20 PAST AGES OF CONQUEST

Punt ; for Punt was brought into such submission by him that she sent her tribute into Egypt by her own messengers, just as the Shilluks now bring

their corn as tax to Fashoda.

The reign of his successor was remarkable for

the first mention of the city of Napata (1500 B.C.),

near Merawi, in what is now the province of

Dongola, and for an activity in building, which was

continued by later Kings of the dynasty.

The colony of Napata seems to have been located

in fruitful soil, for it flourished exceedingly, and in

the course of 500 years, reinforced by the priests

dislodged from Thebes (966 B.C.), and identifying

itself more or less with the races it was planted

amongst, it waxed strong and healthy, aided by the

natural resources and riches of its land. So strong,

indeed, did it become that it succeeded in wresting

the country as far as Assuan from the hands of

the Egyptians, and about 734 B.C. Piankhi, King of

Napata, in the weak period of the Twenty-third and

Twenty-fourth Dynasties, actually forced his way

to Memphis and annexed the whole land of Egypt.

Thus for a short period of ninety years Egypt

existed under Ethiopian Kings, four in number, who were then brought into contact with Assyria

and Judah, and gained the distinction of appearing

in Old Testament history. Hezekiah, King of

Judah, had had the misfortune to be defeated at

Jerusalem by Sennacherib, and lost all his wives

and concubines, with much treasure into the bar-

gain. There appears to be a little confusion as