796
edits
Changes
no edit summary
===Nubian Culture Shifts to Meroe===
[[File: MeroeQueen_Meroe.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|Closeup Statue of a Meroitic Queen in the Meroe PyramidsEgyptian Museum, Cairo]]After the seat of Nubian power moved south to Meroe, it took some time for the new kingdom to rise to prominence. The Nubian royal necropolis was moved to Nuri in the Napata region immediately after the Tanwetamani Tantamani was vanquished from Egypt, before moving much further south to Meroe around 270 BC. <ref> O’Connor, David. <i>Ancient Nubia: Egypt’s Rival in Africa.</i> (Philadelphia: The University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, 1993), p. 70</ref> Once Meroe was established as the new seat of government, the kingdom grew in size and power: but why did the move happen in the first place?
The reason for the move to Meroe was probably due to practical concerns more than anything. The Nubians found themselves in a weak position after losing Egypt to Psamtek I and the Saites, so it appears a quick strategic retreat to Meroe, which is situated between the fifth and sixth cataracts, was in order. A military expedition by Psamtek II (reigned 595-598) may have been the final event that pushed the Nubians south. Two stelae discovered in Egypt, one from Tanis and one from Shellal, document a military campaign Psamtek II led against Nubia in the third year of his rule. The Tanis stela claims the Nubian king was “burned” after Psamtek II invaded and occupied Nubia, and the Shellal stela states the Egyptians took 4,200 male captives. <ref> Manuelian, Peter D. <i>Studies in Archaism of the Egyptian Twenty-Sixth Dynasty.</i> (London: Keegan Paul International, 1994), pgs. 367, 340</ref> The Nubian King Anlamani (ruled 623-593 BC) may have been the unfortunate victim, as he was succeeded that year by Aspelta (reigned 593-568 BC).
