Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt

The Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt (notated Dynasty XXVI, alternatively 26th Dynasty or Dynasty 26) was the last native dynasty to rule Egypt before the Persian conquest in 525 BC (although others followed). The dynasty's reign (664–525 BC) 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.[1]

Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt
664 BC–525 BC
Portrait of a Pharaoh of the Saite Dynasty
CapitalSais
Common languagesEgyptian language
Religion
Ancient Egyptian religion
GovernmentMonarchy
Pharaoh 
• 664–610 BC
Psamtik I (first)
• 526–525 BC
Psamtik III (last)
History 
• Established
664 BC
• Disestablished
525 BC
Preceded by		Succeeded by
Twenty-fifth Dynasty of Egypt
Twenty-seventh Dynasty of Egypt

History
In 605 BCE, an Egyptian force under Necho II of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty fought the Babylonians at the Battle of Carchemish, helped by the remnants of the army of the former Assyria, but this was met with defeat.
Periods and Dynasties of Ancient Egypt
All years are BC
Early
Pre-dynastic period
First Dynasty I c. 3150–2890
Second Dynasty II 2890–2686
Old Kingdom
Third Dynasty III 2686–2613
Fourth Dynasty IV 2613–2498
Fifth Dynasty V 2498–2345
Sixth Dynasty VI 2345–2181
First Intermediate
Seventh Dynasty VII spurious
Eighth Dynasty VIII 2181–2160
Ninth Dynasty IX 2160–2130
Tenth Dynasty X 2130–2040
Early Eleventh Dynasty XI 2134–2061
Middle Kingdom
Late Eleventh Dynasty XI 2061–1991
Twelfth Dynasty XII 1991–1803
Thirteenth Dynasty XIII 1803–1649
Fourteenth Dynasty XIV 1705–1690
Second Intermediate
Fifteenth Dynasty XV 1674–1535
Sixteenth Dynasty XVI 1660–1600
Abydos Dynasty 1650–1600
Seventeenth Dynasty XVII 1580–1549
New Kingdom
Eighteenth Dynasty XVIII 1549–1292
Nineteenth Dynasty XIX 1292–1189
Twentieth Dynasty XX 1189–1077
Third Intermediate
Twenty-first Dynasty XXI 1069–945
Twenty-second Dynasty XXII 945–720
Twenty-third Dynasty XXIII 837–728
Twenty-fourth Dynasty XXIV 732–720
Twenty-fifth Dynasty XXV 732–653
Late Period
Twenty-sixth Dynasty XXVI 672–525
XXVII 525–404
Twenty-eighth Dynasty XXVIII 404–398
Twenty-ninth Dynasty XXIX 398–380
Thirtieth Dynasty XXX 380–343
XXXI 343–332
Ptolemaic (Hellenistic)
Argead Dynasty 332–305
Ptolemaic Kingdom 305–30
See also: List of Pharaohs by Period and Dynasty
Periodization of Ancient Egypt

This dynasty traced its origins to the Twenty-fourth Dynasty. Psamtik I was probably a descendant of Bakenranef, and following the Neo-Assyrian Empire's invasions during the reigns of Taharqa and Tantamani, he was recognized as sole king over all of Egypt. While the Neo-Assyrian Empire was preoccupied with revolts and civil war over control of the throne, Psamtik threw off his ties to the Assyrians circa 655 BC, formed alliances with King Gyges of Lydia, and recruited mercenaries from Caria and ancient Greece to resist Assyrian attacks.

With the sack of Nineveh in 612 BC and the fall of the Assyrian Empire, both Psamtik and his successors attempted to reassert Egyptian power in the Near East, but were driven back by the Neo-Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar II. With the help of Greek mercenaries, Apries was able to hold back Babylonian attempts to conquer Egypt. The Persians would eventually invade Egypt in 525 BCE, when their king, Cambyses II, captured and later executed Psamtik III.

Archaeology

In May 2020, an Egyptian-Spanish archaeological mission headed by Esther Ponce revealed a unique cemetery, which consists of one room built with glazed limestone dating back to the 26th Dynasty (so-called the El-Sawi era) at the site of ancient Oxyrhynchus. Archaeologists also uncovered bronze coins, clay seals, Roman tombstones and small crosses.[2][3][4] On October 3, 2020, Egypt unveiled 59 coffins of priests and clerks from the 26th dynasty, dating to nearly 2,500 years ago.[5]

Art
  • Pottery vessel showing the face of god Bes, from the 26th Dynasty. The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, London
  • Female figure, Louvre Museum. The name of Psamtik I is inscribed under the feet.
  • Sphinx of Apries, from the collection of Count Caylus

Pharaohs of the 26th Dynasty
For a more comprehensive list, see List of pharaohs.
Psamtik I enters Ashdod, in the Fall of Ashdod in 635 BCE.

The 26th Dynasty may be related to the 24th Dynasty. Manetho begins the dynasty with:

  • Ammeris the Nubian, 12 (or 18) years
  • Stephinates, 7 years
  • Nechepsos, 6 years
  • Necho, 8 years.

When the Nubian King Shabaka defeated Bakenranef, son of Tefnakht, he likely installed a Nubian commander as governor at Sais. This may be the man named Ammeris. Stephinates may be a descendant of Bakenrenef. He is sometimes referred to as Tefnakht II in the literature. Nechepsos has been identified with a local king named Nekauba (678–672 BC). Manetho's Necho is King Necho I (672–664 BC); Manetho gives his reign as 8 years.[6] Necho was killed during a conflict with the Nubian king Tantamani. Psamtik I fled to Nineveh – capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire – and returned to Egypt when Ashurbanipal defeated Tantamani and drove him back south.[1] Scholars now start the 26th Dynasty with the reign of Psamtik I.[1][6]

Sextus Julius Africanus states in his often accurate version of Manetho's Epitome that the dynasty numbered 9 pharaohs, beginning with a "Stephinates" (Tefnakht II) and ending with Psamtik III. Africanus also notes that Psamtik I and Necho I ruled for 54 and 8 years respectively.

Name of Pharaoh ImageReignThrone nameBurialConsort(s)Comments
Psamtik I
Psammetichus I		 664–610 BCWahibreSaisMehytenweskhetReunified Egypt and ended the Nubian control of Upper Egypt. Manetho gives his reign as 54 years.
Necho II
610–595 BCWehemibreKhedebneithirbinet INecho II is the Pharaoh most likely mentioned in several books of the Bible.
Psamtik II
Psammetichus II
595–589 BCNeferibreTakhuit
Wahibre Haaibre
(Apries)
589–570 BCHaaibreOverthrown and forced into exile by Amasis II. Returned to Egypt at the head of a Babylonian army, but was defeated and likely killed. Manetho gives his reign as 19 years.
Amasis II
Ahmose II		 570–526 BCKhnem-ib-reSaisTentkheta
Nakhtubasterau		Herodotus claims that when Cambyses II invaded Egypt, realizing he was not able to exact revenge for Amasis's previous misdeeds and trickery, he exhumed his body, desecrated it and burned what remained of the mummy.
Psamtik III
Psammetichus III
526–525 BCAnkhkaenreRuled for only 6 months according to Herodotus before a Persian invasion led by Cambyses II.

Timeline of the 26th Dynasty
Psamtik IIIAmasis IIPsamtik IINecho IIPsamtik I

See also

References
  1. Aidan Dodson, Dyan Hilton. The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. The American University in Cairo Press, London 2004
  2. Mahmoud, Rasha (2020-05-26). "Egypt makes major archaeological discovery amid coronavirus crisis". Al-Monitor. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  3. "Unique cemetery dating back to el-Sawi era discovered in Egypt amid coronavirus crisis". Zee News. 2020-05-28. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  4. "StackPath". dailynewsegypt.com. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  5. "Egypt unveils 59 ancient coffins in major archaeological discovery". Reuters. October 3, 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  6. Kitchen, Kenneth A. The Third Intermediate Period in Egypt, 1100-650 B.C. (Book & Supplement) Aris & Phillips. 1986 ISBN 978-0-85668-298-8

Bibliography
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