Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt
664 BC–525 BC
Portrait of a Pharaoh of the Saite Dynasty
Capital	Sais
Common languages	Egyptian language
Religion	Ancient Egyptian religion
Government	Monarchy
Pharaoh
• 664–610 BC	Psamtik I (first)
• 526–525 BC	Psamtik III (last)
History
• Established	664 BC
• Disestablished	525 BC
Preceded by Succeeded by Assyrian conquest of Egypt Third Intermediate Period of Egypt Twenty-fifth Dynasty of Egypt Twenty-seventh Dynasty of Egypt

The Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt was the last group of native pharaohs to rule ancient Egypt before the Persians took over in 525 BC. Even though Egyptians ruled again for short times later, this dynasty was the last long period of Egyptian rule.

This period, from 664 BC to 525 BC, is also called the Saite Period. It gets its name from the city of Sais, which was the capital city for these pharaohs. This dynasty also marks the start of the Late Period of ancient Egypt.

History of the Saite Dynasty

The Twenty-sixth Dynasty had connections to an earlier group of rulers, the Twenty-fourth Dynasty. Psamtik I, the first pharaoh of this dynasty, was likely related to a ruler named Bakenranef. Some stories also say he was from Libya.

Egypt had been taken over by the Neo-Assyrian Empire. After the Assyrians defeated the Twenty-fifth Dynasty, Psamtik I became the only king of all Egypt. He made friends with King Gyges of Lydia. Gyges sent him soldiers from Caria and ancient Greece. Psamtik used these soldiers to bring all of Egypt under his control.

In 605 BCE, an Egyptian army led by Necho II of the 26th Dynasty fought the Neo-Babylonian Empire at the Battle of Carchemish. They were helped by the remaining soldiers of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, but they lost the battle.

Later, the city of Nineveh was destroyed in 612 BC, and the Neo-Assyrian Empire fell apart. Both Psamtik and the pharaohs who came after him tried to make Egypt powerful again in the Near East. However, the Neo-Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar II pushed them back. With the help of Greek soldiers, Pharaoh Apries was able to stop the Babylonians from taking over Egypt.

But in 525 BCE, the Persians finally invaded Egypt. Emperor Cambyses II captured Psamtik III, the last pharaoh of the 26th Dynasty, and later had him killed. Cambyses II then became the first pharaoh of the Twenty-seventh Dynasty, making Egypt a part of the Achaemenid Empire.

Recent Discoveries

Archaeologists are still finding new things about this time! In May 2020, a team from Egypt and Spain found a special cemetery. It had one room made of shiny limestone and dates back to the 26th Dynasty. This was found at the ancient site of Oxyrhynchus. They also found bronze coins, clay seals, Roman tombstones, and small crosses.

On October 3, 2020, Egypt announced the discovery of 59 coffins. These coffins belonged to priests and clerks from the 26th Dynasty and are about 2,500 years old!

Art from the 26th Dynasty

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  A pottery pot showing the face of the god Bes from the 26th Dynasty. You can see it at the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology in London.

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  A small female figure at the Louvre Museum. The name of Psamtik I is written on it.

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  A sphinx statue of Apries.

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  The sarcophagus (stone coffin) of Harkhebit. He was an important official, a "Royal Seal Bearer" and "Chief Priest." It dates from 595–526 BCE and was found in Saqqara.

Pharaohs of the 26th Dynasty

Psamtik I entering the city of Ashdod in 635 BCE, after its fall.

Ancient historians like Manetho list some early rulers for this dynasty. However, today, scholars usually start the 26th Dynasty with the reign of Psamtik I.

Here are the main pharaohs of the 26th Dynasty:

Kings of the 26th Dynasty of Egypt

Pharaoh	Image	Throne Name	Horus Name	Years Ruled	Burial Place	Wife or Wives	Important Facts
Psamtik I Psammetichus I		Wahibre	Aaib	664–610 BC	Sais	Mehytenweskhet	He brought Egypt back together and ended the control of the Nubians in Upper Egypt. He ruled for 54 years.
Necho II		Wehemibre	Siaib	610–595 BC		Khedebneithirbinet I	Necho II is probably the pharaoh mentioned in several books of the Bible.
Psamtik II Psammetichus II		Neferibre	Menekhib	595–589 BC		Takhuit
Wahibre Haaibre (Apries)		Haaibre		589–570 BC		Wahib	He was overthrown and sent away by Amasis II. He tried to return to Egypt with a Babylonian army, but he was defeated and likely killed. He ruled for 19 years.
Amasis II Ahmose II		Khnem-ib-re	Semenmaat	570–526 BC	Sais	Tentkheta Nakhtubasterau	An ancient writer, Herodotus, said that when Cambyses II invaded Egypt, he dug up Amasis's body, damaged it, and burned what was left.
Psamtik III Psammetichus III		Ankhkaenre	(unknown)	526–525 BC			He ruled for only 6 months before the Persian invasion led by Cambyses II. He was captured and died while being held by the Persians.

Timeline of the 26th Dynasty

See also

• History of ancient Egypt
• Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt family tree
• Late Period of ancient Egypt
• Saite Oracle Papyrus