Ancient Egyptians - Late Period
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Egyptian History & Civilisation

Definition of the Late Period
Definition on the Late Period: The Late Period is the name of a period in ancient Egyptian History and often referred to as the "Age of the Pyramids". The dates of the Late Period were 664 - 332 BCE and extended from the 26th to the 31st dynasty. For additional information refer to:

26th Dynasty

27th Dynasty

28th Dynasty

29th Dynasty

30th Dynasty

31st Dynasty

Historical Overview of the Late Period
The Late Period  of ancient Egyptian history again saw the threat of foreign invaders dominated by the aggression of the hated Persians. The Late Period started with  26th Dynasty with rulers that were based in the city of Sais, the first of the Persian conquests of Egypt, the rule of the Kings based in the city of Mendes and the second Persian conquest of Egypt and ended with the death of Alexander the Great. The Late Period extended from 664 BC until 323 BC and extended from the 26th to the 31st dynasties.

Facts about the Late Period
The following facts provide a fast overview of the history of Egyptian civilization during the historical period known as the Late Period.

Ancient Egypt - The History of Egyptian Civilization
The Late Period Fact Sheet

Fact 1 on the Late Period: The history of Egyptian civilization in the Late Period was dominated by the threats from the Persian Empire and interspersed by the rules of Kings based first at Sais and another dynasty based in Mendes.

Fact 2 on the Late Period: The dynastic rulers of Sais were founded by King Necho and established their dynasty from 664–525 B.C.E. and were originally powerful Nomarchs of this area of ancient Egypt.

Fact 3 on the Late Period: King Psamtik I was able to oust the remaining Assyrians and Nubians from Egypt with an army of Egyptians supported by Greek mercenaries.

Fact 4 on the Late Period: Threats from the Babylonian Empire were also repulsed and Egypt entered a period of increased trade and prosperity.

Fact 5 on the Late Period: The ambitious and blood thirsty Persians led by Cambyses succeeded in conquering Egypt and the First Persian Period would last for nearly 200 years.

Fact 6 on the Late Period: The provinces of the Persian empire were ruled by a commander-in-chief and a Persian satrap, the name given to a provincial governor in the ancient Persian empire.

Fact 7 on the Late Period: The Persians were harsh and violent rulers of Egypt who grew rich from the taxes demanded from the ancient Egyptians. This led to an Egyptian rebellion but it was quashed by King Xerxes who went on to fight the Greeks and the 300 Spartans at the famous Battle of Thermopylae.

Fact 8 on the Late Period: A devastating, deadly plague spread across the ancient world. Starting in Nubia the plague spread through Egypt on to Athens and the Persian empire.

Fact 9 on the Late Period: The grip of the Persians on ancient Egypt declined with effects of the plague and internal and political conflicts in Persia. The death of King Darius II prompted a revolt led by Amyrtaeus, another prince of Sais.

Fact 10 on the Late Period: The reign of Amyrtaeus, the only king of the 28th dynasty only lasted for 5 years and ended when he was judged to be a violator of the laws of ancient Egypt. Amyrtaeus was dethroned and publicly executed at Memphis.

Fact 11 on the Late Period: Nepherites claimed the throne of Egypt and founded the 29th dynasty of rulers based at the city of Mendes.

Fact 12 on the Late Period: The Mendes rulers saw some peace in Egypt but it was ended by Nectanebo I who founded the 30th line of Egyptian kings.

Fact 13 on the Late Period: There was temporary halt to military conflict and threats from the Persians during which Nectanebo I enjoyed a prosperous reign initiating various building projects restoring temples and building new temples.

Fact 14 on the Late Period: The peace was short lived and the Persians successfully re-conquered Egypt in c351 BC led by Artaxerxes III of Persia who took control of Egypt and founded the 31st dynasty of Persian rulers, known as the Second Persian Period.

Fact 15 on the Late Period: Towards the end of the Second Persian Period a eunuch called Bagoas became the vizier (Prime Minister) to King Artaxerxes III. The relationship between the eunuch Bagoas deteriorated to such an extent that Bagoas planned a conspiracy against the Persian king.

Fact 16 on the Late Period: The conspiracy led by the powerful Bagoas succeeded in 338 BC and King Artaxerxes III and all of his heirs but one called Artashata were poisoned by his vizier, Bagoas.

Fact 17 on the Late Period: Bagoas used Artashata as a 'puppet king' naming him King Darius III. Conflict rose between the eunuch and the king and Bagoas had every intention of poisoning the new king. But the plot failed and Bagoas was forced to take his own poison.

Fact 18 on the Late Period: King Darius III proved to be a cowardly leader against  the Greeks, led by Alexander the Great, and abandoned his troops at the battlefield at Gaugamela.  He was eventually killed by one of his own men.

Fact 19 on the Late Period: The Persians fought two more battles against the Greeks and surrendered to Alexander the Great in 332 ending the reign of the hated Persian rulers.

Ancient Egypt - History of Egyptian Civilization
The Late Period Fact Sheet

Facts about the Late Period
Discover fast, interesting fun facts about the Late Period for kids with some amazing, cool and quick information about ancient Egypt and Egyptians. Ideal for children, homework, schools, teachers and kids of all ages! Find fascinating fun facts about the Late Period for kids and the history, culture and civilisation of the ancient Egyptians and ancient Egypt. Interesting, fun facts about the Late Period for research, schools, students and kids of all ages.

Ancient Egyptian History and the Late Period
The Egyptologists and historians divide the years of ancient Egyptian history and civilisation into the following historical time periods, which include the period known as the Late Period.

Ancient Egyptian History

Egytian Time Periods

Prehistoric Egytpt 5000 - 3100BCE

Early Dynastic Period: 3100 - 2686 BCE

The Old Kingdom 2686 - 2181 BCE

1st Intermediate Period 2181 - 2134 BCE

The Middle Kingdom 2134 - 1782 BCE

2nd Interm ediate Period 1782 - 1550 BCE

The New Kingdom 1550 - 1069 BCE

3rd Interm ediate Period 1069 - 664 BCE

The Late Period 664 - 332 BCE

Ptolemaic Egypt 332 - 30 BCE

Roman & Byzantine Egypt 30 BCE - 641 CE

Ancient Egyptian Dynasties - Major Time Periods in Ancient Egypt History
The main ancient Egyptian history time periods are:

The Early Dynastic Period

The Old Kingdom

The Middle Kingdom

The New Kingdom

The Dynasties of the Late Period
Historians divide Ancient Egyptian history into 31 dynasties. A Dynasty consisted of a succession of kings from the same family who succeeded each other on the throne by right of inheritance. The kings of the Late Period Period consisted of the 3rd to the 6th dynasties covering a time span of 505 years.

Ancient Egyptian Dynasties

Ancient Egytian Dynasties

Early Dynastic Period: 1st - 2nd Dynasties

The Old Kingdome 3rd - 6th Dynasties

1st Intermediate Period 7th - 10th Dynasties

The Middle Kingdom 11th - 12th Dynasties

2nd Intermediate Period 13th - 20th Dynasties

The New Kingdom 18th - 20th Dynasties

Post Empire 21st - 31st Dynasties

Late Period Pharaohs and Kings of the 26th Dynasty
The Late Period pharaohs of the 26th Dynasty were the Kings of Sais who reigned from 664–525 B.C.E.

Necho I
Psamtik I (Psammetichus I)
Necho II (Wehemibre)
Psamtik II (Psammetichus II)
Apries (Haaibre)
Amasis II aka Ahmose II
Psamtik III (Psammetichus III)

Late Period Pharaohs and Kings of the 27th Dynasty
The Late Period pharaohs of the 27th Dynasty were established by the Persian Empire who appointed satraps to rule ancient Egypt on their behalf. They ruled from 525–404 B.C.E. The names of the rulers were:

Cambyses II
Darius Setutre
Xerxes
Artaxerxes I
Darius II
Artaxerxes II

Late Period  - 28th Dynasty
There was only one king during this era, the disgraced Saite King called Amyrtaeus who reigned 404–393 B.C.E..

Late Period Pharaohs and Kings of the 29th Dynasty
The Late Period pharaohs of the 29th Dynasty were the Kings of Mendes who reigned 393–380 B.C.E:

Nepherites I
Psammuthes
Hakor (Achoris)
Nepherites II

Late Period Pharaohs and Kings of the 30th Dynasty
The Late Period pharaohs of the 30th Dynasty were faced with the threat of the hated Persians and made extensive use of mercenaries from Greece to assist in the defence of Egypt from the Persian Empire from 380–343 B.C.E.

Nectanebo I
Teos
Nectanebo II

Late Period Pharaohs and Kings of the 31st Dynasty
The struggle against the Persians failed and led to the Second Persian conquest of Egypt from 343–332 B.C.E. Late Period pharaohs of the 31st Dynasty were the Persian rulers:

Artaxerxes III
Arses
Darius III

The Greek armies of Alexander the Great defeated the Persians leading to the period in ancient Egyptian history known as the Ptolemaic period.

Late Period
Learning about the ancient Egyptians and Late Period inspires everyone to visit historical sites and undertake Egypt Travel and Tours to experience the wonders of this magical land at first hand. Many people choose to experience a tour of Egypt on a Nile Cruise stopping at the famous destinations and sites of Egypt such as the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx. The information and facts about the Old Kingdom will provide you with a great insight into Egypt and the legacy of the ancient Egyptians.

Late Period