 CHAPTER X. PART II. OF HISTORY OF EGYPT. OF HISTORY OF EGYPT by F. C. H. Wendell. Section IV. The 30th Dynasty. 386-349 B.C. Nekt Hor Hebb. Nekt Anibis I. 386-368 B.C. The Egyptian monuments teach us nothing of this king's reign. Deodorus has, however, luckily preserved an account of him, which proves that he was the most important Egyptian king of this entire period. In his reign, Egypt again took an influential place among the nations of the world. It could defy Persia, and could dare to assert its influence in Asia. In this reign falls the Cypriot war that began shortly before the death of Haker. The war had dragged along for several years before Artaxerxes saw the need of specially exerting himself to put an end to it. He now raised an army of three hundred thousand men, which was put under command of his son-in-law Orontes, and fitted out a fleet of three hundred triremes, the command of which was given to Terabasis. These combined forces proceeded to Cyprus, and at once began to push the war. Euagorus had also made extensive preparations. Nekt Hor Hebb sent him a goodly army. Hecatombos of Keria sent money. Several Phoenician cities, among them Tyre, joined him. The king of Arabia, and other rulers hostile to Persia, sent troops. Thus he managed to get together ninety ships and six thousand native troops, besides the contingents of his allies. His privateers succeeded in cutting off the grain transport for the Persian army, and a mutiny broke out among the troops. Gluse, the newly appointed Persian admiral, consequently, had to go to Cilicia for grain, before undertaking anything. Euagorus received his provisions and large amounts of money from Egypt. He was now enabled to increase his fleet to two hundred sail, fifty ships having been sent him from Egypt. With this fleet he attacked the Persian ships, and though at first successful, was in the end defeated after a hotly contested battle. The Persians now began the siege of his capital, Salamis. Though he had won a victory on land shortly before his defeat at sea, Euagorus lost courage, and after appointing his son Pythagoras, commander in Salamis, he fled from the island. Escorted by ten men of war, he went to Egypt to solicit further aid. Nekt Horheb gave him a sum of money, somewhat less than he had expected, but sufficient for his present purpose, and so he returned home, 383 BC. He found the siege of Salamis still going on, and as his allies were beginning to desert him, he offered his submission. After a long delay, the decision came that he should remain king of Cyprus as a Persian vassal, and must pay an annual tribute. The war with Egypt continued. Gluse, the Persian admiral, revolted shortly after the surrender of Salamis, and allying himself with Egypt and Sparta, began a new war against Persia. He was, however, assassinated soon after, and thus his plans came to naught. Now that he had brought the war in Cyprus to a successful close, the Persian king determined to punish his inveterate enemy, the king of Egypt. Nekt Horheb knew what was coming, and made his preparations accordingly. He began hiring mercenaries, and as he offered high pay and costly presents, he soon had collected a fine army. As general he called Chabrius of Athens, who accepted the call without first asking the permission of his government, and going to Egypt, conducted the preparations for the war with great energy. Farnabasos, the Persian commander-in-chief, was also very busy with his preparations. He sent envoys to Athens to accuse Chabrius of alienating the good feelings of Persia from Athens, and to ask the Athenians to send him ethnicities as general. Chabrius was accordingly recalled, and ethnicities sent to Persia, between 376 and 374 B.C. At length, 374 B.C., Farnabasos was ready. He had collected an army of 200,000 native troops, and 20,000 Greek mercenaries, 300 men of war, and a large fleet of smaller craft. This force mustered at Achae, and thence proceeded along the coast toward Egypt. Early in the summer they reached the border, after several attempts to betray the army had been detected, and prevented by ethnicities. Nekt Horheb had regular reports concerning the strength and movements of the enemy. His plan of operations was very simple. He relied on the natural bulwarks of the land. All the border forts were greatly strengthened, and the mouths of denial were strongly fortified, the strongest fortifications being erected on the Pelusian branch, the one nearest to Asia. When the Persians approached this branch, they found it too strong, and determined to attempt some less strongly fortified branch of the river. Consequently, they put to sea, and soon after appeared on the Mendesian branch, where they landed 3,000 men who advanced on the fort. An equal number of Egyptians sallied from the fort to meet them. But the enemy, being constantly reinforced from their ships, the Egyptians were almost cut to pieces. A small remnant of their force escaped to the fort, closely pursued by Ithicratus' men, who entered the fort together with them. It fell, its walls were raised, and the inhabitants were sold into slavery. Ithicrates, who had found out from one of the prisoners that Memphis was unprotected, advised an immediate advance on that city. Farnabasos replied that they had better await the remainder of their army, so as to be sure of taking the town. Ithicrates now proposed to go down with his Greeks and take the city. This made the Persian suspicious, and he refused him permission. This quarrel between the Persian leaders gave Nekt Horheb time to collect an army at Memphis, and to move with all his force against the Persians in the Delta. Several combats took place, in which the Egyptians were mostly successful. But no decisive battle was fought. Meanwhile, the Nile rose, and soon the entire Delta was converted into a vast lake. Herobon, the Persian's despairing of success, returned to Asia. Ithicrates, who feared violence on account of his quarrel with Farnabasos, went straight to Athens. For several years, the army lay in Asia, ready to renew the war at any time, and in 372 BC, Timotheos went to Asia to offer his services to the Persian king. Nothing was done, however, and the great campaign against Egypt so pompously begun proved, in the end, a dismal failure. Despite the fact that he was almost constantly at war, this pharaoh carefully kept the temples in repair. He built at Edfu, Karnak, Medinet, Habu, Abedas, Bubastus, Memphis, and other places. After a busy and eventful reign of 18 years, he died. Teher, Greek Tachos 368-361 BC It would seem that after the death of Nekt Horheb, troubles regarding the succession broke out. The list of Manethos gives Tachos, that is Teher, only two years, and Nekt Anibis II, Nekt Nebeth, 18 years. While the accounts given by the Greek authors go to prove that Tachos still reigned in 361 BC. It would seem then that Teher had appointed Nekt Nebeth, co-regent, in 367 BC, and that this latter monarch had, in imitation of the older pharaohs, dated his accession to the throne from the time he was made co-regent. According to the Demotic Chronicles, Teher was the son of Nekt Horheb. According to the Greek authors, he was that monarch's cousin. The Egyptian inscriptions tell us nothing of this king, and from the Greek historians we know only the events of the closing year of his reign. In 361 BC, a great revolt against Persia broke out in Asia, and Teher naturally assisted the rebels. He collected a large army and fitted out a strong fleet. He also hired great numbers of mercenaries in Greece, and made a treaty of alliance with Sparta. The strength of the coalition, thus formed against Persia, would have been sufficient for its purpose, had it not been weakened by treachery. Arantes, the commander-in-chief of the Asiatic rebels, was the first to prove a traitor. And soon after, Riyomitres, who had received the aid furnished by Teher, 500 talents, 28,500 pounds of silver, and 50 men of war, followed his example. Notwithstanding this defection, the forces at the command of the Pharaoh were quite strong, consisting of 200 splendidly equipped men of war, 80,000 native troops, and 10,000 choice Greek mercenaries. The command of the mercenaries devolved on King Agis Leos of Sparta, who had come over with 1,000 hoplites. The Athenian Cabrius was given command of the fleet, while Teher himself retained command of the native troops. Cabrius was the special favorite of the Pharaoh, who is said even to have gone so far at his advice as to levy attacks on the temple estates, and on the exports and imports of the country, while the war lasted. Agis Leos was less regarded. His coming had been looked forward to with considerable expectation. Preparations had been made for a grand reception, and valuable presents had been ordered. When he did come he proved quite a disappointment. His small stature and extreme plainness awakened the scorn of the Egyptians, and a number of jokes were circulated at his expense. This naturally enraged him, and though he did his full duty by Teher, there was a coolness between the two kings, which was still further augmented by the fact that Teher, disregarding the advice of the Spartan, proceeded to conduct the war on his own plan. Agis Leos had advised Teher to await the Persians in Egypt, but the Pharaoh was determined to take the offensive and invade Syria. Phoenicia fell in easy prey to his attack, and the king sent his cousin and co-regent, Nekt Nebeth, to take the cities of Syria. These movements were successful, and matters were assuming the most hopeful aspect when Teher, the general whom the Pharaoh had appointed regent of Egypt for the time of his absence, revolted and offered the crown to Nekt Nebeth. The latter assented, and soon had won over the army and its officers and all the people of Egypt. All he needed now was the support of the Greek mercenaries. Accordingly he sent envoys to Agis Leos and Cabrios, soliciting their support. Agis Leos dispatched messengers to Sparta, asking how he should act, and receiving the reply that he should do what he deemed most advantageous for Sparta. He declared for Nekt Nebeth. Cabrios, who had at first determined to remain loyal to Teher, seeing his colleague desert that monarch and being unable to help him alone, followed Agis Leos's example. He left Egypt, however, soon after, never to return. Teher fled first to Sidon, and thence to Artaxerxes, who not only forgave him his former enmity, but even made him commander-in-chief of the army that was preparing to invade Egypt. For a while he lived at the Persian court, where he spent his time in wild orgies until he finally died of dysentery. The command of the Persian army he never actually took. This pharaoh reigned two years alone, and six years in conjunction with Nekt Nebeth. Nekt Nebeth. Greek Nectanibus II. 361-349 BC In 361 BC, the last native pharaoh assented the Egyptian throne. The first act of his reign was to give up the conquests in Phoenicia and Syria, and to withdraw within the boundaries of Egypt. The reason for this step was most probably that the internal dissensions had not yet come to a close. A mendician had appeared as a pretender to the crown, and had succeeded in gaining a large following and raising an army. He even attempted to gain over King Agaisoleos, but he remained loyal to his ally. Nekt Nebeth, carefully avoiding a battle, retired to a fortified town where his rival beleaguered him. Already the besieged were beginning to lose heart as their provisions gave out when Agaisoleos saved them. Sallying from the town, he broke the ranks of the besiegers and drew up his troops in the plain so that both flanks rested on canals. In the battle that ensued, the bravery of the Greeks prevailed over the superior numbers of the Egyptians. The latter were completely routed, the greater part of their number being slain, and the rest flying from the field in wild disorder. Nekt Nebeth was now undisputed ruler of Egypt. Shortly after this victory, Agaisoleos determined to return home. The grateful king loaded him with presents. According to some authorities, he gave him 230 talents, or about $271,400, which he distributed among his troops. On his way to Sirenay, he died. His body was embalmed and sent to Sparta, where it was buried with royal honors, 360 BC. Meanwhile, the Persians had completed their preparations, and Artaxerxes had appointed his son, Ocus, co-regent. Ocus set out for Egypt, but on hearing the news of his father's death, in 359 BC, he returned home. Sometime later, Ocus attempted the subjugation of Egypt, but was defeated by Nekt Nebeth, who was assisted by two excellent generals, Diophanties of Athens and Lameas of Sparta. This success of the Egyptians encouraged the Phoenicians and the King of Cyprus to strike a blow for independence. They concluded treaties with Nekt Nebeth, and at once began extensive preparations. At the head of the Phoenician towns stood Sidon, which soon succeeded in collecting a large army and vast amounts of military stores. Ocus had, however, not been idle. He had collected an army of 300,000 infantry and 30,000 cavalry, and had fitted out 300 triremes and 500 transports. Then he started from Babylon. Before his arrival, two of his satraps, Bellasus of Syria and Mazeos of Cilicia, had in vain attempted the reconquest of Phoenicia. They were defeated and driven out of the country by Tennis, the King of Sidon, assisted by 4000 Greeks under mentor, who had been sent him by Nekt Nebeth. Now came the news that Ocus was approaching, and Tennis lost courage. He sent a trusty messenger to Ocus, asking pardon for his revolt and offering to aid the king against Egypt. Ocus gladly promised full pardon, even giving him costly presents, and after some hesitation pledged himself to this course. We shall presently see how he kept his word. Ocus had, while advancing on Sidon, dispatched envoys to Greece, asking the larger states to join in the campaign against Egypt. Athens and Sparta remained neutral. Thebes sent 1000 hoplites under lacquerties, and Argos, 3000 men under Nicostratus, whom Ocus had asked them to send him. The Greek cities of Asia Minor furnished in all 6000 men, making the total number of Greeks in the Persian army aggregate 10,000 men. Ocus now laid siege to Sidon, which was very strongly fortified, and would never have yielded had it not been for the treachery of its king. Tennis persuaded Mentor to join him, and together they succeeded in admitting the Persians into the city. When the Sidonians saw they were lost, they destroyed their fleet, locked themselves up in their houses, and set fire to the city. Over 40,000 people are said to have perished in the flames. This so enraged Ocus that he had Tennis put to death. Mentor and his 4000 joined the Persian army. The fall of Sidon was disastrous to the allies for all of the Phoenician cities on hearing of the dire news surrendered at discretion. About the same time, Cyprus again fell into the hands of the Persians. A detachment of 8,000 Greeks, supported by 40 triremes, under command of the Athenian, Phocian, and ex-king Euagorus of Cyprus, succeeded in subduing the island very quickly. Salamis alone held out. Euagorus strained every nerve to capture the city, as he hoped to be made king again. Charges were, however, preferred against him, and consequently Pythagoras was allowed to keep the city as a vassal of Persia. The Persians now attacked Egypt. After having suffered severe losses in the desert, they at length reached Pelugium. The Persian troops were drawn up at some distance from the strongly fortified town, while the Greeks camped almost under its walls. The city was garrisoned by 5000 men under Philophron. The first attack was made by the Thebans, who waited the narrow canal that separated them from the town, and began a battle which lasted far into the night, but was indecisive. The forces of Nek Nebeth were much inferior to those of the Persians, consisting of 20,000 Greeks, 20,000 Libyans, and 60,000 Egyptians. But he possessed large numbers of river-boats, which could be used to great advantage in any combat on the Nile. And moreover, he had erected a string of strong forts along the eastern bank of the Pelusic branch. He lacked, however, a good general. Proud of his previous victories over the Persians, he had neglected to send to Greece for a general. This mistake proved fatal. He had posted half his force in the forts, and with the rest he opposed the advance of the enemy. Before a decisive battle was fought, Nicostratus succeeded in moving his men to a point of vantage, betrayed him by an Egyptian, and strongly entrenched himself. Seeing this, Clinius of Kos, who was posted nearby with 7,000 men, attempted to dislodge him. The attack was repulsed. Clinius and 5,000 of his men fell. This battle was by no means decisive, but now the want of a good general showed itself in the Egyptian army. Instead of sending a stronger force against Nicostratus, Nekt Nebeth, fearing that the Persians would all cross the Nile, as easily as that commander had, lost courage, and deserting his forts, retreated to Memphis. Meanwhile, Pelusium was being besieged by Lacrates, but it made a desperate resistance for several days, when the garrison heard of the Pharaoh's retreat, however, they offered to capitulate. Lacrates promised the Greek troops a safe retreat, and though Begois, who commanded the Persian division of this corps, attempted to attack them, he was prevented from doing so by his colleague. Mentor now marched through the Delta, promising immunity to all who would surrender at discretion, and threatening all who should resist with the fate of Sidon. Consequently, the Greek and Egyptian garrisons vied with one another in the rapidity of their surrenders. Among others, the strong and important fortress of Bubastus surrendered at discretion, and all the other fortresses of the Delta followed its example. When Nekt Nebeth heard of these losses, he dared not give battle, but taking the greater part of the monies in the state coffers, he fled to Ethiopia. Thus, about 349 BC, Egypt, after an independence of sixty-five years, again fell into the hands of the Persians, and from this time forth it was destined to be governed by foreign rulers. Section 5 The Thirty-First Dynasty and the Invasion of Alexander 349-331 BC Of the last three Persian kings, not one was of special importance for Egypt. Ocus was a cruel tyrant, whose acts reminded of the times of the insanity of Cambyses. The Greek authors relate stories of his outrages against the Egyptian religion that accord well with what we know of his character. They recount that the people had once, on a time, nicknamed him Onos, the Ass, and now he determined to have his revenge. The sacred Apis Steer was butchered and eaten by the king and his friends, and an ass was elevated to the position of sacred animal in his stead. The sacred ram of Mendes was likewise slaughtered at the king's command. The walls of the principal cities were raised, the temples were plundered, and their treasures of gold and silver carried off to Persia. Not content with plundering the temples, Ocus stole the sacred writings from the sanctuaries and compelled the priests to repurchase them at exorbitant prices. As Saitrap he appointed a Persian named Ferendates, and then he returned home to Babylon, loaded with rich booty. Twelve years after the conquest of Egypt, Ocus was murdered by Bagoas, who placed the king's son Arsace on the throne. But he ruled only three years, falling a victim to the same treacherous eunuch that had murdered his father, 334 BC. In the place of his last victim, Bagoas elevated a distant relative of the royal family, his friend Darius, to the throne, and at his hands finally met his merited reward. The king detected the eunuch's plan against his life, and compelled the fellow to swallow the draft intended for himself. Darius III did not long retain the throne he owed to his friend's crime. The Greek invasion under Alexander's leadership soon deprived him of his crown. Egypt remained tranquil, almost an uninterested spectator, during the dread struggle between Greece and Persia, even though all of the Persian garrisons had been withdrawn. In the Battle of Issus, the Egyptian contingent fought with the Persians under its satrap, Sabasees. Their leader fell, and the troops fled with Darius. In Egypt, Mazasees succeeded Sabasees as satrap, but he had no troops to support his authority. The power of Persia was crushed, but Egypt did not strike the one blow that would have sufficed to regain its freedom. They had, however, sufficient spirit left to defend their homes against robbers. After the defeat of the Persians at Issus, Amethas, a Macedonian exile who had joined Darius, fled to Tripolis in Phoenicia, collected a fleet, and sailed to Cyprus, where he increased his land forces. Thence, he sailed to Pelusium, affected a landing, and declared he was the new satrap appointed by Darius. He then marched through the Delta to Memphis, near which city he defeated a body of Egyptians. After the victory, his bands dispersed to plunder the rich country seats lying about the city. While engaged in this work, they were surprised and cut to pieces by the citizens. Amethas fell, and not a man of his bands escaped. After taking Tyre and Gaza, Alexander determined to secure Egypt. He reached Pelusium after a seven days march without encountering any resistance. His fleet awaited him in the harbor. Mazesies, having no troops and having no hope of assistance from his unfortunate monarch, had no recourse but surrender. Alexander garrisoned Pelusium, and sent the fleet up the Nile to Memphis. With the army, he marched along the riverbank to Heliopolis, and crossing the river at this point, soon entered Memphis. The great king entered the ancient capital, not in the character of a conqueror, but like a pharaoh of old, observing all the old religious ceremonies. He offered sacrifices to the gods, and instituted athletic games and prize contests in the fine arts, in which celebrated Greek masters took part. The Egyptians were naturally captivated by this conduct, which was so different from that of the last Persian rulers. And it is not at all surprising that a mystic romance was soon woven about the person of the Macedonian king. According to this romance, Nekt Nebev had not fled to Ethiopia, but to Macedonia. He was a great magician, and as such he took the form of Jupiter Ammon, and in this form approached Queen Olympias, the wife of King Philip. Alexander was thus, the story continues, the son of Nekt Nebev, and not of Philip. The romance thus made Alexander the legitimate heir of the old pharaohs, and the avenger of his father, Nekt Nebev. It would seem that Alexander rather favored the spread of this legend, as he knew it would greatly strengthen his hold on the Egyptian people. Sailing down the Nile from Memphis through the Canopic Branch, he went to sea from Canopus. Landing at the outlet of Lake Maroedis, near the ancient town of Rakote, he saw at a glance that the place offered unequaled harbor facilities. He therefore determined to found a city here, which should bear his name, and thus was founded the city of Alexandria, the most important and most permanent of the many towns founded by this king. This city soon became the great intellectual exchange between the nations of the Occident and the Orient, the mother of a new civilization. Here European and Oriental philosophy, religion and science met on a footing of equality, and views were exchanged and new systems inaugurated that completely revolutionized ideas. The philosophy of phylo and the astronomical system of Ptolemy were among the brilliant results of the new civilization. A new art, the Hellenistic, resulted from the interchange of Greek and Oriental, more especially Egyptian ideas on art. Doubtless too, the spread of Christianity was much fostered by the cosmopolitan spirit in regard to religious matters which emanated from this city. From Alexandria, the king pushed westward to the famous Oasis of Ammon. With the assistance of the gods, he reached it in safety. The story goes that when the water supply gave out, rain fell, and that messengers of the god, in the shape of ravens, conducted the army to the Oasis. On the way he was met by a deputation from Sirenay which offered him a golden crown and costly presents. The city evidently apprehended an attack and thought it advisable to submit peaceably. As Alexander entered the temple of Ammon on the Oasis, the high priest hailed him as son of the god. Not knowing that it was customary to designate the pharaohs as sons of Ra and of Ammon, the king laid great stress on this greeting. After having made the temple rich presence, Alexander returned to Memphis in safety. Here he instituted a great festival in honor of Jupiter. He now turned his attention to the reorganization of the Egyptian government. The civil government was put into the hands of two Egyptian nomarchoi named Doloaspis and Pateces. And on the resignation of the former, the control of civil matters was entrusted to the latter alone. The commanders of the garrisons and of the various troops of mercenaries, as well as the heads of the commissary departments were Greeks. Leaving a part of his army in Egypt, Alexander, early in 331 BC, left the country, never to return. He had so delicately adjusted the government that the various officials effectively held one another in check and there could be no chance of a revolt. After Alexander's death, his body was brought to Alexandria for interment. With the conquest of Egypt by Alexander, the history of the country comes to a close. The Ptolemies, who after the great king's death, again made Egypt independent, were a Greek family. And the civilization of their times differed materially from that of the older epics. Under them, the old religious traditions were fostered, it is true, but they no longer possessed any vitality. There was no longer a national religion as of old. The old religion and language were known to the priests alone, and with every generation they became less and less intelligible, even to this class of... Well, let us call them official custodians of the ancient traditions, until, with the coming of Christianity in the first century AD, the old religion gradually passed away. The Ptolemies themselves were Greeks. Their capital, Alexandria, was a Greek city. The civilization of their epic was partly Greek, partly Egyptian. The history of Egypt, after the conquest, forms an integral part, first of Greek, then of Roman, and lastly, of Mohamedan history. Chronological Table Mena unites Upper and Lower Egypt, not later than 3200 BC. Snefru, the founder of the Fourth Dynasty, not later than 2830 BC. Excession of Mary Ra Pepe, not later than 2530 BC. Transition period, about 2400 through 2250 BC. Excession of Amenemhot, the first. About 2130 BC. Ussertesen, the third. About 2013 through 1987 BC. Amenemhot, the third. About 1986 through 1942 BC. Heksos Domination, about 1780 through 1530 BC. Excession of Achmes, the first. About 1530 BC. Tutmosis, the third. About 1480 through 1427 BC. Chewenaten, about 1376 through 1364 BC. Excession of Hortemheb, about 1340 BC. Sadi, the first. About 1316 through 1289 BC. Ramses, the second. About 1288 through 1221 BC. Ramses, the third. About 1180 through 1148 BC. Excession of Harahor, the first priest king. About 1050 BC. Sheshank, the first. About 945 through 924 BC. Pianchi's Invasion, about 800 BC. Excession of Shabaka, about 728 BC. First, Assyrian Invasion, about 672 BC. Second, Assyrian Invasion, about 667 BC. Tanawat Amon's Invasion, about 664 BC. Third, Assyrian Invasion, about 662 BC. Samtec, the first. 645 through 610 BC. Nekau, 610 through 594 BC. Battle of Kharkimish, 604 BC. Nebuchadnezzar invades Egypt, 567 BC. Conquest of Egypt by Cambyses, 525 BC. Revolt of Chabash, 486 BC. Revolt of Inaros, 464 through 460 BC. Amenrut, frees Egypt from Persia, 414 BC. Nekt Horheb, 386 through 368 BC. Nekt Nebef, 361 through 349 BC. Conquest of Egypt by Ocus, 349 BC. Conquest of Egypt by Alexander, 331 BC. The End. End of Chapter 10, Part 2. End of History of Egypt by F. C. H. Wendel.