BABYLON AND PERSIA

KAMBYSES, 529-522 .5. C. 351%em mouth of the Nile, it was his son, PsammetikIII. (more frequently called PSAMMENIT by theGreeks), whom they encountered. There wasone battle, near PELUSION, and it was final.Psam¬metik at once retreated to Memphis with thebulk of his army, intending to make a stand inthis the holiest and most ancient city of the mon¬archy. Pelusion was held for a short time byanother detachment, but was unable to resist thepressure of army and fleet combined. The surrenderof this fortress opened Egypt to the invader; hisships now sailed up the Nile and reached Memphisbefore the land army, to which they afforded a mostwelcome and necessary support, since the Nile hadto be crossed before the capital could be attacked.It would seem that the city did not offer muchresistance. The citadel, indeed, with its garrisoncommanded by the king, did well and bravely, butwas overpowered by numbers and forced to surren¬der. The noblest of the land fell as- captives intothe hands of the conqueror, and Psammetik was ofthe number. This virtually ended the war, and thewhole country submitted almost with alacrity. AnEgyptian inscription has been found which says:" When the great king, the lord o'f the world, Kambathet(Kambyses), came up against Egypt, all thenations of the world were with him. He made him¬self master of the whole land, and bade them sitdown there." It may be doubted, however, whetherthe submission would have been as rapid and univer¬sal had the reigning house been more popular. Itwas not only that Amasis had been an usurper; he