Thirtieth Dynasty of Egypt

History

Nectanebo I had secured control over all of Egypt by November 380 BC and spent much of his reign defending the kingdom against Persian reconquest, occasionally aided by Sparta or Athens. In 365 BC, he made his son Teos co-king and heir; they ruled together until Nectanebo I's death in 363 BC. Teos then invaded Persian territories in modern Syria and Israel, achieving some initial successes, but lost his throne due to the schemes of his brother Tjahapimu. Tjahepimu exploited Teos's unpopularity in Egypt by proclaiming his own son—Teos's nephew, Nectanebo II—as king. The Egyptian army rallied to Nectanebo II, forcing Teos to flee to the Persian court. Nectanebo II's reign was largely occupied with Persian efforts to reconquer Egypt, which they viewed as a rebellious satrapy. For the first ten years, Nectanebo avoided reconquest because Artaxerxes III was occupied consolidating his own realm. Artaxerxes attempted an unsuccessful invasion in the winter of 351/350 BC; his defeat sparked revolts in Cyprus, Phoenicia, and Cilicia. Although Nectanebo supported these uprisings, Artaxerxes eventually suppressed them and invaded Egypt again in 343 BC. This second invasion succeeded, and Nectanebo withdrew from the Nile Delta defenses to Memphis, where he realized his cause was lost. He fled south to Nubia, likely finding refuge at the court of King Nastasen of Napata. Nectanebo may have maintained some independent rule in southern Egypt for two more years, as a document from Edfu is dated to his eighteenth year. Although a figure named Khababash proclaimed himself king and led a rebellion against the Persians from about 338 to 335 BC, Nectanebo is considered the last native pharaoh of Egypt. His flight marked the end of Egypt as an independent entity.