Necho II

Necho II ruled Egypt from 610 BC to 595 BC, with dates uncertain by about a year. The son of Psamtik I and Queen Mehytenweskhet, he inherited a unified and prosperous country. He was an active military commander who sought to maintain Egyptian influence in the Levant following the collapse of the Assyrian Empire. His campaigns brought him into direct conflict with the emerging Neo-Babylonian Empire, culminating in battles along the Euphrates.

At home, Necho was an ambitious builder. He sponsored additions to the temple of Neith at his capital, Sais, and initiated the Canal of the Pharaohs, an early shipping canal designed to connect the eastern branch of the Nile with the Red Sea. He also invested heavily in naval fleets for both the Mediterranean and the Red Sea.

Scholars reconstruct his reign from Delta inscriptions, the Babylonian Chronicles, and surviving biblical and classical accounts. His son Psamtik II succeeded him to the throne.

Monuments

• Canal of the Pharaohs
• Sais temple additions

Explore further

Try the name on the Cartouche Desk, or see where the reign falls on the timeline.