525 BC

Events

By place

Egypt

• Battle of Pelusium - Cambyses II of Persia conquers Egypt by painting cats and other animals sacred to the Egyptians on his soldiers' shields. The Egyptians run in fear of "harming" these animals. It is said that after the battle, Cambyses hurled cats in the faces of the Egyptians in scorn that they would sacrifice their country for the safety of their animals.
• Cambyses takes Psamtik III prisoner and treats him kindly until he tries to raise a revolt, at which point Psamtik is executed.
• The Twenty-sixth Dynasty ends, and the Twenty-seventh Dynasty begins.

  Astronomy

• September 17, 525 BC- Venus occult Antares the next such occurrence will not take place until November 17, 2400 AD.

  Births

• Aeschylus, author of Greek tragedies

  Deaths

• Psammetichus III, Egyptian pharaoh
• Anaximenes of Miletus, Greek scientist and philosopher