Amasis II

Amasis II, also known as Ahmose II, was a pharaoh of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt who reigned from approximately 570 BC to 526 BC, presiding over a period of significant economic prosperity, administrative reform, and cultural flourishing prior to the eventual Persian conquest of Egypt.

Early Life and Rise to Power

Unlike many of his predecessors, Amasis II was not of royal descent. He was born to a common family, likely in the town of Siuph, and rose through the ranks of the military to become a prominent general under the reign of Pharaoh Apries (Wahibre).

In 570 BC, a severe mutiny erupted among the native Egyptian soldiers (the machimoi) who were resentful of the privileged status granted to Greek and Carian mercenaries. Apries dispatched Amasis to quell the rebellion. However, upon meeting the insurgents, the soldiers proclaimed Amasis as their king. A civil war ensued between the forces of Apries and those of Amasis. Apries, relying heavily on his mercenary forces, was ultimately defeated in battle. Although Apries initially fled and later attempted to reclaim the throne with Babylonian assistance, he was captured and subsequently died, leaving Amasis II as the undisputed ruler of Egypt. To legitimize his rule, Amasis married Chedebnitjerbone II, a daughter of his predecessor.

Domestic Policies and Administration

Amasis II is remembered as an effective and pragmatic administrator. According to the Greek historian Herodotus, Amasis instituted a law requiring every Egyptian to annually declare their name, their means of livelihood, and their source of income to the local nomarch (provincial governor). Failure to do so, or proving that one's income was derived from illicit activities, was punishable by death. This policy was highly regarded and was later adapted by the Athenian lawmaker Solon.

Under his rule, the Egyptian economy thrived. Herodotus claimed that Egypt reached its peak of prosperity during the reign of Amasis, noting that the land yielded abundant harvests and that there were 20,000 inhabited cities. While the number of cities is likely an exaggeration, it reflects the widespread agricultural and commercial success of the era. Amasis also reorganized the tax system and improved the legal framework, ensuring stability and wealth accumulation within the state.

Economic Prosperity and Building Projects

The economic boom during the reign of Amasis II facilitated extensive monumental building projects across Egypt. He was a prolific builder and a generous patron of the traditional Egyptian religion.

In his capital city of Sais, Amasis constructed a magnificent and colossal gateway to the Temple of Neith, which Herodotus described as surpassing all others in size and grandeur. He also commissioned a massive monolithic shrine carved from a single block of granite, which was transported from Elephantine to Sais—a logistical feat that reportedly took 2,000 boatmen three years to complete. Furthermore, Amasis contributed to the expansion of the Temple of Ptah in Memphis and made significant additions to the Karnak temple complex in Thebes, including the construction of a new temple to Amun and the erection of colossal statues.

Foreign Policy and Relations with Greece

Amasis II pursued a highly pragmatic and successful foreign policy, particularly concerning the Greek world. Recognizing the economic benefits of Greek trade but wary of their growing influence and the resentment it caused among native Egyptians, he restricted all Greek merchants to the trading hub of Naucratis in the Nile Delta. This move allowed the Egyptian state to monopolize and tax Greek trade effectively while keeping foreign elements contained.

Despite this restriction, Amasis maintained strong diplomatic and commercial ties with the Greek city-states. He formed strategic alliances with prominent Greek figures, including Polycrates, the tyrant of Samos, and contributed generously to the rebuilding of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi after it burned down. He also maintained friendly relations with Sparta and Athens. Beyond the Mediterranean, Amasis expanded Egyptian influence by conquering the island of Cyprus, forcing its city-kingdoms to pay tribute to Egypt.

The Persian Threat and Death

In the latter years of his reign, the geopolitical landscape of the Near East shifted dramatically with the rise of the Achaemenid Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great. Recognizing the existential threat posed by Persia, Amasis II attempted to build a coalition to counter the expansion. He allied with Croesus of Lydia and Nabonidus of Babylon, but Cyrus swiftly defeated both powers before Egypt could provide meaningful military support.

Amasis also relied on his Greek mercenaries and his alliance with Polycrates of Samos to secure Egypt's naval borders. However, as the Persian threat loomed closer, Polycrates defected to the Persian side. Amasis II died in 526 BC, after a long and prosperous reign of 44 years. He was succeeded by his son, Psamtik III. Just months after Amasis's death, the Persian king Cambyses II invaded Egypt, defeated Psamtik III at the Battle of Pelusium, and brought the Twenty-sixth Dynasty to an end.

Legacy and Historical Accounts

The legacy of Amasis II is largely preserved through the writings of Herodotus, who visited Egypt decades after the pharaoh's death. Herodotus portrays Amasis as a ruler of humble origins who never forgot his roots. He is depicted as a man who enjoyed drinking and jesting with his friends, yet possessed the wisdom to separate his hours of relaxation from his duties of state.

One famous anecdote recounted by Herodotus involves Amasis using a golden footbath to illustrate a point to his critics. He had the footbath melted down and forged into a statue of a god, which the people subsequently revered. Amasis then revealed the object's humble origins, comparing his own rise from a commoner to a pharaoh to the transformation of the footbath into a deity, demanding respect based on his current status rather than his birth.

Historically, Amasis II is regarded as the last great native pharaoh of Egypt before the Persian domination. His reign represents the zenith of the Saite Renaissance, characterized by a revival of traditional Egyptian art, literature, and religion, coupled with a cosmopolitan engagement with the Mediterranean world.