeat.
Psammetich II tried in the six years of his reign (594 to 589 BC) to strengthen Egypt militarily. After he had upgraded or expanded the army and the fleet, he waged a preventive war against Nubia to secure the southern borders of Egypt. Furthermore, he had all name cartouches of the Nubian 25th Dynasty in his sphere of influence wiped out.
Apries , the grandson of Nechos II , ruled the country for nineteen years from 589 to 570 BC. After years of border fighting in Palestine, the Levant and Tripolitania against the Neo-Babylonian Empire , the Phoenicians and Cyrene , after a severe defeat, a rebellion by local soldiers occurred, which the general Amasis was supposed to put down. After the return of Pharaoh Apries to the Nile Delta, the revolt escalated into an uprising against Greek domination in the country. The uprising was now directed by Amasis himself and ended with Aprie's fall from the throne of the pharaohs and his flight from the Nile Delta. The victorious general ascended the Egyptian throne. Apries was killed three years later trying to regain power.
Under Pharaoh Amasis - he ruled from 570 to 526 BC. BC - the Egyptian empire opened further to the outside, which led to a further strengthening of the Greek influence on the region. The city of Naukratis , founded around 630 BC. By Greek immigrants from Miletus , received a special status as a free trade area , in which all trade between Greece and Egypt had to take place. Amasis also allowed the Greeks to build sanctuaries. The last years of his reign were marked by the struggle against the Persian Empire.
Half a year after Psammetich III's accession to the throne . in 526 BC Occurred in 525 BC. The battle of Pelusion between Egypt and the Persian Empire. Psammetich III. defeated with his troops and was initially treated with honor by the Persian King Cambyses II , but executed after an attempted revolt. The 26th dynasty ended with him.
In addition to the political restoration of the conditions in ancient Egypt, a turn to the “classical” norms can also be observed with regard to other social aspects. This applies to art as well as religion. Despite this adherence to ancient Egyptian tradition, the country is also subject to great changes. For example, the city of Thebes lost its importance as the cultural and administrative center of Egypt to Saïs forever . Furthermore, all rulers of the 26th dynasty are strongly influenced by the Greek city-states (although Pharaoh Apries tried to break away from the Greeks). The existence of such a large proportion of mercenaries in the Egyptian army was previously unknown in this form.
27th Dynasty (First Persian Rule)
The Persian dynasty was founded by Cambyses II . After the conquest of Lower Egypt , he moved his army further west. There his luck in battle left him. According to an unproven legend , he is said to have lost his entire army near the Siwa oasis . Cambyses II stayed until 522 BC. In Egypt.
After the death of Cambyses II took over in 521 BC His successor Darius I took the Persian throne. He, who is considered a great innovator of the Persian empire, was much more interested in the conquered Egypt. Under his reign, the canal started under Necho II in 497 BC. Finally finished. Egypt experienced a period of prosperity. But when the Persians at the Battle of Marathon in September 490 BC Having suffered a defeat against the Athenians , the Egyptians rose against their conquerors.
Xerxes I , who after the death of Darius in 486 BC Chr. Became the new Persian ruler, appointed his brother Achaimenes as an Egyptian satrap . This smashed 484 BC. The uprising and ruled the country with great severity. When during the Persian throne turmoil in 465 BC BC Xerxes I was murdered, there was another uprising under Inaros II of Heliopolis, a son of Psammetich IV , and Amyrtaios of Sais. But this time too, the Persians were able to assert themselves successfully. Inaros was born in 454 BC. Executed after the suppression of the uprising. After the Inaros revolt, Herodotus is said to have been in Egypt.
Under Artaxerxes I , Egypt was relatively calm. But during the reign of the subsequent Persian King Darius II , the fighting flared up again, supported by Greek mercenary armies. The starting point was the city of Sais. After his death in 404 B.C.E. From the Persian empire. Artaxerxes II was recognized as the Egyptian ruler in Upper Egypt for two years, but actually had no meaning in the country.
28th Dynasty
The only king of this dynasty was probably the grandson of the insurgent Amyrtaios of Sais of the same name. Amyrtaios said in 404 BC From the Persian empire and initially only ruled in Lower Egypt. In Upper Egypt he was only 400 BC. Recognized. He may have died in 399 BC. A violent death.
29th Dynasty
Nepherites I came to power through the disempowerment and execution of Amyrtaios. Under him the capital was moved from Sais to Mendes . According to the demotic chronicle, his son, named by Manetho as Muthis , followed for a short time . Hakor replaced him as the new king, who was initially crowned twice with Psammuthis due to a lack of acceptance and the associated difficulties .
During his tenure, Hakor managed to conclude an alliance agreement with the Greeks against the Persians, who tried again to advance into Egypt. Hakor was able to secure the Egyptian borders with his strong sea and land forces. As Hakor 379 BC Died, followed for four months by Nepherites II as the last pharaoh of the 29th dynasty .
30th dynasty
Nectanebo I from Sebennytos replaced Nepherites II and seized power. During his reign, the army was rearmed to keep the Persians out of Egypt. His son Tachos , who was raised to co-regent , moved after the death of his father in 359 BC. BC to Phenicia to attack the Persian King Artaxerxes II in an alliance with the Greeks . His brother, whom he installed as governor in Egypt, used the time of Tacho's absence and usurped the throne for his son Nectanebos II with the support of the priesthood. With the renewed incorporation of Egypt by the Persians in 341 BC. The 30th dynasty ended after only 18 years.
31st Dynasty (Second Persian Rule)
The second Persian era only lasted from 341 to 332 BC. BC. Artaxerxes III. should have ruled with a hard hand. The great wave of destruction that is attributed to him, with the destruction of entire cities and temples as well as the looting of Egyptian sanctuaries, probably never took place. The killing of the Apis bull cannot be proven historically either.
Artaxerxes III. was 338 BC Poisoned. His successor Arses also succumbed in 336 BC. A poison attack.
Darius III had to be 333 BC In the battle of Issus defeated the advancing Greek army under Alexander the great . Egypt came in 332 BC. In the hands of the Greeks without a fight.
See also
- History of Ancient Egypt
- The bronze bust of an unknown king in Hildesheim dates to the late period.
literature
- Dieter Eigner : Late period private tombs. In: Kathryn A. Bard (Ed.): Encyclopedia of the Archeology of Ancient Egypt. Routledge, London 1999, ISBN 0-415-18589-0 , pp. 432-38.
- Roberto B. Gozzoli: The Writing of History in Ancient Egypt During the First Millennium BC (approx. 1070-180 BC). Trend and Perspectives. London 2006, ISBN 0-9550256-3-X .
- Heike Sternberg-el Hotabi : Source texts on the history of the first and second Persian times in Egypt. (= Introductions and source texts on Egyptology. Volume 11). Lit, Berlin / Münster 2017, ISBN 978-3-6431-3817-0 .
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Karl Jansen-Winkeln : inscriptions of the late period. 3 volumes, Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 2007–
- Volume 1: The 21st Dynasty. , 2007, ISBN 978-3-447-05359-4 .
- Volume 2: The 22.-24. Dynasty. , 2007, ISBN 978-3-447-05582-6 .
- Volume 3: The 25th Dynasty. , 2009, ISBN 978-3-447-06000-4 .
Web links
- Alexander Schütze: Strings / String Time. In: Michaela Bauks, Klaus Koenen, Stefan Alkier (eds.): The scientific biblical lexicon on the Internet (WiBiLex), Stuttgart 2006 ff., Accessed on May 26, 2012.