Nectanebo II

Nectanebo II took the throne from his uncle Teos in 360 BC and ruled until 343 BC, with dates uncertain by about a year. Based at Sebennytos, he was the final ruler of the Thirtieth Dynasty and is historically recognised as the last native Egyptian to rule the country as pharaoh.

His reign was marked by an extensive temple construction programme that reached from the Delta to the southern frontier. He commissioned the great temple of Isis at Behbeit el-Hagar, initiated foundations at Edfu and Philae, and carried out works at Mit Rahina near Memphis. These works fostered a refined artistic style that later influenced Ptolemaic architecture. His rule ended abruptly in 343 BC when the Persian army under Artaxerxes III conquered Egypt, forcing Nectanebo II to flee south.

Scholars know Nectanebo II through numerous temples, statues, and royal stelae. A magnificent empty sarcophagus discovered in Alexandria, and associated with the Serapeum of Saqqara, bears his name, though his final resting place remains unknown.

Monuments

• Behbeit el-Hagar (Iseum)
• Philae
• Edfu Temple foundation
• Mit Rahina

Explore further

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