630 BC

Map 103: 630 BC. Previous map: **656 BC**. Next map: **609 BC** (*Maps Index*)

**GETAE**
**Wall.**
**Cur.**
**MADERSLAND**
**Cimmeria**
**Duna**
**Ruteni**
**Palt.**
**Jutonia**
**Ang.**
**Winnili**
**Samb.**
**Tartessos**
**To Phoenicia**
**CETUBALIA**
**To Lesbos**
**DANIA**
**Gothia**
**SUEDIA**
**RAUMICA**
**Bothnia**
**GETULIA**
**ETR.**
**LAT.**
**Sab.**
**Um.**
**Aur.**
**Oen.**
**Iap.**
**WALHA**
**Fris.**
**Estones**
**Sitones**
**Qua.**
**Boh.**
**Sen.**
**SWABIA**
**Rugi**
**Vand.**
**WENDICA**
**Saxones**
**GALLIA**
**AN.**
**TU.**
**PIC.**
**SAN.**
**Bo.**
**Agen**
**Arv.**
**SICAMBRIA**
**Lan.**
**Mo.**
**Bra.**
**BRITANNIA**
**Loeg.**
**Cambria**
**Albanacta**
**Cor.**
**Ulaid**
**ALBA**
**ERIU**
**CELTIBERIA**
**Mor.**
**BAV.**
**Norica**
**Helv.**
**Raet.**
**PANNONIA**
**Mittanauz**
**Moesia**
**THRACIA**
**Sherden**
**Carthage**
**Mac.**
**ACHAEA**
**COR.**
**LAC.**
**Sicelia**
**Cyrene**
**MESHWESH**
**LIBYA**
**NAPATA**
**Nabatea**
**AT**
**CRETA**
**Colchis**
**BABIL**
**ASHUR**
**Sus.**
**SCYTHIANS**
**Sam.**
**Qedar**
**JUD.**
**Aram.**
**Pho.**
**Edom**
**TAWY**
**Philist.**
**SARMATIA**
**Phrygia**
**Massagetae**
**LYDIA**
**CARIA**
**Que**
**Tabal**
**MADAI**
**Man.**
**Kar.**
**Rifath**
**Hyr.**
**SAKA**
**Amazoni**
**URARTU**
**Ala.**
**Diahi**
630 BC - SCYTHIANS AND TEUTONS REACH EGYPT

## MAIN EVENTS

### 653-642 BC - Atlanersa / Piankhi III in Napata

The successor of Tantamuni in Kush (Napata) in 653 BC is known from archaeology, and his name has been read as Atlanersa; he must be the same as the Piankhi III Tomadyon who appears as ruling from Napata on the Ethiopian kinglist at that same time, c. 653-642 BC.

Atlanersa seems to have been followed by Senk-amani-sken (642-627 BC) according to archaeologists; the Ethiopian kinglist has the name Amine Asro II in that position.

From here on, there are serious discrepancies between the testimony of the king list, and the hypothetically reconstructed sequence of modern 'conventional' thought, originally derived from the conjectures of Hinze published in 1951, that he based on little more than the positioning of the known pyramids of the Napatan and Meroitic rulers.

The archaeologically known name corresponding best to this 'Amine Asro' would be the Meroitic king Amanislo, whom 'conventional' scholars have assigned to ca. 275 BC, but his pyramid is in a different location from that of Senk-amani-sken, so that Amanislo and Senkamanisken must be different kings. It could be that the form 'Amine Asro' comes from another name of Senk-amani-sken such as Amanislo, that is not known for him archaeologically.

Piankhi III (Atlanersa) of NapataAmine Asro (Senkamanisken) of Napata
### 652 BC - Cimmerians invade Lydia

In 653 BC, the Cimmerians, led by Tugdamme (Lygdammis), invaded Assyria and annexed Gutium, and possibly even parts of Babylonia, as he began to claim the titles 'King of Saka and Gutium' and 'King of Kish'. The Saka were a branch of the Scythians; hereafter the Cimmerians, of Teutonic (Cimbri) origin, seem barely distinguishable from the Iranic Scythians in many sources. The Empire of Madersland, still governed by Madyes the Scythian, seems to have brought about a turbulent situation for Assyria where Teuton, Scythian and Mede warriors were swarming side by side under various chieftains. Assyrians often simply described them as the 'Umman-Manda' -- "the horde from who knows where".

In 652 BC Tugdamme's Cimmerians overran Lydia, killed its king Gyges, and sacked the capital Sardis. Gyges was succeeded by Ardys II, and the Cimmerians appear to have withdrawn rather than occupy Lydia, after Ardys requested Assyrian protection, as did Tabal, from their frequent mounted incursions.

### 651-648 BC - Civil War in Assyria

The Assyrians under Ashurbanipal subjected Elam in 653 BC, making it an Assyrian vassal, and beheaded its king Teumman.

In 651 BC Ashurbanipal found himself at war with his brother, Shamash-shum-ukin, who was the Assyrian viceroy of Babylonia. The Aramaeans, Qedarites, and Elamites supported the Babylonians, and Ashurbanipal was left with only Assyria proper; nevertheless his armies prevailed and destroyed their opponents by 648 BC, and a new governor, Kendalanu, was appointed in Babylonia.

The Assyrian Empire was again reunified, but Egypt was now lost, and the Cimmerians had pressed into Tabal and Gutium. Ashurbanipal continued to suppress Elam, and finally annexed it in 639 BC, ending the existence of Elam as a state.

### 647 BC - Settlement of Borysthenes

Hellenes established another trading colony with the Scythians at Borysthenes in 647 BC.

In Pictish Alba, Brude Bont became chief in 647 BC. The House of Erimon once again returned to the High Kingship of Eriu in 642 BC, when Siomon Brecc usurped the throne from Setna Innaraid. Siomon lost it to Setna's son Dui Finn in 636 BC, restoring the party of Eber Finn to rule.

In Judah, Amon succeeded his father Manasseh in 642 BC. Despite Manasseh's repentance and restoration of Judaism toward the end of his reign, Amon attempted to return to paganism in Judah. He was deposed in a revolt in 640 BC and replaced by his 8 year old son Josiah, who again restored Judaism and the Laws of Moses, and moreover had the sodomites driven from the land, as had been done previously in 909 BC by Asa, and in 869 BC by Jehosaphat.

Meanwhile in Roma, Ancus Marcius followed Tullus Hostilius in 641 BC; he extended the city-state's territory to the coast.

### 640 BC - Madyes defeats Tugdamme

In 640 BC the Cimmerian chief Tugdamme was defeated by Madyes (Mader) the Scythian, and slain. After this, the Cimmerian territories were absorbed within Madersland, although Tugdamme did have a son who succeeded him as a sub-chief of the Cimmerians, Sandakshatra. Sandakshatra's name is Iranic and has led to much speculation, including that he is the same as Cyaxares (Khuwakshatra) the Great who ruled the Medes 625-585 BC. Sandrakshatra the Cimmerian is said to have been succeeded by an Ishtivegu, the same name as Cyaxares the Mede's son (Astyages), the main argument given for that identification. However it is unlikely, since Sandrakshatra is evidently the son of Tugdamme, whereas Cyaxares was clearly the son of Phraortes, king of Media. The name Ishtivegu has been compared to Germanic names ending in -weg.

The viceroy of Madyes in Bourges, Ambigot, probably acquired the throne of Britannia by 630 BC, the year the British annalists indicate that a certain Iago succeeded Saisylt there. Iago is claimed to be a nephew of Gorust in the Welsh chronicle, but nothing more is said of him. Holinshed adds only that he was buried at York, and calls him a cousin of Gorust. However it is more likely that this Iago is a corruption of the name of Madyes the Scythian's son-in-law, Ambigot, who became regent in Gallia, Celtiberia and Britannia during these years.

While Madyes himself was busy campaigning against Assyria, Ambigot's area of responsibility was evidently expanded, for he seems to have designated his son Balweis regent in Walia (Lombardy), and another son Sigweis over Boigeria, and later his infant third son Brenner II (b. ca. 631 BC) as governor over Swabia as far as the Vistula, and the Angli. French accounts also mention these first two sons of Ambigot as Bellovese and Sigovese, who established many Gallic settlements in the region later called Lombardy.

### 630 BC - Scythians and Teutons reach Egypt

In ca. 630 BC, Ashur-etil-ilani succeeded his father Ashurbanipal in Assyria, and the Umman-Manda, i.e. the Scythians, Cimmerians, Medes, and other Teutons and Aryans under Madyes, seized the opportunity to overrun wide swathes of Assyrian territory beyond the Euphrates, through Syria, Samaria and Philistia, and even as far as Egypt, where they threatened Psamtik I, and were eventually paid off by him. The invading horde did not harm Judah, but did plunder the pagan temple at Ascalon, Philistia at some point.