Speaker 1: Chapter ten, Part two of History of Egypt. This is
Speaker 1: a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
Speaker 1: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
Speaker 1: Recording by Rick VENA History of Egypt by F. C. H. Wendel,
Speaker 1: Section four The Thirtieth Dynasty three eighty six through three
Speaker 1: forty nine BC nect Hoorhab Nectinabus the first three eighty
Speaker 1: six through three sixty eight BC. The Egyptian monuments teach
Speaker 1: us nothing of this king's reign. Diodorus has, however, luckily
Speaker 1: preserved an account of him which proves that he was
Speaker 1: the most important Egyptian king of this entire period. In
Speaker 1: his reign, Egypt again took an influential place among the
Speaker 1: nations of the world. It could defy Persia and could
Speaker 1: dare to assert its influence in Asia. In this reign
Speaker 1: falls the Cypriote War that began shortly before the death
Speaker 1: of Hacre. The war had dragged along for several years
Speaker 1: before Arta Xerxes saw the need of specially exerting himself
Speaker 1: to put an end to it. He now raised an
Speaker 1: army of three hundred thousand men, which was put under
Speaker 1: command of his son in law or Rants, and fitted
Speaker 1: out a fleet of three hundred trirenes, the command of Wi,
Speaker 1: which was given to Terebasis. These combined forces proceeded to
Speaker 1: Cyprus and at once began to push the war. Euagorus
Speaker 1: had also made extensive preparations. Nectorheb sent him a goodly army.
Speaker 1: Hecatambos of Kia sent money. Several Phoenician cities, among them
Speaker 1: Tire joined him. The king of Arabia and other rulers
Speaker 1: hostile to Persia sent troops. Thus he managed to get
Speaker 1: together ninety ships and six thousand native troops besides the
Speaker 1: contingents of his allies. His privateers succeeded in cutting off
Speaker 1: the grain transport for the Persian army, and a mutiny
Speaker 1: broke out among the troops. Gluse, the newly appointed Persian admiral,
Speaker 1: consequently had to go to Silicia for grain Before undertaking anything.
Speaker 1: Eu Agoras received his provisions and large amounts of money
Speaker 1: from Egypt. He was now enabled to increase his fleet
Speaker 1: to two hundred sail fifty ships, having been sent him
Speaker 1: from Egypt. With this fleet, he attacked the Persian ships, and,
Speaker 1: though at first successful, was in the end. Defeated after
Speaker 1: a hotly contested battle, the Persians now began the siege
Speaker 1: of his capital, Salamis. Though he had won a victory
Speaker 1: on land shortly before his defeat at sea, eu Agoras
Speaker 1: lost courage, and, after appointing his son Pythagoras commander in Salamis,
Speaker 1: fled from the island, escorted by ten men of war.
Speaker 1: He went to Egypt to solicit further aid. Nect hoorhb
Speaker 1: gave him a sum of money, somewhat less than he
Speaker 1: had expected, but sufficient for his present purpose, and so
Speaker 1: he returned home three eighty three b c. He found
Speaker 1: a siege of Salamis still going on, and as his
Speaker 1: allies were beginning to desert him, he offered his submission.
Speaker 1: After a long delay, the decision came that he should
Speaker 1: remain king of Cyprus as a Persian vassal, and must
Speaker 1: pay an annual tribute. The war with Egypt continued. Glus
Speaker 1: the Persian admiral, revolted shortly after the surrender of Salamis
Speaker 1: and allying himself with Egypt, and so Sparta began a
Speaker 1: new war against Persia. He was, however, assassinated soon after,
Speaker 1: and thus his plans came to naught. Now that he
Speaker 1: had brought the war in Cyprus to a successful close,
Speaker 1: the Persian king determined to punish his inveterate enemy, The
Speaker 1: king of Egypt, nect Horheb knew what was coming and
Speaker 1: made his preparations accordingly. He began hiring mercenaries, and as
Speaker 1: he offered high pay and costly presents, he soon had
Speaker 1: collected a fine army. As general, he called Chabrius of Athens,
Speaker 1: who accepted the call without first asking the permission of
Speaker 1: his government, and going to Egypt, conducted the preparations for
Speaker 1: the war with great energy. Farnabassu, the Persian commander in chief,
Speaker 1: was also very busy with his preparations. He sent envoys
Speaker 1: to Athens to accuse Chabrius of alienating the good feelings
Speaker 1: of Persia from Athens, and to ask the Athenians to
Speaker 1: send him Efficrates as general. Chabrius was accordingly recalled and
Speaker 1: Efficrates sent to Persia between three seventy six and three
Speaker 1: seventy four BC. At length three seventy four BC, Pharnabasos
Speaker 1: was ready. He had collected an army of two hundred
Speaker 1: thousand native troops and twenty thousand Greek mercenaries, three hundred
Speaker 1: men of war and a large fleet of smaller craft.
Speaker 1: This force mustered at Akka and thence proceeded along the
Speaker 1: coast toward Egypt. Early in the summer, they reached the
Speaker 1: border after several attempts to betray the army had been
Speaker 1: detected and prevented by efficratees necked or Heb had regular
Speaker 1: reports concerning the strength and movements of the enemy. His
Speaker 1: plan of operations was very simple. He relied on the
Speaker 1: natural bulwarks of the land. All the border forts were
Speaker 1: greatly strengthened, and the mouths of the Nile were strongly fortified,
Speaker 1: the strongest fortifications being erected on the Pallusian branch, the
Speaker 1: one nearest to Asia. When the Persians approached this branch,
Speaker 1: they found it too strong and determined to attempt some
Speaker 1: less strongly fortified branch of the river. Consequently, they put
Speaker 1: to sea, and soon after appeared on the Mendesian branch,
Speaker 1: where they landed three thousand men who advanced on the fort.
Speaker 1: An equal number of Egyptians sallied from the fort to
Speaker 1: meet them, but the enemy being constantly reinforced from their ships,
Speaker 1: the Egyptians were almost cut to pieces. A small remnant
Speaker 1: of their force escaped to the fort, closely pursued by
Speaker 1: epocratices men, who entered the fort together with them. It fell,
Speaker 1: Its walls were raised, and the inhabitants were sold into slavery. Efficrates,
Speaker 1: who had found out from one of the prisoners that
Speaker 1: Memphis was unprotected, advised an immediate advance on that city.
Speaker 1: Pharnabasos replied that they had better await the remainder of
Speaker 1: their army so as to be sure of taking the town. Efficrates,
Speaker 1: now proposed to go down with his Greeks and take
Speaker 1: the city, dismayed the Persian suspicious, and he refused him permission.
Speaker 1: This quarrel between the Persian leaders gave nect Hoorheb time
Speaker 1: to collect an army at Memphis and to move with
Speaker 1: all his force against the Persians in the Delta. Several
Speaker 1: combats took place, in which the Egyptians were mostly successful,
Speaker 1: but no decisive battle was fought. Meanwhile, the Nile rose,
Speaker 1: and soon the entire Delta was converted into a vast lake. Hereupon,
Speaker 1: the Persians, despairing of success, returned to Asia. Efficrates, who
Speaker 1: feared vio vilence on account of his quarrel with Farnabasos
Speaker 1: went straight to Athens. For several years, the army lay
Speaker 1: in Asia, ready to renew the war at any time,
Speaker 1: and in three seventy two b C. Timotheus went to
Speaker 1: Asia to offer his services to the Persian king. Nothing
Speaker 1: was done, however, and the great campaign against Egypt so
Speaker 1: pompously begun proved in the end a dismal failure. Despite
Speaker 1: the fact that he was almost constantly at war, this
Speaker 1: pharaoh carefully kept the temples in repair. He built at Edfu, Karnak, Medinet, Habu, Abidos, Bubastis, Memphis,
Speaker 1: and other places. After a busy and eventful reign of
Speaker 1: eighteen years, he died Tahr Greek Tachos three sixty eight
Speaker 1: through three sixty one b C. It would seem that
Speaker 1: after the death of nect Horheb troubles regarding the succession
Speaker 1: broke out. The list of Manetho gives Tachos that is
Speaker 1: Tahr only two years and Nectinibus the second nect Nebef
Speaker 1: eighteen years, while the accounts given by the Greek authors
Speaker 1: go to prove that Tachos still reigned in three sixty
Speaker 1: one b C. It would seem then that Tehr had
Speaker 1: appointed nect Nebev co regent in three sixty seven b C,
Speaker 1: and that this latter monarch had, in imitation of the
Speaker 1: older pharaohs, dated his accession to the throne from the
Speaker 1: time he was made co regent. According to the Demodic Chronicles,
Speaker 1: Tahar was the son of nect Hoorheb. According to the
Speaker 1: Greek authors, he was that monarch's cousin. The Egyptian inscriptions
Speaker 1: tell us nothing of this king, and from the Greek
Speaker 1: historians we know only the events of the closing year
Speaker 1: of his reign. In three sixty one BC, a great
Speaker 1: revolt against Persia broke out in Asia, and Tahar naturally
Speaker 1: assisted the rebels. He collected a large army and fitted
Speaker 1: out a strong fleet. He also hired great numbers of
Speaker 1: mercenaries in Greece and made a treaty of alliance with Sparta.
Speaker 1: The strength of the coalition thus formed against Persia would
Speaker 1: have been sufficient for its purpose had it not been
Speaker 1: weakened by treachery. Orontes, the commander in chief of the
Speaker 1: Asiatic rebels, was the first to prove a traitor, and
Speaker 1: soon after Riomythras, who had received the aid furnished by
Speaker 1: Tahr five hundred talents, twenty eight thousand, five hundred pounds
Speaker 1: of silver, and fifty men of war followed his example.
Speaker 1: Notwithstanding this defection, the forces at the command of the
Speaker 1: pharaoh were quite strong, consisting of two hundred splendidly equipped
Speaker 1: men of war, eighty thousand native troops, and ten thousand
Speaker 1: choice Greek mercenaries. The command of the mercenaries devolved on
Speaker 1: King Agisilaus of Sparta, who had come over with one
Speaker 1: thousand hoplights. The Athenian Cabrius was given command of the fleet,
Speaker 1: while Tahor himself retained command and of the native troops.
Speaker 1: Cabrius was the special favorite of the pharaoh, who is
Speaker 1: said even to have gone so far at his advice
Speaker 1: as to levy attacks on the temple estates, and on
Speaker 1: the exports and imports of the country. While the war lasted,
Speaker 1: Agesilaus was less regarded. His coming had been looked forward
Speaker 1: to with considerable expectation. Preparations had been made for a
Speaker 1: grand reception, and valuable presence had been ordered. When he
Speaker 1: did come, he proved quite a disappointment. His small stature
Speaker 1: an extreme plainness awakened the scorn of the Egyptians, and
Speaker 1: a number of jokes were circulated at his expense. This
Speaker 1: naturally enraged him, and though he did his full duty
Speaker 1: by Tayor, there was a coolness between the two kings,
Speaker 1: which was still further augmented by the fact that Tehr,
Speaker 1: disregarding the advice of the Spartan, proceeded to conduct the
Speaker 1: war on his own plan. Agaisilaeus had advised Tahr to
Speaker 1: await the Persians in Egypt, but the pharaoh was determined
Speaker 1: to take the offensive and invade Syria. Phoonisia fell an
Speaker 1: easy prey to his attack, and the king sent his
Speaker 1: cousin and co regent, necked Nebev, to take the cities
Speaker 1: of Syria. These movements were successful, and matters were assuming
Speaker 1: the most hopeful aspect when Tahr, the general whom the
Speaker 1: pharaoh had appointed regent of Egypt for the time of
Speaker 1: his absence, revolted and offered the crown to nect Nebeth.
Speaker 1: The latter assented and soon had won over the army
Speaker 1: and its officers and all the people of Egypt. All
Speaker 1: he needed now was the support of the Greek mercenaries. Accordingly,
Speaker 1: he sent envoys to Agasilaos and Cabrius, soliciting their support.
Speaker 1: Agasilaus despatched messengers to Sparta, asking how he should act,
Speaker 1: and receiving the reply that he should do what he
Speaker 1: deemed most advantageous for Sparta, he declared for nect Nebev. Cabrius,
Speaker 1: who had at first determined to remain loyal to Tehr,
Speaker 1: seeing his colleague desert that monarch and being unable to
Speaker 1: help him alone, followed Agasilaus's example. He left Egypt, however,
Speaker 1: soon after, never to return. Tehor fled first to Sidon
Speaker 1: and thence to our Exerxes, who not only forgave him
Speaker 1: his former enmity, but even made him commander in chief
Speaker 1: of the army that was preparing to invade Egypt. For
Speaker 1: a while he lived at the Persian court, where he
Speaker 1: spent his time in wild orgies, until he finally died
Speaker 1: of dysentery. The command of the Persian army he never
Speaker 1: actually took. This Pharaoh reigned two years alone and six
Speaker 1: years in conjunction with nect Nebef nect Nebev Greek Nectanebus
Speaker 1: the second three sixty one through three forty nine BC.
Speaker 1: In three sixty one b C the last native pharaoh,
Speaker 1: ascended the Egyptian throne. The first act of his reign
Speaker 1: was to give up the conquests in Poetia and Syria
Speaker 1: and to withdraw within the boundaries of Egypt. The reason
Speaker 1: for this step was most probably that the internal dissensions
Speaker 1: had not yet come to a close. A Mendition had
Speaker 1: appeared as a pretender to the crown and had succeeded
Speaker 1: in gaining a large following and raising an army. He
Speaker 1: even attempted to gain over King Agasilaeus, but he remained
Speaker 1: loyal to his ally necked Nebev. Carefully avoiding a battle,
Speaker 1: retired to a fortified town where his rival beleaguered him. Already,
Speaker 1: the besieged were beginning to lose heart as their provisions
Speaker 1: gave out, when Agasilaeus saved them. Sallying from the town,
Speaker 1: he broke the ranks of the besiegers and drew up
Speaker 1: his troops in the plain, so that both both flanks
Speaker 1: rested on canals. In the battle that ensued, the bravery
Speaker 1: of the Greeks prevailed over the superior numbers of the Egyptians.
Speaker 1: The latter were completely routed. The greater part of their
Speaker 1: number being slain and the rest flying from the field
Speaker 1: in wild disorder. Nec nebef was now undisputed ruler of Egypt.
Speaker 1: Shortly after this victory, Agisilaeus determined to return home. The
Speaker 1: grateful king loaded him with presents. According to some authorities,
Speaker 1: he gave him two hundred and thirty talents or about
Speaker 1: two hundred and seventy one thousand, four hundred dollars, which
Speaker 1: he distributed among his troops. On his way to Syennae,
Speaker 1: he died. His body was embalmed and sent to Sparta,
Speaker 1: where it was buried with royal honors three sixty b C. Meanwhile,
Speaker 1: the Persians had completed their preparations and Arta Xerxes had
Speaker 1: appointed his son Ochus co regent. Ochus set out for Egypt,
Speaker 1: but on hearing the news of his father's death in
Speaker 1: three point fifty nine b C, he returned home. Some
Speaker 1: time later, Ochus attempted the subjugation of Egypt, but was
Speaker 1: defeated by nect Nebev, who was assisted by two excellent generals,
Speaker 1: the Ephantes of Athens and Lamias of Sparta. This success
Speaker 1: of the Egyptians encouraged the Phonetis and the king of
Speaker 1: Cyprus to strike a blow for independence. They concluded treaties
Speaker 1: with nect Nebev, and at once began extensive preparations. At
Speaker 1: the head of the Phoenician towns stood Saidon, which soon
Speaker 1: succeeded in collecting a large army and vast amounts of
Speaker 1: military stores. Ochus had however, not been idle. He had
Speaker 1: collected an army of three hundred thousand infantry and thirty
Speaker 1: thousand cavalry, and had fitted out three hundred triremes and
Speaker 1: five hundred transports. Then he started from Babylon. Before his arrival,
Speaker 1: two of his satraps Bellasis of Syria and Mazaeos of Silicia,
Speaker 1: had in vain attempted the reconquest of Phoenicia. They were
Speaker 1: defeated and driven out of the country by Tennis, the
Speaker 1: king of Saidon, assisted by four thousand Greeks under Mentor,
Speaker 1: who had been sent him by neckt Nebeth. Now came
Speaker 1: the news that Ochus was approaching, and Tennis lost courage.
Speaker 1: He sent a trusty messenger to Ochus, asking pardon for
Speaker 1: his revolt and offering to aid the king against Egypt.
Speaker 1: Ogus gladly promised full pardon, even giving him costly presents,
Speaker 1: and after some hesitation, pledged himself to this course. We
Speaker 1: shall presently see how he kept his word. Ochus had,
Speaker 1: while advancing on side On, despatched envoys to Greece asking
Speaker 1: the larger states to join in the campaign against Egypt.
Speaker 1: Athens and Sparta remained neutral. Thebes sent one thousand hoplites
Speaker 1: under Lacrites and Argos three thousand men under Nicostratus, whom
Speaker 1: Ochus had asked them to send him. The Greek cities
Speaker 1: of Asia Minor furnished in all six thousand men, making
Speaker 1: the total number of Greeks in the Persian army aggregate
Speaker 1: ten thousand men. Ogus now laid siege to Sidon, which
Speaker 1: was very strongly fortified and would never have yielded had
Speaker 1: it not been for the treachery of its king. Tennis
Speaker 1: persuaded Mentor to join him, and together they succeeded in
Speaker 1: admitting the Persians into the city. When the Sidonians saw
Speaker 1: they were lost, they destroyed their fleet, locked themselves up
Speaker 1: in their houses, and set fire to the city. Over
Speaker 1: forty thousand people are said to have perished in the flames.
Speaker 1: This so enraged Okus that he had Tennis put to death.
Speaker 1: Mentor and his four thousand joined the Persian army. The
Speaker 1: fall of Saidon was disastrous to the allies, for all
Speaker 1: of the Phoenician cities, on hearing of the dire news,
Speaker 1: surrendered at discretion. About the same time, Cyprus again fell
Speaker 1: into the hands of the Persians. A detachment of eight
Speaker 1: thousand Greeks, supported by forty trirems under command of the
Speaker 1: Athenian Phocian and ex king Euegoras of Cyprus, succeeded in
Speaker 1: subduing the island very quickly. Salamis alone held out. Euagorus
Speaker 1: strained every nerve to capture the city, as he hoped
Speaker 1: to be made king again. Charges were, however, preferred against him,
Speaker 1: and consequently Pythagoras was allowed to keep the city as
Speaker 1: a vassal of Persia. The Persians now attacked Egypt. After
Speaker 1: having suffered severe losses in the desert, they at length
Speaker 1: reached Pelusium. The Persian troops were drawn up at some
Speaker 1: distance from the strongly fortified town, while the Greeks camped
Speaker 1: almost under its walls. The city was garrisoned by five
Speaker 1: thousand men under Philoffrn. The first attack was made by
Speaker 1: the Thebans who waded the narrow canal that separated them
Speaker 1: from the town, and began a battle which lasted far
Speaker 1: into the night, but was indecisive. The forces of neck
Speaker 1: Nebev were much inferior to those of the Persians, consisting
Speaker 1: of twenty thousand Greeks, twenty thousand Libyans, and sixty thousand Egyptians,
Speaker 1: but he possessed large numbers of river boats, which could
Speaker 1: be used used to great advantage in any combat on
Speaker 1: the Nile. And moreover, he had erected a string of
Speaker 1: strong forts along the eastern bank of the Peluzic branch.
Speaker 1: He lacked, however, a good general. Proud of his previous
Speaker 1: victories over the Persians, he had neglected the send to
Speaker 1: Greece for a general. This mistake proved fatal. He had
Speaker 1: posted half his force in the forts, and with the
Speaker 1: rest he opposed the advance of the enemy. Before a
Speaker 1: decisive battle was fought. Nicostratus succeeded in moving his men
Speaker 1: to a point of vantage betrayed to him by an Egyptian,
Speaker 1: and strongly entrenched himself. Seeing this, Clineus of cass who
Speaker 1: was posted near by with seven thousand men, attempted to
Speaker 1: dislodge him. The attack was repulsed Clineus and five thousand
Speaker 1: of his men fell. This battle was by no means decisive,
Speaker 1: but now the want of a good general showed itself
Speaker 1: in the Egyptian army. Instead of sending a stronger force
Speaker 1: against Nicostratus necked Nebeth, fearing that the Persians would all
Speaker 1: cross the Nile as easily as that commander had lost courage, and,
Speaker 1: deserting his forts, retreated to Memphis. Meanwhile, Pelusium was being
Speaker 1: besieged by Lacrites, but it made a desperate resistance for
Speaker 1: several days. When the garrison heard of the pharaoh's retreat, however,
Speaker 1: they offered to capitulate. Lacrits promised the Greek troops a
Speaker 1: safe retreat, and though Bagoas, who commanded the Persian division
Speaker 1: of this corps, attempted to attack them, he was prevented
Speaker 1: from doing so by his colleague Mentor, now marched through
Speaker 1: the delta, promising immunity to all who would surrender at discretion,
Speaker 1: and threatening all who should resist with the fate of saidon. Consequently,
Speaker 1: the Greek and Egyptian garrisons vied with one another in
Speaker 1: the rapidity of their surrenders. Among others, the strong and
Speaker 1: important fortress of Bubastis surrendered at discretion, and all the
Speaker 1: other fortresses of the Delta followed its example. When nect
Speaker 1: Nbev heard of these losses, he dared not give battle,
Speaker 1: but taking the greater part of the monies in the
Speaker 1: state coffers, he fled to Ethiopia. Thus, about three forty
Speaker 1: nine b C, Egypt, after an independence of sixty five years,
Speaker 1: again fell into the hands of the Persians, and from
Speaker 1: this time forth it was destined to be governed by
Speaker 1: foreign rulers. Section five. The thirty first Dynasty and the
Speaker 1: invasion of Alexander three forty nine through three thirty one
Speaker 1: b C. Of the last three Persian kings, not one
Speaker 1: was of special importance for Egypt. Ochus was a cruel
Speaker 1: tyrant whose acts reminded of the times of the insanity
Speaker 1: of Cambises. The Greek authors relate stories of his outrages
Speaker 1: against the Egyptian religion that accord well with what we
Speaker 1: know of his character. They recount that the peace had
Speaker 1: once on a time nicknamed him Onos the ass, and
Speaker 1: now he determined to have his revenge. The sacred APIs
Speaker 1: steer was butchered and eaten by the king and his friends,
Speaker 1: and an ass was elevated to the position of sacred
Speaker 1: animal in his stead. The sacred ram of Mendes was
Speaker 1: likewise slaughtered at the king's command. The walls of the
Speaker 1: principal cities were raised, the temples were plundered, and their
Speaker 1: treasures of gold and silver carried off to Persia. Not
Speaker 1: content with plundering the temples, Okus stole the sacred writings
Speaker 1: from the sanctuaries and compelled the priests to repurchase them
Speaker 1: at exorbitant prices. As satrap, he appointed a Purian named Ferendatees,
Speaker 1: and then he returned home to Babylon loaded with rich booty.
Speaker 1: Twelve years after the conquest of Egypt, Ochus was murdered
Speaker 1: by Bagoas, who placed the king's son Arsace on the throne.
Speaker 1: But he ruled only three years, falling a victim to
Speaker 1: the same treacherous eunuch that had murdered his father three
Speaker 1: thirty four BC. In the place of his last victim,
Speaker 1: Bagous elevated a distant relative of the royal family, his
Speaker 1: friend Darius, to the throne, and at his hands finally
Speaker 1: met his merited reward. The king detected the eunuch's plan
Speaker 1: against his life and compelled the fellow to swallow the
Speaker 1: draft intended for himself. Darius did not long retain the
Speaker 1: throne he owed to his friend's crime. The Greek invasion
Speaker 1: under Alexander's leadership soon deprived him of his crown. Egypt
Speaker 1: remained tranquil, almost an uninterested spectator during the dread struggle
Speaker 1: between Greece and Persia. Even though all of the Persian
Speaker 1: garrisons had been withdrawn in the Battle of Issus, the
Speaker 1: Egyptian contingent fought with the Persians under its satrap Sabases.
Speaker 1: Their leader fell and the troops fled with Darius in Egypt.
Speaker 1: Mazases succeeded Sabbases as satrap, but he had no troops
Speaker 1: to support his authority. The power of Persia was crushed,
Speaker 1: but Egypt did not strike the one blow that would
Speaker 1: have sufficed to regain its freedom. They had, however, sufficient
Speaker 1: spirit left to defend their homes against robbers. After the
Speaker 1: defeat of the Persians at Issus, Ametas, a Macedonian exile
Speaker 1: who had joined Darius, fled to Tripolis in Phoenicia, collected
Speaker 1: a fleet and sailed to Cyprus, where he increased his
Speaker 1: land forces. Thence he sailed to Pelusium, effected a landing,
Speaker 1: and declared he was the new Satrap appointed by Darius.
Speaker 1: He then marched through the Delta to Memphis, near which
Speaker 1: city he defeated a body of Egyptians. After the victory,
Speaker 1: his bands dispersed to plunder the rich country seats lying
Speaker 1: about the city. While engaged in this world, they were
Speaker 1: surprised and cut to pieces by the citizens. Ametas fell,
Speaker 1: and not a man of his bands escaped. After taking
Speaker 1: Tire and Gaza, Alexander determined to secure Egypt. He reached
Speaker 1: Pelusium after a seven days march without encountering any resistance.
Speaker 1: His fleet awaited him in the harbor Mazases. Having no
Speaker 1: troops and having no hope of assistance from his unfortunate monarch,
Speaker 1: had no recourse but surrender. Alexander garrisoned Pellusium and sent
Speaker 1: the fleet up the Nile to Memphis. With the army,
Speaker 1: he marched along the river bank to Heliopolis, and crossing
Speaker 1: the river at this point, soon entered Memphis. The great
Speaker 1: king entered the ancient capital not in the character of
Speaker 1: a conqueror, but like a pharaoh of old, observing all
Speaker 1: the old religious ceremonies, he offered sacrifices to the gods,
Speaker 1: and instituted athletic games and prize contests in the fine arts,
Speaker 1: in which celebrated Greek masters took part. The Egyptians were
Speaker 1: naturally captivated by this conduct, which was so different from
Speaker 1: that of the last Persian rulers, and it is not
Speaker 1: at all surprising that a mystic romance was soon woven
Speaker 1: about the person of the Macedonian king. According to this romance,
Speaker 1: nect Nebev had not fled to Ethiopia, but to Macedonia.
Speaker 1: He was a great magician, and as such he took
Speaker 1: the form of jubiter Amun, and in this form approached
Speaker 1: Queen Olympius, the wife of King Philip. Alexander was, thus,
Speaker 1: the story continues, the son of nect Nebev, and not
Speaker 1: of Philip. The romance thus made Alexander the legitimate heir
Speaker 1: of the old pharaohs and the avenger of his father
Speaker 1: nect Nebev. It would seem that Alexander rather favored the
Speaker 1: spread of this legend, as he knew it would greatly
Speaker 1: strengthen his hold on the Egyptian people. Sailing down the
Speaker 1: Nile from Memphis through the Canopic branch, he went to
Speaker 1: sea from cannapis landing at the outlet of Lake Maroetus,
Speaker 1: near the ancient town of Racote. He saw at a
Speaker 1: glance that the place offered unequaled harbor facilities. He therefore
Speaker 1: determined to found a city here would should bear his name,
Speaker 1: and thus was founded the city of Alexandria, the most
Speaker 1: important and most permanent of the many towns founded by
Speaker 1: this king. This city soon became the great intellectual exchange
Speaker 1: between the nations of the Occident and the orient, the
Speaker 1: mother of a new civilization. Here, European and Oriental philosophy, religion,
Speaker 1: and science met on a footing of equality, and views
Speaker 1: were exchanged, and new systems inaugurated that completely revolutionized ideas.
Speaker 1: The philosophy of Philo and the astronomical system of Ptolemy
Speaker 1: were among the brilliant results of the new civilization. A
Speaker 1: new art, the Hellenistic, resulted from the interchange of Greek
Speaker 1: and Oriental, more especially Egyptian ideas on art. Doubtless, too,
Speaker 1: the spread of Christianity was much fostered by the cosmopolitan
Speaker 1: spirit in regard to religious matters which emanated from this city.
Speaker 1: From Alexandria, the king pushed westward to the famous Oasis
Speaker 1: of Ammon. With the assistance of the gods, he reached
Speaker 1: it in safety. The story goes that when the water
Speaker 1: supply gave out, rain fell, and that messengers of the God,
Speaker 1: in the shape of ravens, conducted the army to the oasis.
Speaker 1: On the way, he was met by a deputation from Syrinae,
Speaker 1: which offered him a golden crown and costly presents. The
Speaker 1: city evidently a handed an attack, and thought it advisable
Speaker 1: to submit peaceably. As Alexander entered the temple of Amon
Speaker 1: on the oasis, the high priest hailed him as son
Speaker 1: of the God. Not knowing that it was customary to
Speaker 1: designate the Pharaohs as sons of ra and of Amon,
Speaker 1: the king laid great stress on this greeting. After having
Speaker 1: made the temple rich presence, Alexander returned to Memphis in safety.
Speaker 1: Here he instituted a great festival in honor of Jupiter.
Speaker 1: He now turned his attention to the reorganization of the
Speaker 1: Egyptian government. The civil government was put into the hands
Speaker 1: of two Egyptian nomarchoi named Doloaspis and Petisis, and on
Speaker 1: the resignation of the former, the control roowle of civil
Speaker 1: matters was entrusted to the latter alone. The commanders of
Speaker 1: the garrisons and of the various troops of mercenaries, as
Speaker 1: well as the heads of the commissary departments were Greeks.
Speaker 1: Leaving a part of his army in Egypt, Alexander early
Speaker 1: in three thirty one BC left the country, never to return.
Speaker 1: He had so delicately adjusted the government that the various
Speaker 1: officials effectively held one another in check, and there could
Speaker 1: be no chance of a revolt. After Alexander's death, his
Speaker 1: body was brought to Alexandria for interment. With the conquest
Speaker 1: of Egypt by Alexander, the history of the country comes
Speaker 1: to a close. The Ptolemies, who after the Great King's
Speaker 1: death again made Egypt independent, were a Greek family, and
Speaker 1: the civilization of their times differed materially from that of
Speaker 1: the older epics. Under them, the old religious traditions were fostered,
Speaker 1: it is true, but they no longer possessed any vitality.
Speaker 1: There was no longer a national religion as of old.
Speaker 1: The old religion and language were known to the priests alone,
Speaker 1: and with every generation they became less and less intelligible.
Speaker 1: Even to this class of well let us call them
Speaker 1: official custodians of the ancient traditions. Until with the coming
Speaker 1: of Christianity in the first century AD, the old religion
Speaker 1: gradually passed away. The Ptolemies themselves were Greeks. Their capital, Alexandria,
Speaker 1: was a Greek city. The civilization of their epoch was
Speaker 1: partly Greek, partly Egyptian. The history of Egypt after the
Speaker 1: conquest forms an integral part, first of Greek, then of Roman,
Speaker 1: and lastly of Mohammedan history. Chronological table Mena unites upper
Speaker 1: and lower Egypt not later than thirty two hundred b C. S.
Speaker 1: Nephru the founder of the Fourth dynasty not later than
Speaker 1: twenty eight thirty b C. Accession of Mari Ra Pepi
Speaker 1: not later than twenty five thirty b C. Transition period
Speaker 1: about twenty four hundred through twenty two fifty fifty b C.
Speaker 1: Accession of a Menemhat the first about twenty one thirty BC,
Speaker 1: Usir Tessen the third about twenty thirteen through nineteen eighty
Speaker 1: seven b C. A Menemhat, the third about nineteen eighty
Speaker 1: six through nineteen forty two b C. Hiksos domination about
Speaker 1: seventeen eighty through fifteen thirty BC. Accession of Akmas the
Speaker 1: first about fifteen thirty b C. Tutmosis, the third about
Speaker 1: fourteen eighty through fourteen twenty seven b C. Chewinatin about
Speaker 1: thirteen seventy six through thirteen sixty one four b C.
Speaker 1: Accession of Horumheb about thirteen forty b C. Seti the
Speaker 1: first about thirteen sixteen through twelve eighty nine b C. Ramses,
Speaker 1: the second about twelve eighty eight through twelve twenty one
Speaker 1: b C. Ramses, the third about eleven eighty through eleven
Speaker 1: forty eight b C. Accession of Harrahor the first priest
Speaker 1: king about ten fifty b C. Sheshenk the first about
Speaker 1: nine forty five through nine twenty four b C. Pianchi's
Speaker 1: invasion about eight hundred b C. Accession of Shabaka about
Speaker 1: seven twenty eight b C. First Assyrian invasion about six
Speaker 1: seventy two b C. Second Assyrian invasion about six sixty
Speaker 1: seven b C. Tanawat Amon's invasion about six sixty four
Speaker 1: b C. Third Assyrian invasion about six sixty two. B
Speaker 1: C Semtec the first six forty five through six ten,
Speaker 1: b C Nekau six ten through five ninety four, b
Speaker 1: C Battle of Karchemish six o four b C Nebekinzer
Speaker 1: invades Egypt five sixty seven, b C Conquest of Egypt
Speaker 1: by Cambises five twenty five. B C Revolt of Chabash
Speaker 1: four eighty six, b C Revolt of Inaros four sixty
Speaker 1: four through four sixty b C Ahmenrut freeze Egypt from
Speaker 1: Persia four fourteen, b C nect Hoorheb three eighty six
Speaker 1: through three sixty eight, b C nect Nebef three sixty
Speaker 1: one through three forty nine, b C Conquest of Egypt
Speaker 1: by Ochus three forty nine, b C Conquest of Egypt
Speaker 1: by Alexander three thirty one b C. The end end
Speaker 1: of Chapter ten, Part two, End of History of Egypt
Speaker 1: by F. C. H. Wendell