He inherited a vast empire, but his reign was marked by conquest and unsettling tales. Delve into the psychology and actions of King Cambyses II of Persia. Did the weight of his father's legacy and the challenges of ruling a diverse empire lead to his alleged erratic behavior? We examine the evidence and try to understand the man behind the myths of this controversial ancient ruler.
Primary Sources
Herodotus. The Histories. Translated by Aubrey de Sélincourt, Penguin Books, 2003.
— Book III, Chapter 26 contains the account of Cambyses II’s army vanishing in the desert.
Castiglioni, Angelo, and Alfredo Castiglioni. "Discovery of the Lost Army of Cambyses." International Conference on the Archaeology of the Libyan Desert, Dakhla Oasis Project, 2009.
— Italian archaeologists who reported evidence in the Sahara that may be linked to the Persian army.
Kaper, Olaf E. "Petubastis III and the Lost Army of Cambyses." Zeitschrift für ägyptische Sprache und Altertumskunde, vol. 139, no. 1, 2012, pp. 49–60.
— Argues the army was ambushed by a local rebel rather than lost in a sandstorm.
“Has the Mystery of the Lost Persian Army Finally Been Solved?” Ancient Origins, 17 Nov. 2013, www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/has-mystery-lost-persian-army-finally-been-solved-001778.
— Outlines the Italian discoveries and the historical debate surrounding them.
Gugliotta, Guy. “The Vanished Army: Solving an Ancient Egyptian Mystery.” Time, 14 Oct. 1996.
— One of the earliest English-language reports on the Castiglioni brothers’ findings.
Jarus, Owen. “Lost Army of Cambyses Possibly Found in Egyptian Desert.” Live Science, 10 Nov. 2009, www.livescience.com/5044-lost-army-cambyses-possibly-egyptian-desert.html.
— Reviews both the archaeological evidence and criticisms of the 2009 announcement.
Wilcox, Lauren. “Beneath the Sands of Time: A Forgotten Army’s Tragic Fate.” Facebook Post, 2024, www.facebook.com/100083750333854/posts/beneath-the-sands-of-time.
— A now-viral social post claiming the presence of high-radiation jars and radium tablets in the desert.
“Finding the Remains of 50,000 Persian Soldiers That Vanished in a Sandstorm.” YouTube, uploaded by Origins Explained, 1 June 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dbJPzdJz6I.
— Visual documentary explaining the archaeological theories and alternative interpretations.
“Out of the Tombs.” Reddit, 2024, www.reddit.com/r/OutoftheTombs/comments/1k9xmbt.
— User-generated discussion about time travel, ancient tech, and the mystery surrounding the army’s remains.
“Lost Army of Cambyses.” Historum, 2020, www.historum.com/t/the-lost-army-of-cambyses.63438.
— In-depth speculation and alternative theories, including ideas about desert sentience, Stargates, and ancient weaponry.
Scholarly and Archaeological SourcesNews Articles and Scientific CommentaryRadiation and Anomalous TheoriesAlternative and Fringe Theories
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