Thirtieth dynasty of Egypt

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The Thirtieth Dynasty of ancient Egypt followed Nectanebo I's deposition of Nefaarud II, the son of Hakor. This dynasty is often considered part of the Late Period.

Nectanebo had gained control of all of Egypt by November of 380 BC, but spent much of his reign defending his kingdom from Persian reconquest with the occasional help of Sparta or Athens. In 365, Nectanebo made his son Teos co-king and heir, and until his death in 363 father and son reigned together. After his father's death, Teos invaded the Persian territories of modern Syria and Israel, during which campaign he lost his throne from the machinations of his own son Tjahepimu, who made Teos' grandson Nectanebo II king.

Nectanebo II's reign was dominated by the efforts of the Persian rulers to reconquer Egypt, which they considered a satrapy in revolt. For the first ten years, Nectanebo avoided the Persian reconquest because Artaxerxes III was forced to consolidate his control of the realm. Artaxerxes then made an unsuccessful invasion of Egypt in the winter of 351/350 BC, and revolts in Cyprus, Phoenicia, and Cilicia followed. Although Nectanebo gave aid to these revolts, eventually Artaxerxes suppressed these rebellions and was once again able to invade Egypt. This second invasion proved successful, and Nectanebo was forced to withdraw from his defenses in the Nile Delta to Memphis, where he saw that his cause was lost. He thereupon fled south to Nubia, where he possibly found refuge at the court of King Nastesen of Napata.

Although a shadowy rebel Khababash proclaimed himself king (338 - 336 BC), Nectanebo has been considered the last pharaoh of Egypt at least since Jerome, and his flight marked the end of Egypt as an independent entity.