The Order of the Kushite Kings According to Sources from the Eastern Desert and Thebes. Or: Shabataka was here first!

A new analysis of prosopographic, archaeological, and epigraphic data from the Eastern Desert and Thebes challenges the traditional chronological order of the first two Kushite kings of Egypt's Twenty-Fifth Dynasty. Contrary to the long-held belief that Shabaka established the dynasty by defeating Bocchoris, this study presents compelling evidence supporting Bányai’s 2013 proposal that Shabataka preceded Shabaka as the founder and opponent of Bocchoris. Key insights emerge from a detailed examination of Kushite Nile Level Records at Karnak, reinforcing the revised sequence 'Shabaka—Shabataka.' This revision reshapes our understanding of early Kushite rule in Egypt.

Jurman, C. (2017). The Order of the Kushite Kings According to Sources from the Eastern Desert and Thebes. Or: Shabataka was here first! Journal of Egyptian History, 10(2), 124–151. https://doi.org/10.1163/18741665-12340037