Post on 16-Jan-2017
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