Phraortes vs Smenkhkare

Phraortes, son of Deioces, led a military campaign that conquered the Persian tribes. This expansion brought the Persians under Median control, significantly enlarging the Median kingdom's territory and influence.

Phraortes subjugated various other tribes in the Iranian plateau, including the Parthians and possibly the Hyrcanians. These conquests consolidated Median hegemony over much of western Iran.

Phraortes died while leading a campaign against the Assyrian Empire. His defeat and death halted Median expansion and left the kingdom vulnerable, though it later revived under his successor Cyaxares.

Evidence suggests Smenkhkare may have served as co-regent with Akhenaten in the final years of the latter's reign. Inscriptions from Amarna show them ruling together, possibly to manage the transition of power. This co-regency, if it occurred, was brief and ended with Akhenaten's death.

Smenkhkare ruled for a very short period, likely less than a year, during the turbulent Amarna period. He succeeded Akhenaten and may have been a co-regent before becoming sole ruler. His reign is poorly documented, and his identity remains debated, with theories suggesting he was a brother or son of Akhenaten.

Smenkhkare is believed to have been buried in Tomb KV55 in the Valley of the Kings. The tomb contained a mummy, a gilded coffin, and canopic jars, but the identity of the occupant is disputed. The burial was disturbed in antiquity, and the remains have been linked to both Smenkhkare and Akhenaten.