Amyrtaeus

Long ago, a man named Amyrtaeus led Egypt.

He was a king. He helped his people be free from other lands. He ruled for a short time.

He lived near a place called Sais. He fought to make Egypt independent. This was a very big change.

He might have had help from Sparta. Sparta was a place far away. They may have sent help for food.

Later, a new leader took over. This leader won a battle. Amyrtaeus was no longer king.

His time as a leader was a special part of history. It is a story of change.

Amyrtaeus was a king in ancient Egypt.

He lived a long time ago. He was from a city called Sais. At that time, the Persian Empire ruled Egypt. Amyrtaeus did not want Persian rule. He led a revolt to make Egypt free. This was a big fight. He led small groups of fighters in the Nile Delta.

In 404 BC, he became the pharaoh. A pharaoh was an Egyptian king. His rule brought a new time of independence. This lasted for about 60 years. He may have had help from Sparta. Sparta was a place far away. They may have sent military aid to him. In return, Egypt gave them grain.

Amyrtaeus did not leave many monuments. We know his name from old writing.

Some old papers use different names for him. His rule ended in 399 BC. A man named Nepherites I won a battle. Nepherites I became the new king. He moved the capital to Mendes. This was a major change for the land.

Amyrtaeus was a leader who changed the history of Egypt. He was the only pharaoh of the Twenty-eighth Dynasty. A pharaoh was a king of ancient Egypt. Before he took the throne, the Persian Empire ruled the land. This was the first Persian occupation of Egypt. Amyrtaeus wanted to end this rule. His success started a new era of independence. This period lasted for about 60 years before the Persians returned.

His path to power began with small fights. In 411 BC, he revolted against the Persian King Darius II. Amyrtaeus led a guerrilla action in the western Nile Delta. This area was near his home city of Sais. He fought in small, quick ways rather than large battles. After Darius II died, Amyrtaeus declared himself king in 404 BC. This was a major step toward making Egypt free again.

We know about him through old writings and records.

He did not leave behind large monuments like other kings. Most of what we know comes from demotic notices. These are a type of ancient Egyptian writing. Historians also use Aramaic and Greek sources to learn about him. Some ancient writers called him "Amyrteos" or "Amirtaios." They recorded that he reigned for six years.

Many details about his reign are still being studied. In 404 BC, his forces controlled the Nile Delta. However, the Persians still held Upper Egypt for a while. At a place called Elephantine, the Persian king was still recognized as ruler. Some records from September 400 BC use the name "Amortis." It is possible Amyrtaeus made an alliance with Sparta. In this deal, Sparta may have provided military aid in exchange for Egyptian grain.

His time as king came to an end in 399 BC. He was defeated in an open battle by Nepherites I. Nepherites I was the man who succeeded him. The fighting ended with Amyrtaeus being executed at Memphis. After this, Nepherites I moved the capital to the city of Mendes. This new leader ruled until 393 BC. He was later followed by his son, Hakor.

Amyrtaeus was a significant ruler in ancient Egyptian history. He was the only pharaoh of the Twenty-eighth Dynasty. This dynasty marked a brief period of native Egyptian control. Before his rise, the Persian Empire occupied Egypt. This period of Persian rule is known as the Twenty-seventh Dynasty. It lasted from 525 BC to 404 BC. Amyrtaeus led a successful rebellion to end this first Persian occupation. His victory started a phase of independence that lasted about 60 years.

We learn about Amyrtaeus through several different historical sources. He did not leave behind large monuments or buildings. Because of this, he is often called a "virtually unknown ruler." Most of his name is reconstructed from demotic notices. Demotic is a specific type of ancient Egyptian script. Other information comes from Aramaic and ancient Greek records. Ancient writers like Sextus Julius Africanus and Eusebius of Caesarea recorded his name. They both noted that he reigned for six years. Some sources suggest he may have been the grandson of a previous leader from Sais. This leader had also rebelled against the Persians much earlier.

His journey to the throne began with guerrilla warfare. A guerrilla action is a type of fighting using small, mobile groups. In 411 BC, Amyrtaeus revolted against the Persian King Darius II. He operated in the western Nile Delta near his home city of Sais. After Darius II died, Amyrtaeus declared himself king in 404 BC. This moment changed the political landscape of the region. However, the transition of power was not immediate across all of Egypt. The Persian Empire did not lose control of every area at once.

Control of the land was divided during his early reign. Amyrtaeus and his forces dominated the Nile Delta region. Meanwhile, the Persians maintained control over Upper Egypt. At a site called Elephantine, people still recognized the Persian king. Aramaic papyri from September 400 BC refer to a ruler named "Amortis." This suggests that the Persian influence remained strong in the south. The struggle between the native Egyptians and the Persian Empire was complex.

Amyrtaeus likely used diplomacy to strengthen his position. The Greek historian Diodorus Siculus wrote about a king named Psamtik. Some historians believe Psamtik might actually be Amyrtaeus. According to this account, he may have killed a Greek admiral named Tamos. Tamos had sought refuge in Egypt after the defeat of the rebel Cyrus. This action might have been a way to please the Persian King Artaxerxes II. Additionally, Amyrtaeus may have formed an alliance with the city-state of Sparta. This agreement likely involved Sparta providing military aid in exchange for Egyptian grain.

His reign ended due to internal conflict and military defeat. In 399 BC, Amyrtaeus faced Nepherites I of Mendes in open battle. Nepherites I was the leader who would succeed him. The conflict resulted in the execution of Amyrtaeus at Memphis. This event is recorded in the Aramaic papyrus known as Brooklyn 13. After the defeat, Nepherites I moved the capital to Mendes in Lower Egypt. This shift marked a change in how the new dynasty governed the land.

Nepherites I ruled until 393 BC. He was eventually succeeded by his son, Hakor. The period of independence started by Amyrtaeus continued for several decades. However, the Persians eventually conquered Egypt once again. The Twenty-eighth Dynasty remains a vital chapter in the story of Egyptian sovereignty. It shows how local leaders worked to reclaim their country from foreign empires. Even without large monuments, the records of his reign tell a story of resistance and change.