Egypt's Dynasties: 27th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt

Twenty-Seventh Dynasty of Egypt

At two different times, the Achaemenids ruled Egypt although the Egyptians twice regained temporary independence from Persia. After the practice of Manetho, Egyptian historians refer to the periods in Egypt when the Achaemenid dynasty ruled as the 27th Dynasty of Egypt, 525-404 BCE, until the death of Darius II, and the 31st Dynasty of Egypt, 343-332 BCE, which began after Nectanebo II was defeated by the Persian king Artaxerxes III.

This second Persian occupation of Egypt ended in 332 when Alexander the Great, withdrawing from his attempted conquest of Nubia which was rebuffed by the Candace of Meroë, entered Egypt instead, where he was welcomed as a liberator in Persian-occupied Egypt.

Alexander defeated western Satraps at the battles of Issus (332 BCE), and the Gaugamela (331 BCE).

Next, Alexander marched on Susa, which likewise, capitulated and surrendered vast treasure. Alexander then went eastward to Persepolis which surrendered in early 330 BCE. From Persepolis, Alexander headed north to Pasargadae where he treated the tomb of Cyrus II with respect. From there he headed to Ecbatana, where Darius III had sought refuge.

The Persian king was taken prisoner by Bessus, his Bactrian satrap and kinsman. As Alexander approached, Bessus had his men murder Darius and then declared himself Darius' successor, as Artaxerxes V, before retreating into Central Asia to launch a guerrilla campaign against Alexander. They left the body of Darius in the road to delay Alexander, who took his body to Persepolis for an honorable interment.

The Achaemenid empire was succeeded by the Seleucid empire, that is, by the generals of Alexander and their descendants, who ruled Persia. They in turn would be succeeded by the Arsacid Dynasty of Parthia in North-Eastern Iran, who, quite spuriously, would claim Artaxerxes II for their ancestor.

Istakhr, one of the vassal kingdoms of the Arsacids would be overthrown by Papak, a priest of the temple there. Papak's son, Ardasir I, who named himself in remembrance of Artaxerxes II, revolted against the Parthians, defeated them and went on to establish the second Persian Empire, 556 years after the end of the first.

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