| Nectanebo I | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Statue of Nectanebo I withkhepresh crown | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pharaoh | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reign | 379/8–361/0 BC[1][2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Nepherites II (29th Dynasty) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Successor | Teos | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Children | Teos,Tjahapimu | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Father | Djedhor | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mother | unknown | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dynasty | 30th Dynasty | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nectanebo I (Egyptian:Nḫt-nb.f;Ancient Greek:ΝεκτάνεβιςNectanebis; died 361/60 BC) was anancient Egyptianpharaoh, founder of the last native dynasty of Egypt, the30th.
Nectanebo's Egyptian personal name wasNḫt-nb.f (Nakhtnebef), which means "the strong one of his lord". Greek sources rendered the name asΝεκτάνεβις (Nectanebis). The writings ofManetho which have been preserved byGeorge Syncellus spell itΝεκτανέβης (Nectanebēs), but this is probably only based on a phonetic approximation due toiotacism.[4] Although convention in English assigns identical names to him and his grandson,Nectanebo II, the two in fact had different names.[5]
Nectanebo was an army general fromSebennytos, son of an important military officer named Djedhor and of a lady whose name is only partially recorded, [...]mu.[6] A stele found atHermopolis[7] provides some evidence that he came to power by overthrowing, and possibly putting to death, the last pharaoh of the29th DynastyNepherites II.[8] It has been suggested that Nectanebo was assisted in thecoup by theAthenian generalChabrias. Nectanebo carried out the coronation ceremony in c. 379/8 BC in bothSais andMemphis,[9] and shifted the capital fromMendes to Sebennytos.[10]
The relationships between Nectanebo and the pharaohs of the previous dynasty are not entirely clear. He showed little regard for both Nepherites II and his fatherAchoris, calling the former inept and the latter a usurper.[11][12] He seemed to have had a higher regard forNepherites I, who was formerly believed to be Nectanebo's father or grandfather, although it is now believed that this view was due to a misinterpretation of theDemotic Chronicle.[8] However, it has been suggested that both Achoris and Nectanebo may have been Nepherites I's relatives in some way.[12]
Nectanebo had two known sons:Teos, who was his appointed successor, andTjahapimu.[8]
Nectanebo was a great builder and restorer, to an extent not seen in Egypt for centuries.[11] He ordered work on many of thetemples across the country.[13]
On the sacred island ofPhilae nearAswan, he began the temple ofIsis, which would become one of the most important religious sites in ancient Egypt, by erecting itsvestibule.[13][14] Nectanebo also began theFirst Pylon in the Precinct of Amun-Re atKarnak, and it is believed that the earliest knownmammisi, which was found atDendera, was built by him.[14][15] Thecult of sacred animals, which became prominent between the two Persian occupation periods (the27th and31st dynasties respectively), was supported by Nectanebo as evidenced by archaeological findings at Hermopolis,Hermopolis Parva,Saft el-Hinna and Mendes. Further works ordered by the pharaoh have been found in religious buildings at Memphis,Tanis andEl Kab.[15][16]
Nectanebo was also generous towards the priesthood. Adecree dated to his first year and discovered on a stele atNaucratis, required that 10 percent of taxes collected both from imports and from local production in this city were to be used for the temple ofNeith at Sais.[17] A twin of this stele was recently discovered in the now-submerged city ofHeracleion.[18] The aforementioned stele from Hermopolis, placed before a pylon ofRamesses II, lists the donations made by Nectanebo to the local deities, and other benefits were also granted to the priesthood ofHorus atEdfu.[17] Nectanebo's prodigality showed his devotion to the gods and at the same time financially supported the largest holders of wealth of the country and for expenditure on the defence of the country.[11]
In 374/3 BC Nectanebo had to face aPersian attempt to retake Egypt, which was still considered by theAchaemenid kingArtaxerxes II nothing more than a rebelsatrapy. After a six-year preparation and applying pressure on Athens to recall the Greek generalChabrias,[19] Artaxerxes dispatched a great army led by the Athenian generalIphicrates and the PersianPharnabazus. It has been recorded that the army was composed of over 200,000 troops, including Persian soldiers and Greek mercenaries, and around 500 ships. Nectanebo ordered fortifications built along thePelusiac branch of theNile, compelling the enemy fleet to find its way up the less-defended Mendesian branch.[19]
At this point, the mutual distrust that had arisen between Iphicrates and Pharnabazus prevented the enemy from reaching Memphis. Then the annualNile flood and the Egyptian defenders' resolve to defend their territory turned what had initially appeared as certain defeat for Nectanebo I and his troops into a complete victory.[20]
From 368 BC many western satrapies of the Achaemenid Empire started to rebel against Artaxerxes II, so Nectanebo provided financial support to the rebelling satraps and re-established ties with bothSparta and Athens.[15]
Nectanebo died during his 19th year as ruler. His tomb,sarcophagus andmummy have never been found. Towards the end of his reign (in Year 16 – 364/3 BC), probably to remedy the dynastic problems that plagued his predecessors, Nectanebo restored the long-lost practice of theco-regency, associating his son Teos to the throne. However, shortly after Teos' accession, his brother Tjahapimu betrayed him and managed to put his own son Nakhthorheb (Nectanebo II) onto the Egyptian throne.[8]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)| Preceded by | Pharaoh of Egypt 379/8–361/0 | Succeeded by |