486 APPENDIX III. 



institutions. Based exclusively on conservative principles and on the 

 spirit of seclusion, the Egyptian civilisation could maintain its ground 

 only by continuing changeless. As soon as it came in direct contact with 

 the outer world, and especially with the spirit of progress as personified 

 in the Hellenic race and culture, it was doomed to perish. 



The military caste having nearly all migrated southwards, the nation 

 remained disarmed and at the mercy of foreign conquerors. Strangers 

 detested by the people had been entrusted with the defence of the empire, 

 and public discontent gradually broke into open revolt. 



A daring adventurer had abeady siezed the throne, establishing the 

 twenty-sixth dynasty, and he had found the country so ripe for change 

 that he showed himself even more favourably disposed than his predeces- 

 sors to the foreigners. For a time this policy tended to enrich the nation 

 by the development of its commercial relations with the neighbouring 

 states. But it ended by exciting the cupidity of the foreign settlers and 

 mercenaries. When these turned their arms against their employers, 

 Egypt had nothing to oppose to them except an unarmed multitude 

 unaccustomed to military service. Hence soon after the accession of 



PsAMMETiCHUS III., SOU of Ahmes, a single campaign sufficed to extinguish the 

 political independence of Egypt. This sovereign was overthrown at 

 Pelusium, on the north-east frontier, by Cambyses, King of Persia, 

 who speedily reduced the whole country to the position of a Persian 

 satrapy, 528 b.c. 



XXVII. Dynasty: Persian. 



M. and B. 527. 



Cambyses. 527. 



Darius Hystaspes. 521. 

 Xerxes I. 486. 

 Artaxerxes Longimanus. 465. 

 Darius Nothos. 



XXVIII. Dynasty: Saite. 



M. and B. 406. 



Amyrt^us, who succeeded in expelling the Persians and restoring the ancient Egyptian 

 monarchy, fixing his capital at Sa. Eeigned six years. 



XXIX. Dynasty : Mendesian. 



M. and B. 399. 

 Naifaurut (Nepherites) I. 



Hakor (Aciioris). 



psemaut (psammuthis). 



Naifaurut II. 



This short dynasty (399—378) maintained the national independence, 

 and ruled the whole country from its capital, Mendes, in Lower Egypt. 



