Episode 41 Dynasty XVIII to XXXI – The Beginning of the End
The History of Ancient Egypt
Professor Robert Brier
Film Review
Owing to its extreme instability, the historical period covered by dynasties beginning when the great priests of Thebes declared themselves kings of southern Egypt and continuing with foreign rulers (first Libyans, then Assyrians then Persians) is sometimes known as the Third Intermediary period.
Little is known about dynasties XVIII to XXXI
- Dynasty XXVIII consisted of one king Amytaeus (404-399 BC). Ruling from Sais, he was more likely a prince because he never wrote his name in a cartouche.
- Dynasty XXIX consisted of two kings Nearites (399-380 BC), who moved the capital to Mendes in the delta region, and Achoris (380-378 BC).
- Dynasty XXX began with Nectanebo I (380-362BC), a commoner who declared himself king. During his reign, he managed to repel a combined force of Greeks and Persians because they made the mistake of invading during the summer inundation of the Nile when the ground was was too soggy to support military ranks or chariots. He built two temples and his son Djedher succeeded him. While Djedher was out of the country, his son Nectanebo II declared himself king, the last native born Egyptian king. He built two temples dedicated to Soped (Sirius), whose appearance in the night sky signaled the new year.* Despite hiring 20,000 Greek mercenarie to repel a new Persian invasion, he was defeated and Egypt was re-occupied.
Dynasty XXXI were the Persian kings who ruled Egypt
- Artaxerxes III (343 -338 BC) – an absentee king ruling from Persia who sacked all the temple in Thebes for their precious metals. His reign ended when he was poisoned.
- Arses (338-336 BC) – Also an absentee king.
- Darius III (336-332 BC) – An absentee king whose Egyptian governor was defeated by Alexander the Great.
*This episode includes a lengthy discussion of the Egyptian calendar, the origin of the 365 day Western calendar. The Egyptian year started with the Nile inundation which occurred in June/July. It had three seasons, consisting of 12 months of three 10-day weeks (ie 360 days). The Egyptians added five “Epogonal” or holy days every year in which people were excused from work.
Film can be viewed free with a library card on Kanopy.
https://www.kanopy.com/en/pukeariki/watch/video/1492791/1492881
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