of his country. He therefore entered into a confederacy with the Lacedæmonians, and sent a fleet of 100 ships to their aid, with a supply of corn for their army: though this last fell into the hands of the enemy, in consequence of the transports putting into Rhodes, which had lately submitted to the Persians.

Acôris, who succeeded Nepherites, reigned thirteen years. He made a treaty with Euagoras, king of Cyprus, against the Persians, and endeavoured, by every means in his power, to weaken the strength and thwart the schemes of his adversary; and the defection of Gaus, the son of Tamus*, who had been for some time commander of the Persian fleet, and now, abandoning their service, had entered into a league with Acôris and the Lacedæmonians, added to the intrigues of Orontes, so embarrassed the affairs of Artaxerxes, that Egypt was enabled to enjoy perfect security, and to defy his threatened projects of invasion.

Nothing of consequence transpired during the reign of Psammoutis, which lasted only one year; and, as might be expected, his name rarely occurs on any edifice, either of Upper or Lower Egypt. † Of the short period occupied by his two successors, Nepherites II. and Mouthis, little can be learned either from the monuments, or from the accounts of ancient writers, but that the Persians, intent upon the recovery of a country they had

* Who was put to death by Psamaticus. Diodor. xiv.

It is found at the temple of Karnak in Thebes. Vide Egypt and Thebes, pp. 185. 517., and Plate II, and my Topographical Survey of Thebes.

long possessed, prepared to make a descent upon Egypt, which was attempted without success in the reign of the succeeding monarch.

Mouthis was the last of the 29th or Mendesian Dynasty: and the 30th was composed, according to Manetho, of three kings from Sebennytus.

In the commencement of Nectanebo's reign, the Persian monarch equipped a formidable expedition, by land and sea, and sent it to Egypt under the command of Pharnabazus and Iphicrates. He confidently expected that so imposing a force would speedily reduce the strongholds, and firmly establish his authority throughout the country; but the jealousy of the two commanders prevented that union which was necessary to insure success. lusium was found to be impregnable, and all the fortified towns had been put into a proper state of defence. Pharnabazus, therefore, despairing of making any impression upon them, advanced into the interior; but being opposed by the Egyptian king with a considerable force, and, in consequence

Pe

of the want of boats, being constantly impeded in his movements by the various channels of the rising Nile, he was obliged to retreat, and relinquish the hope of driving Nectanebo from his throne, and of subjecting his country to the yoke of Persia.

The Egyptian monarch, now free from the dread of foreign aggression, directed his attention towards the internal administration of affairs and the encouragement of art. Many temples in various parts of the country, from Philæ to the sea-coast, were repaired or enlarged; a fine obelisk was cut, and transported from the quarries of Syene and the name of Nectanebo still occurs, in Upper and Lower Egypt, as a lasting testimony of his munificence in the erection of public buildings. If he was censured, in a dream, by the god Mars, for allowing his temple at Sebennytus to remain unrepaired during the early part of his reign, he made ample amends for this unintentional neglect by the manner in which the commands of the deity were obeyed, the building being restored with great splendour; and this circumstance, unnoticed by any ancient writer, is recorded in a curious Greek papyrus, which chance has preserved and modern researches have discovered in an Egyptian tomb.†

Nectanebo, after a reign of eighteen years, was succeeded by Teos or Tachos. He had scarcely ascended the throne when he was alarmed by the warlike preparations of the Persian monarch, who

Pliny says it was without hieroglyphics. He calls him Nectabis. This highly interesting document is in the possession of S D'Anastasy, Swedish Consul-general at Alexandria.

threatened once more to invade his country. He therefore applied to Sparta for assistance; and Agesilaus, eager to assist a nation which had previously befriended the Lacedæmonians, repaired himself to Egypt with a strong force of Greek auxiliaries.

On the arrival of the Spartan prince, Tachos, whose expectations had been raised by his high military reputation, and who looked for a person of striking exterior, was greatly disappointed by the appearance of a little old man, whose figure and habits seemed contemptible, and unworthy of a king. Treating him, therefore, with scorn and disrespect, he refused him the post of generalissimo, which had been promised; and reserving it for himself, appointed Agesilaus to the command of the auxiliaries, and intrusted the fleet to Chabrias the Athenian. Nor did he regard the counsels of the Spartan general relative to the movements of the army; and contrary to his advice, led his troops in person into Phoenicia, committing the whole direction of affairs at home to the hands of a viceroy. He had no sooner quitted the country, than Nectanebo, his uncle, aided by one of his principal generals, conspired against him*; and Agesilaus, partly from resentment at his previous conduct, and partly from an interested motive, having basely deserted him, the Egyptian monarch was obliged to fly to Sidon. Mendesius, however,

According to Plutarch. This is differently related by Diodorus ; who says that, instigated by the viceroy he had left, his son Nectanebo conspired against him, and was defeated by Agesilaus, who thus restored Tachos to the throne.

whom Tachos had designed as his successor, resolved on opposing the usurper, and marched to attack him with an army of 100,000 men. In number they were very superior to the troops of Nectanebo, but, being composed principally of townsmen and artificers, were inferior in military skill: and being opposed by the experience of Agesilaus, they were routed at the first onset; and thus, through the Spartan general, Nectanebo obtained undisputed possession of the Egyptian throne.*

On the death of Artaxerxes Mnemon, which happened about the second year of Nectanebo II.t, Ochus or Artaxerxes III. ascended the throne of Persia.

During his reign, the Sidonians and Phoenicians having revolted from the Persians, entered into a confederacy with the Egyptians, and assisted by 4000 Greeks, sent by Nectanebo under Mentor the Rhodian, succeeded in expelling the Persians from their territories. This event seemed to have removed the enemy, and every prospect of an attack, to a convenient distance from the frontier, and the Egyptian monarch felt secure against their aggressions. Shortly after, a formidable army, led by Ochus in person, having reduced all Phoenicia, and Mentor treacherously deserting to the enemy, the affairs of Nectanebo began

* Cornelius Nepos (in Agesilao) says Agesilaus received 220 talents from Nectanebo, for his aid in obtaining the kingdom. According to the same author, Chabrias was recalled by the Athenians, in consequence of a representation made to them by the Persian monarch (in Chabriâ). He calls Tachus Thamus, and, in another place, Thacus. + Diodorus only allows 43 years for the reign of Artaxerxes II.