Late Period
Cambyses II
27th Dynasty (First Persian Period) · 525-404 BCE
Open full-size illustration →Source: Shaw, Oxford History of Ancient Egypt (2000)
Background
Cambyses II conquered Egypt and, according to later Greek tradition, ruled it as a sacrilegious tyrant, yet a contemporary inscription commissioned by one of his own Egyptian officials tells a strikingly different, far more accommodating story. Research: UCL Digital Egypt; Archaeology Magazine.
Dynastic chronology: Shaw, Oxford History of Ancient Egypt (2000)
Full profile
The Persian conquest
Cambyses II led the massive Persian invasion of Egypt in 525 BCE, defeating Psamtik III at the decisive Battle of Pelusium. He successfully captured Memphis and assumed the traditional pharaonic title of King of Upper and Lower Egypt. While later Greek and Egyptian accounts by Herodotus portray him as a ruthless and sacrilegious tyrant who mocked Egyptian religion, contemporary archaeological evidence suggests he largely respected local traditions, maintained native administrative structures, and patronized Egyptian temples.
The testimony of Udjahorresnet
The strongest evidence against the Herodotus tradition comes from a naos-shaped statue commissioned by Udjahorresnet, an Egyptian priest and physician who had served under Amasis and Psamtik III before working directly for Cambyses. Its inscription describes Cambyses traveling to the temple of Neith at Sais, ordering its Persian garrison relocated elsewhere, and personally overseeing the purification of the sanctuary along with the restoration of its priests, offerings, and festivals. Udjahorresnet also credits himself with composing a full Egyptian pharaonic titulary for Cambyses, including the throne name Mesutire, "Offspring of Re," a striking act of religious legitimization for a foreign conqueror that stands in sharp contrast to the impious, temple-mocking image later Greek writers left behind.
Sources for this profile
- Shaw, I. (Ed.). (2000). The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt. Oxford University Press.
- Dodson, A., & Hilton, D. (2004). The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson.
- Leprohon, R. J. (2013). The Great Name: Ancient Egyptian Royal Titulary. Society of Biblical Literature.
- UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology. Chronology. UCLA.
- University College London. Digital Egypt for Universities.
The complete, APA-formatted reference list is on the Academic Sources & Bibliography page.