ABSTRACT
FnOl\I the observations made at the end of the summary of the previous period it will be clear that the accession of the XXVIth Dynasty marks the beginning of an entirely new era of Egyptian history. The New Empire, which began with the expulsion of the Hyksos and the accession of the XVIIIth Dynasty, has come to an end, and with it also has come to an end the whole mass of traditions and characteristics which had descended from the mighty and conquering Egypt of the XVIth century before Ohrist. The epoch which begins with the XXVIth Dynasty lasted until the final extinction of Egypt as an independent power by the Romans; it is perhaps well described by the appellation of the" Lower Empire." The Lower Empire, like the New Empire before it, was inaugurated by a national triumph, i.e., the expulsion of foreign conquerors, and, as in the former case, so now there followed a period
of great national prosperity which was characterized by an attempt, nnsuccessful indeed, to rival the XVlIIth Dynasty in the matter of Asiatic conquests. The older Pharaohs, however, never had so redoubtable an enemy as Nebuehadnezzar to deal with, and it was impossible even for an energetic monarch like Nekau (Necho) to emulate the exploits of Thothmes III.; moreover, other great civilized nations had come into being since the time of the XVlIIth Dynasty, and Egypt could never hope again to be the mistress of the world. Indeed" it was apparent that she would soon be compelled to devote all her energies to the task of maintaining her independence against the attacks of the younger and more vigorous nations which had grown up around her, and though she did succeed in preserving her independence, and even much of her power until the end of the Lower Empire, it was only at the price of submission to the rule of foreign kings. A career of conquest was, besides, unpalatable to the Egyptian of the XXVlth Dynasty, for he modelled his life upon the example of his remote ancestors of the Ancient and Middle Empires, when Egypt consisted merely of the kingdoms of the South and North and concerned herself in no way with the acquisition of possessions in remote foreign countries. This archaistic mood is the distinguishing feature of the XXVIth Dynasty, and it found expression in divers ways. The names and titles held by officers of state under the IVth and XIIth Dynasties were revived, and
the appellations which had been in use during the period between the XIIth and XXVIth Dynasties went out of fashion. Deities who had been greatly honoured under the ancient dynasties, but who had sunk into obscurity during the period of the preeminence of Amen of Thebes, came once more into popular favour, while the mighty "king of the gods and lord of the thrones of the world" was hardly any longer venerated, except by a remnant amid the ruins of his once proud sanctuaries at Thebes.
