945–924 BCE
22nd Dynasty of Egypt
945–c. 715 BCE
The 22nd Dynasty is the Libyan or Bubastite dynasty, founded by Shoshenq I, whose family had long been settled in Egypt. Shoshenq I is usually identified with the biblical Shishak and campaigned in the Levant, recorded on the Bubastite Portal at Karnak.
Under later kings the state slowly fragmented. Rival lines, including the 23rd Dynasty, ruled parts of the country at the same time, and local strongmen held Delta cities.
- Dates
- 945–c. 715 BCE
- Rulers profiled
- 9
Rulers of the 22nd Dynasty
Best-known rulers: Shoshenq I; Osorkon I; Osorkon II; Shoshenq III; Osorkon IV. Every ruler profile in the archive for this dynasty, in the order used by the chronology. Each name links to a full profile with dates, background, sources and illustrations.
924–889 BCE
889–874 BCE
c.890 BCE
874–850 BCE
850–825 BCE
825–773 BCE
c.785–774 BCE
767–730 BCE
Major monuments
- Bubastis
- Karnak Bubastite Portal
- Tanis monuments
Key events
- Shoshenq I’s Levant campaign
- increasing regional fragmentation later in the dynasty.
Reading the evidence
Dynasty 22 overlapped with other Libyan lines; its territory and chronology changed over time.
Sources: Kitchen (1996); Shaw (2000); Metropolitan Museum. See the full bibliography.