Late Period
Cambyses II
27th Dynasty (First Persian Period) · 525-404 BCE
Reign begins525 BCE
Reign ends522 BCE
Dynasty span525-404 BCE
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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.