Cambyses II

Lore & Background

Cambyses II was the eldest son of Cyrus the Great and Cassandane. He had a younger brother, Bardiya, and three sisters: Artystone, Atossa, and Roxanne. Before his accession, Cambyses was governor of northern Babylonia under his father Cyrus from April to December 538 BCE. He held positions in Babylon and Sippar. In 530 BCE, his father made him co-ruler. Cyrus then set off on an expedition against the Massagetae of Central Asia, where he met his end. Cambyses thus became the sole ruler of the vast Achaemenid Empire. According to chroniclers, he faced no opposition. His reign focused on expanding the empire, particularly into Egypt. In 525 BC, Cambyses invaded Egypt and defeated Pharaoh Psamtik III at the Battle of Pelusium. He captured Memphis and established a Persian-Egyptian garrison there. By summer, all of Egypt was under Persian suzerainty. The Libyans, and soon the Greeks of Cyrene and Barca, willingly acknowledged the authority of Cambyses. He established a garrison in Elephantine. Cambyses wanted to attack the Phoenician state of Carthage but never did so due to his Phoenician subjects' reluctance. According to Herodotus, Cambyses's campaigns against Ammon in the Siwa Oasis and Kush ended in catastrophe, but this is disputed by other sources and archaeological evidence suggests Achaemenid control of Nubia. Cambyses died childless in 522 BCE from a gangrenous thigh wound, succeeded by his younger brother Bardiya, who was then overthrown by Darius the Great.

Reader's Guide

Cambyses II's significance lies in his successful conquest of Egypt, which brought the last major Near Eastern power under Achaemenid control and extended the empire's reach into Africa. His reign, though brief, demonstrated the administrative and military capabilities of the early Achaemenid state. However, his legacy is complicated by ancient accounts, particularly Herodotus, who portrayed him as mad and reckless—a view disputed by modern scholars like Pierre Briant. Cambyses died childless in 522 BCE from a gangrenous thigh wound, leading to a succession crisis: his brother Bardiya ruled briefly before being overthrown by Darius the Great (r. 522–486 BC), who went on to increase the power of the Achaemenids further. Cambyses's conquests laid the groundwork for Persian control of Egypt and Libya, which lasted for over a century. In accordance with Egyptian royal custom, Cambyses took the titles of 'king of Upper and Lower Egypt' and 'descendant of (the gods) Ra, Horus, Osiris.' At Sais, Cambyses had himself crowned in the temple of the goddess Neith, making sacrifices to the Egyptian gods. According to ancient historians, his rule was marked by brutality, looting temples, and defilement of royal tombs, but no looting of temples has been reported by contemporary Egyptian sources.

Did You Know?

• Cambyses II was the eldest son of Cyrus the Great and Cassandane, and had a younger brother named Bardiya and three sisters: Artystone, Atossa, and Roxanne.
• Before becoming king, Cambyses served as governor of northern Babylonia from April to December 538 BCE, and was made co-ruler by his father in 530 BCE.
• He conquered Egypt in 525 BCE by defeating Pharaoh Psamtik III at the Battle of Pelusium, and later took Cyrenaica in eastern Libya.
• Cambyses died childless in 522 BCE from a gangrenous thigh wound received en route to Syria, and was succeeded by his brother Bardiya.
• According to Herodotus, Cambyses used cats, sheep, and dogs—animals sacred to Egyptians—in the front lines at Pelusium to force the Egyptians to cease using their war engines.