Egypt Museum

persia

Cambyses II of Persia defeats Psamtik III of Egypt

Cambyses II of Persia defeats Psamtik III of Egypt

This is a scene you are used to seeing from Ancient Egypt; a triumphant, dominating king, with a pleading & subdued enemy. But here, the tables have turned. Here the king of Egypt is the pleading subdued one, as the “Achaemenid King of Kings” holds the power. The king of Egypt pleading with the Achaemenian...

According to the Greek writer, Polyaenus, c. 200 C.E., the Persians, during their successful attempt at occupying Egypt (525 BCE). Paul-Marie Lenoir, 1872.

Egyptians in the eyes of the Greeks

According to the Greek writer, Polyaenus, c. 200 C.E., the Persians, during their successful attempt at occupying Egypt (525 BCE), used sacred animals as bait and protection against the Egyptian military. In this painting by Paul-Marie Lenoir from 1872, we see that cats are being slung and thrown to their death in front of the...