text:  Herodotus has this amusing story of a philological experiment made by the Egyptian king Psammetichus who may not inappropriately be termed the James the First of his dynasty:-- "The Egyptians before the reign of Psammetichus considered themselves the oldest of mankind; but after the reign of Psammetichus enquiry having been made as to whether that were the case thenceforth they considered the Phrygians to be their elders themselves being next in seniority