Nekauba

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Almost nothing is known of Nekauba or Nechepsos as he is also called except that he is listed as one of the early kings of the 26th Saite Dynasty in Manetho's Epitome and is assigned a reign of six years. However, his status as king is not confirmed by any contemporary documents and he may well be an invention of later 26th Dynasty Saite rulers to legitimise their kingship. Manetho writes that Nekauba is supposed to have succeeded Stephinates the founder of the 26th Dynasty--perhaps Tefnakht II--and was, in turn, followed by the well known Necho I, father of Psamtik I. Nekauba would have reigned as a local Saite king under the Nubian Dynasty between 678 BC to 672 BC if he did have an independent reign. (see Priese below) If not, he would merely have been a local mayor of Sais who served in office for this period of time prior to the accession of king Necho I.

The Egyptologist Kenneth Kitchen has suggested that Nekauba's reign be raised by a decade from six to 16 years, but this seems ambitious for such an obscure ruler. It appears far more economical to adopt – at face value – Manetho's far shorter figure of only six years since Nekauba's predecessor, Tefnakht II is now attested by a donation stela which is nearly identical in style, design and epigraphy with a newly discovered Year 2 donation stela from Necho I's reign.(see Perdu, CRAIBL 2002, pp.1215-1244) This may suggest that only a small amount of time passed between the reign of Tefnakht II and the accession of Necho I.

It is probable that Nekauba and Necho I were both sons of Tefnakht II. His name, closely resembles Necho's own name.

[edit] External references

  • Olivier Perdu, "De Stéphinatès à Néchao ou les débuts de la XXVIe dynastie," Compte-rendus de l'Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres(CRAIBL) 2002, pp.1215-1244
  • Karl-Heinz Priese, "Der Beginn der Kuschitischen Herrschaft in Ägypten," ZÄS 98(1970), pp.16-32
Preceded by
Tefnakht II?		 Pharaoh of Egypt
678 – 672 BC
Twenty-sixth Dynasty		 Succeeded by
Necho I