Kandake, kadake ko kentake ( Meroitic : 𐦲𐦷𐦲𐦡 kdke ko 𐦲𐦴𐦲𐦡 ktke ), galibi ana kiran ta da harshen latinawa a matsayin Candace ( a tsohuwar yaran girkawa ), shine kalmar Meroitic ga 'yar'uwar Sarkin Kush wanda, saboda halifancin mace, zai ɗauki magajin na gaba, yana mai da ita sarauniyar sarauniyar sa . Tana da kotunan da kanta, wataƙila ta mallaki mai mallakar ƙasa kuma tana da babban matsayi na duniya kamar sarki. Asalin Girkanci da na asalin Rome sunyi amfani da shi, ba daidai ba, a matsayin suna. Sunan Candace ya samo asali ne daga yadda ake amfani da kalmar a cikin Sabon Alkawari ( Acts 8:27 ). kuma ita wannan sarauniya ta kasance mazauniyar kasar Misra na yanzu. Abubuwan kwanciyar hankali da aka tsara a ƙarshen 170 BC sun bayyana kentake Shanakdakheto, sanye da kayan makamai da ɗaukar mashi a cikin yaƙi. Ba ta yi sarauta a matsayin sarauniya ko mahaifiyar sarauniya ba, amma a matsayin mai cikakken mulki mai cikakken iko. Mijinta shi ne mataimaki. Shanakdakheto a cikin abubuwan da suka samo asali daga rukunin gine-ginen da ta sanya, Shanakdakheto an baiyana su duka biyu tare da mijinta da ɗanta, waɗanda za su gaji gadon sarauta ta mutu.