Nectanebo II came to power by deposing his uncle Teos and spent much of his reign preparing for a Persian invasion. At the same time he sponsored a remarkable wave of temple building and sacred animal cults.
When Artaxerxes III finally broke Egypt’s defences in 343 BCE, Nectanebo fled south and disappeared from history. Legend later made him the secret father of Alexander the Great.
Key achievements
- The last ethnically Egyptian king to rule Egypt for almost 2,300 years.
- Built and restored temples across the country, including at Philae and Saqqara.
- Fled south when the Persian king Artaxerxes III reconquered Egypt in 343 BCE.
