21. Pharaoh Necho II – Multiple Archaeological Sources
Egyptian sources tell us about his goals through hieroglyphs at Karnak Temple and stone monuments found at Tanis and Bubastis. These records show he wanted to expand Egypt’s power through military campaigns and build a canal linking the Nile to the Red Sea for trade. Other countries wrote about him, too. The Babylonian Chronicles tell us about a major battle he lost: the Battle of Carchemish in 605 BCE, where Nebuchadnezzar II defeated him. We can also learn about Necho II from the Bible. Both 2 Kings and the Book of Jeremiah mention him, especially noting how he killed King Josiah of Judah at Megiddo. When we put all these sources together, we see Necho II tried to make Egypt more powerful, but this led to fights with Judah and Babylon.
