Amyrtaeus

Amyrtaeus (Egyptian: Amenirdisu) is a unique figure in Egyptian history as the sole pharaoh of the 28th Dynasty. Rising from Sais in the Delta, he led a successful rebellion against the Persian occupation, granting Egypt a precious, though brief, window of independence after decades of foreign rule.

Egyptian Name	Amenirdisu ("Amun is the one who gives him")
Dynasty	28th Dynasty (Sole Ruler)
Reign	c. 404–398 BCE (Approx. 6 Years)
Capital	Sais (Delta)

Amyrtaeus is historically crucial because he ended the First Persian Period (27th Dynasty). Exploiting a succession crisis in the Persian Empire following the death of Darius II, he rallied Egyptian forces and Greek mercenaries to expel the Persian garrisons. His victory restored native rule to the Nile Valley for the first time in over a century.

Amyrtaeus hailed from Sais, the city that had been the center of resistance and power during the 26th Dynasty. He was likely a descendant of the Saite royal family, possibly grandson of the Amyrtaeus who had revolted against the Persians earlier in 460 BCE. This lineage gave him the legitimacy and local support needed to challenge the Persian satraps.

The revolt began in the Delta around 404 BCE, timed perfectly with the death of King Darius II of Persia. While the Persian Empire was distracted by its own internal dynastic struggles, Amyrtaeus seized the moment. By 400 BCE, he had extended his control from the Delta into Upper Egypt, as confirmed by documents from the Jewish garrison at Elephantine dating to his reign.

Despite his victory, Amyrtaeus struggled to consolidate central authority. The long period of foreign rule had empowered local warlords and priests. He relied heavily on Greek mercenaries to maintain order, a costly strategy that drained the treasury. His authority was constantly contested by rival Egyptian factions who also sought to claim the mantle of liberator.

Amyrtaeus was not defeated by the returning Persians, but by his own countrymen. In 399 BCE, he was overthrown by Nepherites I of Mendes, who founded the 29th Dynasty. The Aramaic papyri from Elephantine record simply that "Amyrtaeus was killed," marking a violent end to his brief dynasty. He was likely executed at Memphis.

Because of his short reign and violent end, Amyrtaeus left few monuments. No major temples or tombs are attributed to him, and his name was often erased by his successors who wished to legitimize their own dynasties. He remains a "shadowy" figure in archaeology, known mostly through Greek histories and brief mentions in administrative texts.

Ruler	Role	Legacy
Darius I	Persian Organizer	Stabilized Foreign Rule
Amyrtaeus	The Rebel	Broke Persian Control
Nepherites I	The Successor	Consolidated Independence