Nectanebo I
Nectanebo I (Egyptian: Nḫt-nḥb; Greek: Νεκτανεβώς Αʹ), also known as Nakhtnebef, was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh who founded the 30th Dynasty, the final native Egyptian royal line, reigning approximately from 380 to 362 BCE.[1][2] A general from Sebennytos before his accession, he overthrew the ineffective 29th Dynasty ruler Nepherites II amid internal instability and Persian threats, consolidating control over the Nile Delta and Upper Egypt by late 380 BCE.[3][4] His reign emphasized military preparedness and monumental construction, repelling a major Persian invasion led by Artaxerxes II in 373 BCE through strategic fortifications along the Nile Delta and alliances that disrupted enemy supply lines, aided by natural flooding that hampered the attackers.[2][3] Nectanebo initiated extensive temple restorations and expansions, including at Karnak and Philae, restoring traditional priesthoods and cult practices weakened under prior foreign influences, while promoting Delta-based administration from his Sebennytos origins.[4][5] These efforts briefly stabilized Egypt's independence, though succession disputes marked the dynasty's later years, culminating in renewed Persian conquest under his grandson's rule.[2] His legacy endures in surviving statuary and inscriptions affirming divine kingship, underscoring a pharaonic revival rooted in martial success and religious patronage.[1]Names and Titles
Egyptian Name and Hellenized Form
The native Egyptian birth name of the pharaoh was Nakhtnebef (Egyptian: nꜣḫt-nb.f), a compound etymologically signifying "the strong one of his lord" or "strong is his master," reflecting the conventional pharaonic nomenclature emphasizing divine strength and loyalty.[1] His prenomen, or throne name, was Kheperkare (ḫpr-kꜣ-rꜥ), translating to "the ka of Re has come into being," invoking the scarab deity Khepri associated with solar renewal.[6] These names appear in hieroglyphic inscriptions on monuments and artifacts attributable to his reign, such as stelae and temple reliefs, serving as primary identifiers for authenticating objects from the late 4th century BCE.[1] Greek historiographical traditions rendered the name as Nektanebis (Νεκτάνεβις), later Latinized and anglicized as Nectanebo, representing a phonetic adaptation that approximated the Egyptian consonants while conforming to Hellenic linguistic patterns.[6] This form first emerges in post-Achaemenid sources compiling Egyptian king lists, diverging from earlier transcriptions and illustrating the cultural mediation of Egyptian royal titulary through Ptolemaic-era scholarship.[1] The persistence of Nectanebo in classical texts underscores its role in transmitting knowledge of the 30th Dynasty to Western historiography, though it obscures the original hieroglyphic nuances preserved in indigenous records.[6]Royal Epithets and Cartouches
Nectanebo I adhered to the conventional Egyptian royal protocol of five names, which encapsulated his divine authority and legitimacy as pharaoh. The Horus name, Tjema'a (ṯmꜢ-Ꜣ), translated as "the sturdy-armed one," evoked martial prowess and protective might, a motif recurrent in his depictions as a defender against foreign threats.[7][8] The Nebty name, Semenekh tawy (smnḫ-tꜢwꞽ), signified "who has made the Two Lands potent," underscoring unification and revitalization of Upper and Lower Egypt under his rule.[7][3] The Golden Horus name, Ir meret netjeru (ꞽrꜽ-mrt-nṯrw), meant "who has accomplished what the gods desired," linking his actions to eternal divine favor and cosmic order.[7] The prenomen, Kheper ka Ra (ḫpr-kꜢ-rꜤ), rendered "the manifestation of the ka of Ra," was inscribed within a cartouche to denote its sacred enclosure, symbolizing the pharaoh's embodiment of solar vitality and creative force.[7] His nomen, Nakht nebef (nḫt-nb.f), "the strong one of his lord," similarly cartouched, highlighted personal strength tied to divine patronage, with variants appearing in temple dedications.[7][3]| Titulary Component | Egyptian Name | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horus | Tjema'a | ṯmꜢ-Ꜣ | The sturdy-armed one[7] |
| Nebty | Semenekh tawy | smnḫ-tꜢwꞽ | Who has made the Two Lands potent[7] |
| Golden Horus | Ir meret netjeru | ꞽrꜽ-mrt-nṯrw | Who has accomplished what the gods desired[7] |
| Prenomen (Cartouche) | Kheper ka Ra | ḫpr-kꜢ-rꜤ | The manifestation of the ka of Ra[7] |
| Nomen (Cartouche) | Nakht nebef | nḫt-nb.f | The strong one of his lord[7] |