In Egypt, at the time of which we are speaking, exactly this position was occupied by Psamatik, son of Neco.  He was, according to all appearance, of Libyan origin; his stock was new; his name and his father’s name are unheard of hitherto in Egyptian history; etymologically, they are non-Egyptian; and Psamatik has a non-Egyptian countenance.  He was probably of the same family as “Inarus the Libyan,” whose father was a Psamatik.  He belonged thus to a Libyan stock, which had, however, been crossed, more than once, with the blood of the Egyptians.  The family was one of those Libyan families which had long been domiciled at Sais, and had intermarried with the older Saites, who were predominantly Egyptian.  He had also for twenty years or more been an important unit in the Egyptian political system, having shared the vicissitudes of his father’s fortunes from B.C. 672 to B.C. 667, and having then been placed at the head of one of the many principalities into which Egypt was divided.  In the same, or the next, year he seems to have succeeded his father; and he had reigned at Sais for sixteen or seventeen years before he felt himself called upon to take any step that was at all abnormal, or attempt in any way to change his position.

[Illustration:  HEAD OF PSAMATIK I.]

Familiar with the politics and institutions of Egypt, yet, as a semi-Libyan, devoid of Egyptian prejudices, and full of the ambition which naturally inspires young princes of a vigorous stock, Psamatik had at once the desire to shake off the yoke of Assyria, and reunite Egypt under his own sway, and also a willingness to adopt any means, however new and strange, by which such a result might be accomplished.  He had probably long watched for a favourable moment at which to give his ambition vent, and found it at last in the circumstances that ushered in the second half of the seventh century.  Assyria was, about B.C. 651, brought into a position of great difficulty, by the revolt of Babylon in alliance with Elam, and was thus quite unable to exercise a strict surveillance over the more distant parts of the Empire.  The garrison by which she held Egypt had probably been weakened by the withdrawal of troops for the defence of Assyria Proper; at any rate, it could not be relieved or strengthened under the existing circumstances.  At the same time a power had grown up in Asia Minor, which was jealous of Assyria, having lately been made to tremble for its independence.  Gyges of Lydia had, in a moment of difficulty, been induced to acknowledge himself Assyria’s subject; but he had emerged triumphant from the perils surrounding him, had reasserted his independent authority, and was anxious that the power of Assyria should be, as much as possible, diminished.  Psamatik must have been aware of this.  Casting his eyes around the political horizon in search of any ally at once able and willing to lend him aid, he fixed upon Lydia as likely to be his best auxiliary, and dispatched an