Egypt in the first millennium BC (2) The ‘Late Period’, c. 700 BC onwards

Tony Leahy

The battle over Egypt, c 730-664 BC

Nubian/Kushite king Rassam Cylinder (cuneiform)

Main features • Reunification by Twenty-sixth Dynasty, 664-525 BC

• Greeks in Egypt and renewed contacts with Aegean c. 650 BC onwards

• Persian Conquest, 525 BC

• Renewed but fragile independence, 404-332 BC

• ‘Liberation’ by Alexander the Great, 332 BC led to 300 years of rule by the Ptolemies

The Twenty-sixth Dynasty (664-525 BC) Psammetichus I of Sais, unifier and saviour

An example of archaism: scribal statues c. 2500 BC c. 650 BC

Revival of a distinctive pose to embody the respect accorded to literacy

Herodotus of Halicarnassus Book II of his ‘Histories’ on Egypt (c. 450 BC)

‘Father of history’ or ‘Father of lies’ ?

Faience inlay, shrine of Necho II, Ialysos, Rhodes

• Necho II, after a victorious siege of a town in Syria sent the clothes he wore on that occasion ‘as an offering to Apollo at Branchidae in Milesia’. (Herodotus II, 159)

Greek soldiers in Egypt

Wahibremakhet

Pedon

The Egyptian striding statue as inspiration for the Greek kouros

The Persian Conquest 526 BC

• Cambyses seized Egypt and had the body of the recently deceased king Amasis dig up, mutilated and burnt (Herodotus III)

Persians in Egypt An ‘Egyptian’ statue of Darius from Susa

Udjahorresne of Sais – a lengthy self-justification

‘Hybrid’ stelae from Saqqara for a Carian and a Persian (6th/5th centuries BC)

The Serapeum and the cult of the Apis bull

‘Sacred’ animals Ibis galleries

5 million mummies?

A feature of late Egyptian religion

Saqqara

Saqqara as a religious centre

Saqqara temple platforms

Thirtieth Dynasty revival: Nectanebo I and II look back to 26th Dynasty

Naucratis stela testimony to

economic/political aspects

Extensive building activity across

whole country

High quality sculpture and relief

Alexander the Great and Egypt

The two faces of the Ptolemies

The last temples: Edfu

Edfu pylon and solar court

Bastions of Egyptian culture

The Rosetta stone: key to deciphering ancient Egyptian language and relations between Egyptians and

Ptolemies

Philae, the last outpost –latest dated hieroglyphic inscription 394 AD

The end • Egypt became Roman

province after death of Cleopatra VII

• Coptic script appears 2nd century AD

• Constantine I first Christian emperor 305 AD

• Theodosius I closed temples 391 AD

• Defacement of temples and occupation of tombs

Enjoy the Christmas break!

• Assessment for this module is by 1.5 hour exam in May/June. See Canvas for recent paper and further guidance.

• Feel free to email with any queries

• Friday 3 pm slot will be filled next term by the wonders of ancient Western Asia