6th century BCE – 4th century BCE
Egypt
The Persian Period in Egypt began with the conquest of Egypt by Cambyses during the reign of Psammetik III. Persian kings headed the Twenty-seventh Dynasty, while later Egyptian dynasties briefly restored local independence through revolt and alliances with Athens and Sparta. A second Persian domination began under Artaxerxes III in 341 BCE and ended when Alexander the Great invaded Egypt in 332 BCE after defeating Persia at Issus.
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The Story
Persian conquest transformed Egypt from an independent power into a territory governed by foreign kings. Cambyses seized the country during the reign of Psammetik III, and Persian rulers then headed the Twenty-seventh Dynasty. The conquest marked the effective end of Egypt’s continuous independence as a major sovereign power in the account presented here.
Egyptian resistance nevertheless produced temporary restorations of local rule. The Twenty-eighth Dynasty, known as the Amyrtaios dynasty, organized a revolt during the troubled reign of Darius II. The kings of the Twenty-ninth and Thirtieth Dynasties used alliances with Athens and Sparta to preserve the independence they had regained for approximately sixty years.
A second Persian domination began under Artaxerxes III in 341 BCE. It was short-lived: Alexander the Great invaded Egypt in 332 BCE after defeating Persia at the battle of Issus, bringing the Persian phase described in the excerpt to an end.
6th century BCE – 4th century BCE
Egypt
The Persian Period in Egypt began with the conquest of Egypt by Cambyses during the reign of Psammetik III. Persian kings headed the Twenty-seventh Dynasty, while later Egyptian dynasties briefly restored local independence through revolt and alliances with Athens and Sparta. A second Persian domination began under Artaxerxes III in 341 BCE and ended when Alexander the Great invaded Egypt in 332 BCE after defeating Persia at Issus.
Continue exploring
The Story
Persian conquest transformed Egypt from an independent power into a territory governed by foreign kings. Cambyses seized the country during the reign of Psammetik III, and Persian rulers then headed the Twenty-seventh Dynasty. The conquest marked the effective end of Egypt’s continuous independence as a major sovereign power in the account presented here.
Egyptian resistance nevertheless produced temporary restorations of local rule. The Twenty-eighth Dynasty, known as the Amyrtaios dynasty, organized a revolt during the troubled reign of Darius II. The kings of the Twenty-ninth and Thirtieth Dynasties used alliances with Athens and Sparta to preserve the independence they had regained for approximately sixty years.
A second Persian domination began under Artaxerxes III in 341 BCE. It was short-lived: Alexander the Great invaded Egypt in 332 BCE after defeating Persia at the battle of Issus, bringing the Persian phase described in the excerpt to an end.
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