Amyrtaeus

Amyrtaeus of Sais ( , a Hellenization of the original Egyptian name Amenirdisu) is the only pharaoh of the Twenty-eighth Dynasty of Egypt and is thought to be related to the royal family of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty (664–525 BC). He ended the first Persian occupation of Egypt (i.e. the Twenty-seventh Dynasty: 525–404 BC) and reigned from 404 BC to 399 BC. Amyrtaeus' successful insurrection inaugurated Egypt's last significant phase of independence under native sovereigns, which lasted for about 60 years until the Persians conquered the country again.

Biography

Sources and identity Sextus Julius Africanus (Chronographiai) calls him "Amyrteos", while Eusebius of Caesarea (Chronicon) calls him "Amirtaios" ), states:

Amyrtaeus was probably the grandson of the Amyrtaeus of Sais who, with Inaros II (himself a grandson of Pharaoh Psamtik III), led a rebellion between 465 BC and 463 BC against the Satrap of Artaxerxes I. and his name in Egyptian is only reconstructed from demotic notices: no hieroglyphic writing of his names has been found. Daric of Artaxerxes II, against whom Amyrtaeus rebelled. Cabinet des Médailles, Paris.

Coup and reign Before assuming the throne of Egypt, Amyrtaeus had revolted against the Persian King Darius II (423–404 BC) as early as 411 BC, leading a guerrilla action in the western Nile Delta around his home city of Sais. The Elephantine papyri also demonstrate that between 404 and 400 BC (or even 398 BC) Upper Egypt remained under Persian control, while the forces of Amyrtaeus dominated the Delta.

In 1st century BC, the Greek historian Diodorus Siculus wrote in his Bibliotheca historica (XIV, 35.3–5) that a King named Psamtik — which seems to be identified with Amyrtaeus, If the information was correct, Amyrtaeus would seem to have acted in this way to ingratiate himself with Artaxerxes II. and executed at Memphis, an event which the Aramaic papyrus Brooklyn 13 implies occurred in October 399 BC. Nepherites I then transferred the capital to Mendes (Lower Egypt). There is no further information available regarding Amyrtaeus' rule, fall and death. Nepherites I reigned until 393 BC, being succeeded by his designated heir, his son Hakor.