Assyrian conquest of Egypt

In 673 BCE, Esarhaddon, the ruler of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, had initially aimed to pacify tribes around the Dead Sea and advance as far as the Brook of Egypt. However, the Assyrian forces, clashed with the Egyptian army.

## Assyrian conquest of Egypt

### Precced by

* The Kushite kingdom
* Neo - Assyrian Empire

### Succeded by

* Second Egyptian Empire
* Neo - Babylonian Empire

As the war unfolded, Battles raged on, and the fortunes of war shifted back and forth.

The cities of Thebes and Hermopolis fell under Assyrian control, and the tide seemed to be turning in their favor.

Yet, The southern Egyptians defended their homeland with fierce determination. In the midst of the conflict, the Assyrians faced challenges of their own. The vast Egyptian landscape, with its unforgiving deserts and challenging terrain, tested their logistical abilities. It became a war of attrition, a struggle not only against a determined enemy but also against the harsh Egyptian environment.

The Egyptian cities along the way that had risen against Assyrian rule were sacked and subdued. Memphis, was once again taken by the Assyrians. After this victory, Ashurbanipal reorganized the political structure of the northern regions of Egypt. He appointed loyal Assyrian governors to oversee the conquered territories and established Necho I as the ruler of Sais, strengthening Assyrian control.

Taharqa passed away in the city of Thebes in 664 BCE. He was succeeded by Tantamani, a son of Shabaka. Tantamani continued to resist Assyrian rule and maintain Egyptian independence.

After the Assyrians had appointed Necho I as king and withdrew from Egypt, Tantamani marched down the Nile from Nubia, swiftly reoccupying all of Egypt, including the city of Memphis. Necho I, the representative of the Assyrians in Egypt, met a grim fate during Tantamani's campaign, as he was killed in the process.

In response to this resurgence of Nubian power, the Assyrians, led by Ashurbanipal, returned to Egypt with a formidable force. A pitched battle ensued in the northern outskirts of Memphis, Tantamani's forces clashed with the combined might of the Assyrians and their allies.

The outcome of this battle was a decisive victory for the Assyrians. Tantamani's Nubian forces were defeated, and he was forced to flee southward to Upper Egypt. Just 40 days after this battle, Ashurbanipal's Assyrian army reached the city of Thebes.

The city was conquered, and its treasures were heavily plundered. The Assyrians seized a vast booty of gold, silver, precious stones, clothing, horses, and exotic animals.

Notably, the Assyrians also acquired two obelisks covered in electrum, weighing an astonishing 2,500 talents, equivalent to approximately 75.5 tons or 166,500 pounds in modern measurement.

Taking advantage of Assyria's internal turmoil, Psamtik I, the Egyptian ruler, saw an opportunity to throw off the Assyrian yoke. Around 655 BCE, he severed his ties with the Assyrians and embarked on a path to regain Egyptian independence.

While Egypt was breaking free from Assyrian control, another significant event was unfolding in the heartland of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. The vassal state of Babylonia seized the opportunity presented by the turmoil in Assyria and rebelled.

In 625 BCE, Nabopolassar emerged as the torchbearer of a Babylonian rebellion against the Assyrians. His leadership was pivotal as he marshaled the Babylonians to break free from the shackles of Assyrian rule.

In 605 BCE, the course of history shifted as a joint Egyptian and Assyrian force made a desperate attempt to confront the Babylonians at the decisive Battle of Carchemish. The battle outcome favored the Babylonians, who emerged victorious, this victory solidified their dominance and brought the Neo-Assyrian Empire to the brink of collapse.

As the Neo-Assyrian Empire faced its impending dissolution, the Assyrians made a final bid to cling to the remnants of their power. Desperation led them to seek military support from the Egyptian Pharaoh Necho II.

This alliance culminated in the Battle of Megiddo in 609 BCE, where an Egyptian force succeeded in defeating the army of King Josiah. It briefly rekindled hope for the Assyrian-Egyptian alliance.

However, the decisive moment came when the Babylonians and Medes clashed with the combined forces of the Assyrians and Egyptians. In this climactic encounter, the Babylonians and their Median allies achieved a resounding victory.

With the defeat of the Neo-Assyrian Empire and the subsequent collapse of its dominance, Egypt's fate also underwent significant changes.

Egypt had long been a vassal state under Assyrian control. The defeat of the Assyrian-Egyptian alliance in 609 BCE, Egypt found itself free from foreign dominion.

Psamtik I (also known as Wahibre), who had earlier rebelled against Assyrian rule, consolidated his power and control over the country. Psamtik I not only regained Egypt's independence but also initiated a period of reunification and stability.

Psamtik I named Sais as capitol of Egypt and named the country as Second Egyptian Empire.