CAMBYSES II, king of the Medes and Persians: d. 522 B.C. He was the son of Cyrus the Great, and grandson of Cambyses I, and became, after the death of his father, Icing of the Medes and Persians, 529 B.C. In the fifth year of his reign he invaded Egypt, killed King Psammetichus III at Pelusinm, plundered Memphis, and conquered the whole kingdom within six months. He now wished to send a fleet against Carthage, to conquer Ethiopia, and to obtain possession of the temple of Jupiter Ammon. The first of these expeditions, how ever, did not take place, because the fleet, which was manned with Phoenicians, refused obedience to him in a war against their kindred. The army which vias sent against the Ammonites perished in the desert; and the troops, at whose head he himself had set out against the Ethiopians, were compelled by hunger to re treat. From this time he gave himself up to the greatest cruelties. On his entrance into Memphis, seeing the Egyptians engaged m the celebration of a feast in honor of their god Apis, whom they had found, he believed that they were rejoicing at his misfortunes. He caused the holy bull to be brought before him, slew him with his own sword and caused the priest to be scourged with rods. To drown his
remorse he indulged in wine. No relation was held sacred by him when intoxicated. He caused his brother Smerdis, a dream concern ing whom had disturbed him, to be murdered. His sister and wife Atossa, who lamented the death of Smerdis, he killed with a blow of his foot. These and other acts, almost indicating insanity, had irritated his subjects. A magian availed himself of his discontent, and obtained possession of the throne under the name of Smerdis, whose death had been concealed. Cambyses had resolved to go to Susa, in order to punish him, when, according to the account of Herodotus, as he was mounting his horse, he received a wound in the hip from his sword, in consequence of which he soon died, at Ecba tana, Syria, leaving no children. Somewhat different accounts are given by Ctesias and others. See CYRUS; DARIUS; MEDIA; PDFSIA. Consult Lincke, (Kambyses in der Sage, Lidera tur and Kunst des Mittelalters' (in Eber's Leipzig 1897).