Tantamani

Tantamani (Template:Langx, Neo-Assyrian: File:Rassam cylinder Urdamanee.jpg Template:Transliteration, Template:Langx Template:Transliteration),<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> also known as Tanutamun or Tanwetamani (d. 653 BC) was ruler of the Kingdom of Kush located in Northern Sudan, and the last pharaoh of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty of Egypt. His prenomen or royal name was Bakare, which means "Glorious is the Soul of Re."<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Filiation

Template:See also He was the son of King Shabaka and the nephew of his predecessor Taharqa.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In some Egyptological literature he is identified as the son of Shebitku.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Assyrian records call Tantamani a son of Shabaka and refer to his mother, Qalhata, as a sister of Taharqa. Some Egyptologists interpreted the Assyrian text as stating that Tantamani was a son of Shebitku, but it is now more common to consider Tantamani a son of Shabaka.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Conflict with Ashurbanipal of Assyria

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File:Granite Statue of King Tantamani, Sudan National Museum, Khartoum (3).jpg

Portrait of Tantamani, Sudan National Museum.

File:Ashurbanipal's Second Campaign in Egypt (Rassam cylinder).jpg

Ashurbanipal's account of his Second Campaign in Egypt against Tantamani ("Urdamanee"/ "Ruddamon"), in the Rassam cylinder

Soon after the Assyrians had appointed Necho I as king and left, Tantamani invaded Egypt in hopes of restoring his family to the throne. Tantamani marched down the Nile from Nubia and reoccupied all of Egypt, including Memphis. Necho I, and the Assyrians' representative were killed in Tantamani's campaign.

This led to a renewed conflict with Ashurbanipal in 663 BCE. The Assyrians led by Ashurbanipal returned to Egypt in force. Together with Psamtik I's army, which included Carian mercenaries, they fought a pitched battle in north Memphis, close to the temple of Isis, between the Serapeum and Abusir. Tantamani was defeated and fled to Upper Egypt. Forty days after the battle, Ashurbanipal's army arrived in Thebes. Tantamani had already left the city for Kipkipi, a location that remains uncertain but might be Kom Ombo, some Template:Convert south of Thebes.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>Template:Rp The city of Thebes was conquered, "smashed (as if by) a floodstorm" and heavily plundered in the Sack of Thebes.Template:Sfn The event is not mentioned in Egyptian sources, but is known from the Assyrian annals,<ref>Robert G. Morkot: The Black Pharaohs, Egypt's Nubian Rulers, London Template:ISBN, p. 296</ref> which report that the inhabitants were deported. The Assyrians took a large booty of gold, silver, precious stones, clothes, horses, fantastic animals, as well as two obelisks covered in electrum weighing 2.500 talents (c. 75.5 tons, or 166,500 lb):Template:Sfn

File:Egypt - Capture of Memphis by the Assyrians.png

Capture of Memphis by the Assyrians in 663 BCE.

This city, the whole of it, I conquered it with the help of Ashur and Ishtar. Silver, gold, precious stones, all the wealth of the palace, rich cloth, precious linen, great horses, supervising men and women, two obelisks of splendid electrum, weighing 2,500 talents, the doors of temples I tore from their bases and carried them off to Assyria. With this weighty booty I left Thebes. Against Egypt and Kush I have lifted my spear and shown my power. With full hands I have returned to Nineveh, in good health.{{#if:|{{#if:|}}

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The sack of Thebes was a momentous event that reverberated throughout the Ancient Near East. It is mentioned in the Book of Nahum chapter 3:8-10: Template:Cquote

A prophecy in the Book of Isaiah<ref>20:3-5</ref> refers to the sack as well:

The Assyrian reconquest effectively ended Nubian control over Egypt, although Tantamani's authority was still recognised in Upper Egypt until his 8th Year in 656 BCE, when Psamtik I's navy peacefully took control of Thebes and effectively unified all of Egypt. These events marked the start of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt.

Later rule

Thereafter, Tantamani ruled only Nubia (Kush). He died in 653 BC and was succeeded by Atlanersa, a son of Taharqa. He was buried in the family cemetery at El-Kurru. The archaeologist Charles Bonnet discovered the statue of Tantamani at Kerma (now called Doukki Gel) in 2003.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Tomb in El-Kurru

The tomb of Tantamani was located below a pyramid, now disappeared, at the site of El-Kurru. Only the entrance and the chambers remain, which are beautifully decorated with mural paintings.

• Exterior of one of the ancient Nubian tombs at El-Kurru near Karima.jpg

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• Portrait of Tantamani in his tomb in El-Kurru.jpg

  Portrait of Tantamani in his tomb in El-Kurru

• Grabkammer des Tanotamun.jpg

  Tomb of the pyramide of Tantamani, at the site of El-Kurru

• Burial Chamber of the tomb of Tanutamani (5) (33554932640).jpg

  Burial Chamber of Tantamani

• Burial Chamber of the tomb of Tanutamani (4) (33096700524).jpg

  Tomb of Tantamani

• Painting in the ancient Nubian tombs at El-Kurru near Karima, Sudan.jpg

  Burial Chamber of Tantamani

• Burial Chamber of the tomb of Tanutamani (2) (33809906071).jpg

  Tomb of Tantamani

Artifacts

• Kerma King Tantamani (r.664-653 BCE) XXV Dynasty Kushite.jpg

  King Tantamani, National Museum of Sudan

• Tanotamun statue in Kerma Museum.jpg

  Statue of Tantamani, Kerma Museum

• Tanotanum statue, Kerma Museum.jpg

  Yet another statue of Tantamani, Kerma Museum

• Tanotamun portrait in Kerma Museum.jpg

  Tanotamun portrait in Kerma Museum

• Tantamani profile.jpg

  Tantamani, in profile. Kerma Museum

• Tantamani statue Toledo Museum.jpg

  Tantamani statue, Toledo Museum of Art

• Tanuatamanu in Thebes.jpg

  Painting of Tantamani, in Thebes

• 25th Dynasty head of Amun.JPG

  Statuette of god Amon dedicated by Tantamani

• F2241 Louvre Amon belier 25 dynastie E33072 rwk.jpg

  Head of Amon-Ram dedicated by Tantamani, Musée du Louvre

• Stele of the Dream by Tantamani, Jebel Barkal, Sudan.jpg

  Stele of the Dream by Tantamani, Jebel Barkal, Sudan

• Stele of Dream, Tantamani making offerings to Egyptian Gods.jpg

  Stele of the Dream, Tantamani making offerings to Egyptian Gods

• Prenomen and Nomen of Tantamani.jpg

  Prenomen and Nomen of Tantamani

See also

• List of monarchs of Kush

Further reading

• Template:Cite book