Gongsun Du vs Necho II

Gongsun Du was appointed Administrator of Liaodong commandery by the Han court. He used his position to establish an independent regime, ruling the region with autonomy and expanding his territory.

Gongsun Du ruled Liaodong as a de facto independent state, ignoring central Han authority. He maintained stability, promoted agriculture, and attracted refugees from the chaos of central China, creating a prosperous enclave.

Gongsun Du launched military campaigns into the Korean peninsula, conquering territories including the Lelang and Xuantu commanderies. This expansion extended Chinese influence into Korea and established Liaodong as a regional power.

Gongsun Du died in 204, and his son Gongsun Kang inherited his position. The Gongsun family continued to rule Liaodong independently for decades, maintaining autonomy from the Three Kingdoms.

Necho II led an Egyptian army to Carchemish to support the Assyrians against the Babylonians. On the way, he defeated the Judean army of King Josiah at Megiddo. Josiah was killed in the battle. This victory allowed Necho to assert Egyptian control over the Levant for a short period.

Necho II's Egyptian forces were defeated by the Babylonian army under Nebuchadnezzar II at Carchemish. The defeat ended Egyptian influence in the Levant and allowed Babylon to dominate the region. Necho retreated to Egypt and lost control of Syria and Palestine.

Necho II began construction of a canal connecting the Nile River to the Red Sea. The canal, which was later completed by Darius I, was approximately 85 kilometers long and allowed ships to travel between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. This project facilitated trade and military transport.

Necho II commissioned a Phoenician expedition to circumnavigate Africa. According to Herodotus, the expedition sailed from the Red Sea around the Cape of Good Hope and returned via the Pillars of Hercules (Gibraltar). This voyage, if historical, would have been the first circumnavigation of Africa.