Taharqa and the Kingdom of Kush: An African Superpower of the Ancient World

Taharqa and the Kingdom of Kush: An African Superpower of the Ancient World

Taharqa was a young Kushite prince who became one of the most powerful African rulers of the Ancient world. More than 2762 years ago, an African King named Piye (Piankhi), conquered Egypt and started a new dynasty that rose to the pinnacle of world power in the ancient world. Piye and his successors Shabaka and Shebitku paved the way for Taharqa. Taharqa was one of the greatest military tacticians of the ancient world. He extended Kush/Egypt’s influence into the Levant, present day territory between Jordan all the way north to Syria.

The exact date of Taharqa’s birth is not clear; he, however, died in 664 BC. Taharqa was the son of Piye; he served first under Shebitku before taking the throne. Kush is known by many different names; the Egyptians referred to it as Ta-Seti (the Land of the Bow), the Greeks and later Romans called it Aethiopia (land of people with burnt faces); it is also known as Kerma. The Bible refers to it as Cush, Nubia, and Ethiopia. European writers, Strabo and Herodotus, wrote about this mighty kingdom and its rulers. Herodotus, for instance, described Nubians/Kushites as the “tallest and handsomest” people in the world.

Piye reigned between 747-722 BC; he conquered Egypt in 720 BC and eventually returned back to rule the combined Kingdoms of Kush and Egypt from his capital at Napata. Piye was the first ruler in what is referred to as the 25th Egyptian Dynasty, the Kushite dynasty. Power would move to at least two more Kushite rulers before Taharqa’s reign began.

Kushite rulers pursued an aggressive foreign policy, particularly starting with Shebitku and later Taharqa. The Levant, territory in what is present day Jordan, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, and Syria, was of major importance to Shebitku and Taharqa. The powerful Assyrian kingdom had its headquarters in what is present day Iraq. Assyrians became Kush/Egyptian’s bitter rivals once Shebitku decided to support smaller kingdoms in the Levant and started to make moves to stretch his power in the region.

The Kushite King Shebitku ruled between 707 and 690 BC. Shebituku ordered the young prince Taharqa to go north to assist the small Kingdom of Judea sometime around 701 BC. The young prince led the Kush/Egyptian army against the Assyrians at the Battle of Eltekeh. 

Shebitku had encouraged Hezekiah, the king of Judea, to resist the Assyrians and promised to back his efforts. By encouraging Hezekiah to rebel against the Assyrians, the Kushite king Shebitku broke with the peaceful relations established prior to his reign between Egypt and Assyria. Shebitku’s new policy broke with policies of his predecessors and marked the beginnings of hostile relations between Kush/Egypt and Assyria. It was under this context that the young Taharqa fought in the Battle of Eltekeh.

Historians disagree about the outcome of this battle. Many scholars claim that the Kushite army was defeated. However, one thing is clear: the Assyrian army under Sennacherib decided to retreat; they retreated gradually until they went all the way back home to Assyria. Why would a superior army be forced to retreat? The Assyrian army failed to achieve their objectives in Judea, and this failure, is partly due to the Kushite/Egyptian army led by the young Taharqa. Was this, then, victory for the Kushite young general named Taharqa? Historians are divided.

This historical enigma is further complicated by the story that appears in the Bible. The Bible presents the story from the perspective of the Hebrews/Jews. The Bible cites God’s intervention as the reason for the defeat of the Assyrian army. According to 2 Kings 19:9 “And when he heard say Tirharkah (Taharqa) King of Ethiopia, Behold, he come out to fight against thee: he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah. Isaiah 37:9 reports that “Now Sennacherib received a report that Tirhakah, the King of Cush/Ethiopia, was marching out to fight against him. When he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah with this word: Do not let the god you depend on deceive you when he says ‘Jerusalem will not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria.” According to the Bible, Hezekiah went to the temple and prayed. Isaiah eventually sent a message of hope to Hezekiah, and accordingly, an angel was dispatched and killed thousands of Assyrian soldiers. Some European and Jewish scholars express doubt in any suggestion that Kush/Egypt played a role in the defeat of the Assyrian army; and there are those who outright dismiss any possible role played by Kush/Egypt in the war.

The Dead Sea Scrolls, documents discovered between 1946 and 1956 in caves at Khirbet Qumran in the West Bank, document parts of this story. The Biblical version of the events, reflect the perspective of the Hebrews. This version has its limitations, and therefore, must be balanced with other contemporary historical sources.

Assyrian sources claim that the Assyrians won the battle. Kushite sources claim victory. The Bible, attributes victory, to God’s intervention. What happened then? There is little doubt that the intervention of the Kushite army under Taharqa played a key role in the eventual decision by the Assyrians to withdraw. In other words, the presence of Kushite/Egyptian army played a significant role in the eventual decision by the Assyrians to withdraw. Such withdrawal is clearly an indication of defeat. The Kushite rulers would eventually pay a mighty price for this intervention.

Taharqa eventually took the throne in 690 BC. He gained invaluable experience as a general in the Kushite/Egyptian army. Taharqa was 32 years old when he became the King. He enjoyed peace and prosperity during the first thirteen years of his reign. He initially focused his efforts on uniting the kingdom and construction projects.

Kush/Egyptian power and influence during Taharqa’s reign extended beyond the Levant into what is present day southern Europe. Egypt influence reached as far as Cyprus. One can see that this ancient African superpower, not only flexed its muscles in what is present day Middle East, but also along the Mediterranean Sea.

Taharqa’s exploits in the Levant are further inscribed in a stela at the temple of Kawa. In one section, the stela reports cedar and juniper wood that came from Levant and donated to the temple of Amun. Another part refers to a bronze artwork brought from the Levant/Asia. Finally, there is an inscription dedicated to Taharqa in which he laments over the loss of tribute from the Levant! Inscriptions of the Annals of Thutmosis III includes a prayer in which Taharqa is unhappy at the loss of tribute from the land of Syria-Palestine. Such inscriptions are testament to Taharqa’s regional power and lend to the argument that Kush/Egypt was a Superpower of the ancient world.

Trouble for Taharqa started when the Assyrians became strong enough to start marching towards Egypt. The King of Assyria, Essarhadon, marched his army into Egypt in retaliation for Taharqa's exploits in the Levant. The Babylonian Chronicles mention an expedition against Egypt that took place around 673 BC. Taharqa met Essarhadon in battle, two of the greatest armies in the ancient world. Taharqa won the battle! The Assyrians were forced to retreat. It is easy to underestimate the significance of such victory. Two of the world’s mightiest armies faced each other in battle and one was defeated and forced to retreat.

The Kushite glory did not last long. The Assyrians would eventually march south and take over Lower Egypt in 671 BC. Taharqa managed to hold on to Upper Egypt for a few more years. Taharqa was eventually forced to withdraw from Upper Egypt and settled down in his native land of Kush.

Taharqa died in 664 BC. His death marked the beginning of the end for a remarkable period in African history. Kushite rulers eventually turned south and rebuilt their kingdom further away from the reach of Egyptian rulers and invaders from the Levant and beyond.

© Azaria Mbughuni