Cambyses
525-522 B.C.
Cambyses was the first ruler of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty. He was the ruler of Persia and treated the last ruler of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty, Psammetichus III (Psamtik III) with some consideration. Psammetichus then tried to revolt and Cambyses caused him to be killed.

There is an inscription on a statue that tells of Cambyses going to Sais to worship Neith and restore the revenues and festivals of the temple. But according to Herodotus, Cambyses did many reprehensible things against Egyptian religion and customs and eventually went mad.

Darius I
521-486 B.C.
Darius I was the second ruler of the Twenty-seventh Dynasty. He was son of Hystaspes and a member of the Cyrus family. He was in Egypt while Cambyses ruled and Darius treated the Egyptians with respect and goodwill.

During his reign he undertook the completion of the canal that extended from the Nile to the Red Sea. He also expanded the Serapeum at Saqqara as well as erected a large temple of Amun in el-Kharga, a southwestern oasis.

During his reign, the Persians were defeated in the battle of Marathon. This showed that the great empire was not invincible and a revolt in Egypt followed.

Xerxes I
486-466 B.C.
Xerxes I was the third ruler of the Twenty-seventh Dynasty. The revolt that began during the reign of Darius I, who was Xerxes’ father, was finally laid to rest during the second year of Xerxes I’s reign. It is said that the slaves’ lives were much harder during the time of Xerxes. It is not certain whether this is true since Xerxes was much more involved elsewhere and paid little attention to Egypt.

Darius II
424-404 B.C.
Darius II was the fifth king of the Twenty-seventh Dynasty. During his reign, he did some work on the temple of Amun in the Kharga oasis. There were also many foreigners in Egypt during this time, mostly Greeks and Jews. He died in the spring of 404 BC.