Amyrtaeus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Amyrtaeus |
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| Amenirdisu; Amyrtaios of Sais (Ἀμυρταῖος Σαΐτης in Greek) | |
Aramaic papyrus from Elephantine, dating to Regnal Year 5 of Amyrtaeus (400 BC).
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| Pharaoh | |
| Reign | 5 years, 404 BC to October 399 BC (28th Dynasty) |
| Predecessor | Darius II |
| Successor | Nepherites I |
| Died | October 399 BC |
Amyrtaeus of Sais was an important ancient Egyptian pharaoh. His original Egyptian name was Amenirdisu. He was the only pharaoh of the Twenty-eighth Dynasty of Egypt. Many historians believe he was related to the royal family of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt.
Amyrtaeus is famous for ending the first time Persia ruled Egypt. This period was called the Twenty-seventh Dynasty of Egypt. He ruled Egypt from 404 BC to 399 BC. His successful rebellion brought back Egypt's independence. This freedom lasted for about 60 years before Persia took over again.
Contents
Amyrtaeus: Life and Rule
How We Know About Amyrtaeus
We learn about Amyrtaeus from old writings. These include texts in Aramaic and ancient Greek. He is also mentioned in the Demotic Chronicle, an ancient Egyptian text.
Historians like Sextus Julius Africanus and Eusebius of Caesarea wrote about him. They both said he ruled for six years. Amyrtaeus did not leave behind many monuments. Because of this, his name in Egyptian is mostly known from Demotic records. No hieroglyphic writings of his name have been found.
It is thought that Amyrtaeus was the grandson of an earlier Amyrtaeus from Sais. This older Amyrtaeus had led a rebellion against the Persian ruler Artaxerxes I around 465-463 BC.
Becoming King and His Reign
Before he became pharaoh, Amyrtaeus started a rebellion. This was as early as 411 BC against the Persian King Darius II. He led a small, quick fighting group in the western Nile Delta. This area was near his hometown of Sais.
After King Darius II died, Amyrtaeus declared himself king in 404 BC. The new Persian king, Artaxerxes II, planned to send an army to take Egypt back. However, problems with his brother, Cyrus the Younger, stopped him. This gave the Egyptians enough time to become free from Persian rule.
By 404 BC, Amyrtaeus was in charge of the western Delta region. But in some parts of Egypt, like Elephantine, Artaxerxes II was still seen as king until 401 BC. However, ancient papyrus documents from Elephantine show that Amyrtaeus was recognized as king by September 400 BC. These papers also show that between 404 and 400 BC, Upper Egypt was still under Persian control. Amyrtaeus' forces mainly controlled the Delta region.
The Greek historian Diodorus Siculus wrote about a king named Psamtik. This king might have been Amyrtaeus. Diodorus said this king killed a Greek admiral named Tamos. Tamos had sought safety in Egypt after a defeat. If this story is true, Amyrtaeus might have done this to please Artaxerxes II. It is also likely that Amyrtaeus made an agreement with Sparta. This meant Sparta would give Egypt military help in exchange for grain.
His Fall and Death
Amyrtaeus was defeated in a big battle. His successor, Nepherites I from Mendes, beat him. Amyrtaeus was then executed in Memphis. An Aramaic papyrus from the Brooklyn Museum suggests this happened in October 399 BC.
After this, Nepherites I moved the capital city to Mendes in Lower Egypt. There isn't much more information about Amyrtaeus' rule, how he fell, or his death. Nepherites I ruled until 393 BC. His son, Hakor, became king after him.
See also
In Spanish: Amirteo para niños
