Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt

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
Twenty-seventh Dynasty (1st Persian Period)	XXVII	525–404
Twenty-eighth Dynasty	XXVIII	404–398
Twenty-ninth Dynasty	XXIX	398–380
Thirtieth Dynasty	XXX	380–343
Thirty-first Dynasty (2nd Persian Period)	XXXI	343–332

Ptolemaic (Hellenistic)

Argead Dynasty	332–305
Ptolemaic Kingdom	305–30

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]

History

This dynasty traced its origins to the 24th Dynasty. Psamtik I was probably a descendant of Bakenrenef, and following the Assyrians' invasions during the reigns of Taharqa and Tantamani, he was recognized as sole king over all of Egypt. While the Assyrian Empire was preoccupied with revolts and civil war over control of the throne, Psammetichus threw off his ties to the Assyrians, and formed alliances with Gyges, king of Lydia, and recruited mercenaries from Caria and 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 Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar II. With the help of Greek mercenaries, Apries was able to hold back Babylonian attempts to conquer Egypt, only for the Persians to eventually do so. Their king, Cambyses II, captured and later executed Psamtik III.

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.

Pharaohs of the 26th Dynasty

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 Bakenrenef, 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.^[2] Necho was killed during a conflict with the Nubian king Tanutamun. Psamtik I fled to Nineveh – capital of the Assyrian Empire – and returned to Egypt when Assurbanipal defeated Tanutamun and drove him back south.^[1] Scholars now start the 26th Dynasty with the reign of Psamtik I.^[1]^[2]

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	Reign	Throne name	Burial	Consort(s)	Comments
Psamtik I/Psammetichus I	664–610 BC	Wahibre	Sais	Mehytenweskhet	Reunified Egypt and ended the Nubian control of Upper Egypt. Manetho gives his reign as 54 years.
Necho II	610–595 BC	Wehemibre		Khedebneithirbinet I	Necho II is the Pharaoh most likely mentioned in several books of the Bible.
Psamtik II/Psammetichus II	595–589 BC	Neferibre		Takhuit
Wahibre Haaibre (Apries)	589–570 BC	Haaibre			Overthrown 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 BC	Khnem-ib-re	Sais	Tentkheta 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 BC	Ankhkaenre			Ruled for only 6 months according to Herodotus before a Persian invasion led by Cambyses II.

Timeline of the 26th Dynasty

References

1 2 3 Aidan Dodson, Dyan Hilton. The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. The American University in Cairo Press, London 2004
1 2 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

Aidan Dodson, Dyan Hilton. The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. The American University in Cairo Press, London, 2004.
Kenneth Kitchen, The Third Intermediate Period in Egypt, 1100–650 B.C. (Book & Supplement) Aris & Phillips. 1986 ISBN 978-0-85668-298-8.
Karl Jansen-Winkeln, Bild und Charakter der ägyptischen 26. Dynastie, Altorientalische Forschungen, 28 (2001), 165–182.

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