6th century BCE
Kush and the Nile Valley
The Egyptian invasion of Kush in 593 BC was conducted during the third year of King Psamtek II’s reign and reached Napata. Egyptian and foreign troops left graffiti at Abu Simbel and Buhen, while an inscription names Potasimto and Amasis as expedition leaders. The campaign may have damaged Napatan monuments and encouraged a later shift toward Meroe.
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The Story
In the third year of the Egyptian king Psamtek II, an Egyptian army invaded Kush and advanced as far as Napata. The campaign is also associated with Herodotus’s report that the Egyptians attacked Ethiopia at this time. The expedition therefore appears to have penetrated deeply into the Kushite heartland rather than remaining confined to the northern frontier.
Evidence for the campaign comes from inscriptions and graffiti at Abu Simbel and Buhen. The principal graffito at Abu Simbel names Potasimto as leader of the foreign troops and Amasis as leader of the Egyptian forces, and states that they advanced as far as Kerkis. Kerkis cannot be identified with certainty, although the passage notes a possible association with modern Kurgus upstream from Abu Hamed.
The invasion may have had serious consequences for Napata. Fragments of statues of Napatan rulers were discovered in the temples of Jebel Barkal, with the latest fragment attributed to Aspelta. These remains may indicate that Napata was sacked, but the evidence is presented cautiously and does not establish the event conclusively.
The campaign is also considered a possible reason for the growing importance of Meroe. Moving the main center of the state farther south would have increased military security, although the passage emphasizes that the change from Napata to Meroe was gradual and cannot be dated with certainty.
6th century BCE
Kush and the Nile Valley
The Egyptian invasion of Kush in 593 BC was conducted during the third year of King Psamtek II’s reign and reached Napata. Egyptian and foreign troops left graffiti at Abu Simbel and Buhen, while an inscription names Potasimto and Amasis as expedition leaders. The campaign may have damaged Napatan monuments and encouraged a later shift toward Meroe.
Continue exploring
The Story
In the third year of the Egyptian king Psamtek II, an Egyptian army invaded Kush and advanced as far as Napata. The campaign is also associated with Herodotus’s report that the Egyptians attacked Ethiopia at this time. The expedition therefore appears to have penetrated deeply into the Kushite heartland rather than remaining confined to the northern frontier.
Evidence for the campaign comes from inscriptions and graffiti at Abu Simbel and Buhen. The principal graffito at Abu Simbel names Potasimto as leader of the foreign troops and Amasis as leader of the Egyptian forces, and states that they advanced as far as Kerkis. Kerkis cannot be identified with certainty, although the passage notes a possible association with modern Kurgus upstream from Abu Hamed.
The invasion may have had serious consequences for Napata. Fragments of statues of Napatan rulers were discovered in the temples of Jebel Barkal, with the latest fragment attributed to Aspelta. These remains may indicate that Napata was sacked, but the evidence is presented cautiously and does not establish the event conclusively.
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