r his
successors. To the short reign of Psamatik II. belong a considerable
number of inscriptions, some good bas-reliefs at Abydos and Philae, and a
large number of statues. One of these, in the collection of the Vatican,
is remarkable for its beauty. Apries erected numerous _stelae_, and at
least one pair of obelisks, wherewith he adorned the Temple of Neith at
Sais. Amasis afforded great encouragement to art and architecture. He
added a court of entrance to the above temple, with propylaea of unusual
dimensions, adorned the dromos conducting to it with numerous
andro-sphinxes, erected colossal statues within the temple precincts,
and conveyed thither from Elephantine a monolithic shrine or chamber of
extraordinary dimensions. Traces of his architectural activity are also
found at Memphis, Thebes, Abydos, Bubastis, and Thmuis or Leontopolis.
Statuary flourished during his reign. Even portrait-painting was
attempted; and Amasis sent a likeness of himself, painted on panel, as
a present to the people of Cyrene. It was maintained by the Egyptians of
a century later that the reign of Amasis was the most prosperous time
which Egypt had ever seen, the land being more productive, the cities
more numerous, and the entire people more happy than either previously
or subsequently. Amasis certainly gave a fresh impulse to commerce,
since he held frequent communication with the Greek states of Asia
Minor, as well as with the settlers at Cyrene, and gave increased
privileges to the trading community of Naucratis.

Even in a military point of view, there was to some extent a recovery
from the disaster of Carchemish. The Babylonian empire was not
sufficiently established or consolidated at the accession of
Nebuchadnezzar for that monarch to form at once extensive schemes of
conquest. There was much to be done in Elam, in Asia Minor, in Phoenicia,
and in Palestine, before his hands could be free to occupy themselves in
the subjugation of more distant regions. Within three years after the
battle of Carchemish Judaea threw off the yoke of Babylon, and a few
years later Phoenicia rebelled under the hegemony of Tyre. Nebuchadnezzar
had not much difficulty in crushing the Jewish outbreak; but Tyre
resisted his arms with extreme obstinacy, and it was not till thirteen
years after the revolt took place that Phoenicia was re-conquered. Even
then the position of Judaea was insecure: she was known to be thoroughly
disaffected, and only waiting a