The Archaeology of Achaemenid Rule in Egypt.

Abstract

This dissertation is an archaeological examination of the period of Achaemenid Persian rule of Egypt, Manetho’s 27th Dynasty, c. 525-404 BCE. As an Achaemenid satrapy, Egypt in the 27th Dynasty presents an invaluable opportunity to study both Egyptian experiences with foreign imperialism and the nature of Achaemenid rule. Egypt is especially interesting as a case study because of its profound cultural and political importance in the greater Mediterranean and the Near East, and in the Achaemenid Empire in particular. The dissertation has three major goals: 1.) To examine the intellectual foundations of our knowledge of the archaeology of the 27th Dynasty, with a view towards distinguishing between the products of ancient agency and those of modern scholarship. 2.) To assemble a corpus of material culture pertinent to the 27th Dynasty. 3.) To use that corpus to characterize the nature and impact of Achaemenid rule on both institutions (cultural, economic, religious and political) and individuals (natives and foreigners) living in Egypt.

My main findings are 1.) that contrary to conventional wisdom, the Persian Period was one of significant presence in Egypt, having important impacts on a wide range of institutions, individuals, and localities; and 2.) that during the 27th Dynasty people living in Egypt (Egyptians and others) had a wide variety of experiences with Achaemenid rule. For some the empire presented opportunities and options which were advantageous or attractive; for others its impact ranged from the negligible, invisible, or restricting, to one worthy of resistance. This variability is reflected in the spectrum of material culture from Egypt belonging to this period assembled and analyzed in this dissertation.