This dynasty traced its origins to the
Twenty-fourth Dynasty.
Psamtik I was probably a descendant of
Bakenranef. However, other sources describe him as of
Libyan descent. Following the
Neo-Assyrian conquest of Egypt during the reigns of
Taharqa and
Tantamani, and the subsequent collapse of the
Napata-based
Twenty-fifth Dynasty of Egypt, Psamtik I was recognized as sole king over all of Egypt. Psamtik formed alliances with King
Gyges of Lydia, who sent him mercenaries from
Caria and
ancient Greece that Psamtik used to unify all of Egypt under his rule. of Dynasty XXVI fought the
Neo-Babylonian Empire at the
Battle of Carchemish, helped by the remnants of the military of the
Neo-Assyrian Empire, but this was met with defeat. Illustration published in 1915. With the
sack of Nineveh in 612 BC and the
Fall of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, both Psamtik and his successors attempted to reassert Egyptian power in the Near East but were driven back by the
Neo-Babylonian Empire under
Nebuchadnezzar II. With the help of Greek mercenaries, Pharaoh
Apries was able to hold back Babylonian attempts to conquer Egypt, although Apries was later deposed by
Amasis II in 570 BC, who became the next
Pharaoh of Egypt. In Amasis' fourth year, around 568–567 BC, Egypt was invaded by the Babylonians, under the leadership of
Nebuchadnezzar II. This assault was recorded by a fragmentary Babylonian inscription, with the modern designation BM 33041; the inscription from that year records the word "Egypt" as well as possible traces of the name "Amasis". A stele of Amasis from the 4th year of his reign in 567 BC, also fragmentary, may also describe a combined naval and land attack by the Babylonians. Recent evidence suggests that the Babylonians were initially successful during the invasion and gained a foothold in Egypt, but they were repelled by Amasis' forces. It is believed that this forced Nebuchadnezzar II to retire plans to conquer Egypt. (However, some have suggested that Nebuchadnezzar came to defeat Apries, with the combined forces of Amasis and Nebuchadnezzar managing to kill him, securing Amasis' throne, though as vassal king.) The Persians would eventually invade Egypt in 525 BCE when Emperor
Cambyses II captured and later executed
Psamtik III in the
First Achaemenid conquest of Egypt, marking the end of the last native dynasty of Egypt. Cambyses founded the First Egyptian Satrapy, a territory of the Achaemenid Empire, and was crowned the first Pharaoh of the
Dynasty XXVII.
Archaeology In May 2020, an Egyptian-Spanish archaeological mission headed by Esther Ponce revealed a unique cemetery, which consists of one room built with glazed limestone dating back to the 26th Dynasty (also known as the El-Sawi era) at the site of ancient
Oxyrhynchus. Archaeologists also uncovered bronze coins, clay seals, Roman tombstones and small crosses. On October 3, 2020, Egypt unveiled 59 coffins of priests and clerks from the 26th dynasty, dating to nearly 2,500 years ago. == Art ==