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How did Ashurbanipal govern Egypt after defeating Taharqa?

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Lion Hunt of Ashurbanipal — Ashurbanipal Ashurbanipal depicted in a lion hunt in an Assyrian relief from his northern palace in Nineveh; now in the British Museum.

After defeating the Cushite king Taharqa, Ashurbanipal governed Egypt by implementing a policy of indirect rule through native administrators. Rather than imposing direct Assyrian rule, he appointed local Egyptian princes to govern the region, supported by the presence of Assyrian military garrisons to ensure stability and the collection of tribute.12

To maintain control, Ashurbanipal established formal treaties with these vassals, most notably Necho I, whom he installed as the supreme ruler of the Nile Delta. When some local princes were discovered conspiring with the Cushites, Ashurbanipal deported them to Nineveh as punishment. Despite these challenges, he remained committed to his strategy of using native leadership, later accepting the succession of Necho’s son, Psamtik I, as a local ruler. This administrative approach allowed Assyria to exert influence over Egypt while minimizing the need for constant direct intervention until the garrisons were eventually expelled in 654 BCE.31