343–338 BCE
31st Dynasty of Egypt (Persian)
343–332 BCE
The 31st Dynasty, or Second Persian Period, began when Artaxerxes III reconquered Egypt in 343 BCE. It lasted only about a decade, through the reigns of Artaxerxes III, Arses and Darius III.
It ended when Alexander the Great entered Egypt in 332 BCE. Like the 27th, the number is a retrospective label for imperial rule.
- Period
- Late Period
- Dates
- 343–332 BCE
- Rulers profiled
- 3
Rulers of the 31st Dynasty (Persian)
Best-known rulers: Artaxerxes III; Arses; Darius III. 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.
Major monuments
- Limited Egyptian inscriptions and material evidence
- imperial contexts
Key events
- Persian reconquest
- Alexander’s conquest of Egypt in 332 BCE.
Reading the evidence
‘Dynasty 31’ is likewise a retrospective Manethonian label; local evidence is thinner than for many earlier periods.
Sources: Shaw (2000); Metropolitan Museum; British Museum. See the full bibliography.