ignty passed to Dynasty XXX., the last
native Egyptian line. Monuments of all these kings are known, and art
flourished particularly under the Mendesian kings Nekhtharheb
(Nectanebes or Nectanebus I.) and Nekhtnebf (Nectanebes II.). The former
came to the throne when a Persian invasion was imminent, 378 B.C. Hakor
had already formed a powerful army, largely composed of Greek
mercenaries. This army Nekhtharheb entrusted to the Athenian Chabrias.
The Persians, however, succeeded in causing his recall and in gaining
the services of his fellow-countryman Iphicrates. The invading army
consisted of 200,000 barbarians under Pharnabazus and 20,000 Greeks
under Iphicrates. After the Egyptians had experienced a reverse,
Iphicrates counselled an immediate advance on Memphis. His advice was
not followed by Pharnabazus; the Egyptian king collected his forces and
won a pitched battle near Mendes. Pharnabazus retreated and Egypt was
free.

Nekhtharheb was succeeded by Tachos or Teos, whose short reign was
occupied by a war with Persia, in which the king of Egypt secured the
services of a body of Greek mercenaries under the Spartan king Agesilaus
and a fleet under the Athenian general Chabrias. He entered Phoenicia
with every prospect of success, but having offended Agesilaus he was
dethroned in a military revolt which gave the crown to Nekhtnebf or
Nectanebes II., the last native king of Egypt. At this moment a revolt
broke out. The prince of Mendes almost succeeded in overthrowing the new
king. Agesilaus defeated the rival pretender and left Nekhtnebf
established on the throne. But the opportunity of a decisive blow
against Persia was lost. The new king, Artaxerxes III. Ochus, determined
to reduce Egypt. A first expedition was defeated by the Greek
mercenaries of Nekhtnebf, but a second, commanded by Ochus himself,
subdued Egypt with no further resistance than that of the Greek garrison
of Pelusium. Nekhtnebf, instead of endeavouring to relieve them,
retreated to Memphis and fled thence to Ethiopia, 340 (?) B.C. Thus
miserably fell the monarchy of the Pharaohs, after an unexampled
duration of 3000 years, or as some think far longer. More than 2000
years have since passed, and though Egypt has from time to time been
independent, not one native prince has sat on the throne of the
Pharaohs. "There shall be no more a prince of the land of Egypt" (Ezek.
xxx. 13) was prophesied in the days of Apries as the final state of the
land.

Ochu