Benson, Margaret; Gourlay, Janet: The temple of Mut in Asher: an account of the excavation of the temple and of the religious representations and objects found therein, as illustrating the history of Egypt and the main religious ideas of the Egyptians (London, 1899)

GHAP. XV.]

SACK OF THEBES.

263

In such times of difficulty and danger it is far
from impossible that Taharqa should have chosen
from among his new allies a man of strong
character to be governor of Thebes. It lessened at
once the danger of disaffection in Egypt itself, and
cemented his bond with a friendly people. He had
need of such men, in spite of the twenty years of
peace granted to him after his accession.

Esarhaddon was now king of Assyria. He and
his son Assurbanipal conquered Phoenicia, the ally
of Egypt, making of it a tributary state, and the way
to the Delta lay clear before them. The first con- B-c- 669-
quest was not far-reaching, but a second, under-
taken by Assurbanipal, brought ruin to the king
and the country. Taharqa defended Memphis in
vain ; the city was taken and he fled to Thebes, only
to be followed and driven to the southern bounds
of his kingdom.

Thebes fell into the hands of the Assyrians, to
be sacked and plundered, its temples wrecked ancL
their treasures spoiled. The victory was so com-
plete that Assurbanipal is described in the Assyrian
annals as " King of Egypt, Thebes and Ethiopia."
The country was divided into many little princi-
palities governed by satraps, who were chosen for
the most part by the victor from the native Egyptian
princes, as a means of assuring the submission ot
his new subjects. On a cylinder of Assurbanipal
a list of these satraps is given ; among them are
the names of Nekau of Sais, of a Tef-nekht, a