EGYPT. U 97 
took refuge in the beft fortified part of tbe city, called 
the White Wall. The Egyptians, elated with fucceL, 
fitppofed that they had completely delivered themfelves 
and their pofierity from the feverity of their oppreflbrs: 
but, at the end of three years, during which they had 
blocked up the PetTians in the White Wall, they were 
defeated by Arrabazus governor of Silicia, and Megaby- 
zus governor of Syria. Inartts was wounded in the en¬ 
gagement, but he retreated with his Athenian allies, and 
the remnant of the Egyptian army to the city of Byblus, 
in the ifland of Profopitis, where he fuftained a fiege of 
eighteen months duration. The majority of the Egypti¬ 
ans laid down their arms, and acknowledged the fove- 
reignty of Artaxerxes ; but Amyrtaeus retreated with a 
body of men to the fens, where he enjoyed his govern¬ 
ment for feveral years without moleftation, as the nature 
of the place fecured him againlf all the attempts of the 
Perhaps. Inartts and his adherents, in the mean time, 
were fully occupied in defending themfelves againfl the 
attacks of the enemy : but, at length, the latter having 
recourfe to ftratagem, drained that branch of the Nile 
which contained the Athenian fleet, and thus effected a 
paffage to the ifland. Inarusand the Egyptians now fur- 
rendered themfelves, on condition of being fecurcd in 
their lives ; but the Athenians fet their veffels on fire, 
and refolved to fell their lives at the deareft rate : the 
Perfians, however, thought fit to offer fuch terms as were 
accepted. At this juncture, a fleet of fifty Athenian 
lbips appeared in the river, on behalf of the befieged ; 
but they were immediately deftroyed by the Perfians, and 
with their deftrurtion ended the waf between Inarus king 
of Egypt, and Artaxerxes of Perfia, under whofe go¬ 
vernment the Egyptians long remained quiet, and made 
no farther exertions for the recovery of their liberty dur¬ 
ing bis reign. Sartamus was now left as governor of 
Egypt, and Inarus was carried to Sufa ; where, in viola¬ 
tion of the Perfian general’s promife, he was condemned 
to the ignominious death of the crofs. Amyrtaeus, the 
Saite, ffill remained in pofleliion of the marflty country ; 
and in the fifteenth year of Artaxerxes, was joined by an 
Athenian fleet of fixty fail, but nothing worthy of notice 
was effected towards the extirpation of the Perfians. 
In the tenth year of Darius Nothus, the difcontent of 
the Egyptians again burft through the barriers of re- 
flraint, and they revolted a third time. Amyrtaeus be¬ 
ing apprifed of their defigns, was infpired with the mod 
enthufiaftic ardour in behalf of his diflrefled country¬ 
men ; and ruffling front his fequeftered abode, put him¬ 
felf at the head of the Egyptians, and performed fuch 
prodigies of valour, as effectually drove the Perfians be¬ 
yond the frontiers, and left him monarch of the whole 
kingdom. Elated with fuccefs, Amyrtaeus refolved to 
carry his arms into Phoenicia ; that, in confederacy with 
the Arabians, he might drive the Perfians from thence 
alfo. This expedition, however, proved unfortunate to 
the Egyptian, who was engaged by Darius in perfon, and 
overthrown. Pauliris the fon of Amyrtaeus, was now 
elerted to the throne of Egypt, with the confent of the 
Perfians ; by which means the Egyptians, though proba¬ 
bly tributary, experienced fome alleviation of their mif- 
fortunes, under a governor of their own nation. Sub- 
fequent to this reign was that of Pfammetichus, a bar¬ 
barous and ungrateful prince, who, hearing that Tamus, 
a Memphite by birth, had quitted the Perfian fervice, 
and failed for Egypt, with his family and efferts, fell 
upon him as an enemy, and caufed him to be inhumanly 
murdered with all his followers, that his treafures might 
be conveyed into the royal coffers. Nephereus, who next 
fueceeded to t lie throne, fent a fquadron of an hundred 
galleys to aflift the Lacedaemonians in their war againfl; 
the Perfians, and fupplied them with 600,000 bulhels of 
com for the fubfiflence of their army ; but the velfels 
which carried this valuable prefent, were taken by the 
Perfian fleet at Rhodes, and never reached the place of 
their deftination. 
Vol. VI. No, 350. 
Acoris, the fuceefTbr of Nephereus, in tbe year before 
Clirifl 398, entered into a treaty againfl tbe Perfians, with 
the Tyrians, Barcearis, Arabians, and the king of Cyprus. 
About the fame time Gaus, the only furvivor of ihe fa¬ 
mily of Tamus, who, like his father, had been promoted 
to the rank of admiral in Perfia, quitted the fervice, and, 
carrying with him a great part of the fleet and army, 
formed an alliance with the Egyptians and Lacedaemo¬ 
nians. But foon afterwards Gaus was alfaflinated by fome 
of his followers ; and other incidents confpired to fet alide 
the defigns which began to alarm the Perfian power. 
Thirty years after the acceflion of Amyrtaeus to the 
throne of Egypt, and the expulfion of the Perfians, Ar¬ 
taxerxes Mnetnon threatened the Egyptians with a cruel 
war. Great preparations were accordingly made, and 
Acoris engaged a number of mercenaries under the com¬ 
mand of Chabrias the Athenian ; but, previous to the 
commencement of hoftilities, Acoris died and left the 
kingdom to his fon. Pfammutliis enjoyed the regal dig¬ 
nity but one year; and his artions feem to have been un¬ 
important, as they are palled over in filence by liiflorians. 
Neplierotes bis fuccelTor, reigned but four mffnths. He 
is called the laft of the Mendefian race. 
The feeptre now devolved to Nertanebis, who, in the 
fecond year of his reign, was invaded by the Perfian fleet 
and army. Owing, however, to the king's precautions, 
and the mutual jealoufies that fubfifted between the Per¬ 
fian commanders, the attempt of the enemy was rendered 
abortive ; and they were finally obliged to retreat, by the 
inundation of the Nile. Five years after this event, Age- 
filaus king of Sparta, vifited Egypt in charadter of ah am- 
balfador, to requeft luccours for the Lacedaemonians, who 
were feverely diflrefled by the Thebans : and, in feven 
years after this embaffy, Nertanebis died. Tachos, the 
liicceeding prince, collected all his forces, in order to 
fruftrate the plans of his ambitious enemies, who had 
not relinquilhed their hope of reducing Egypt. To 
ftrengthen himfelf the more, he applied for fuccour to 
the Lacediemonians, who fent him a confiderable num¬ 
ber of troops under the command of Agefllaus ; but 
Tachos conceiving an averfion to that able commander, 
violated his promife of appointing him generaliflimo of 
the forces, and flighted thofe counfels which might have 
preferved Egypt from deftrurtion. Having joined his 
mercenaries and Egyptians together, he marched impru¬ 
dently towards Phoenicia, defigning to attack the Perfians 
in that quarter; but, during his abfence, the Egyptians 
fliook off their allegiance, and placed his kinfman Nerta- 
nebis on the throne: Agefllaus efpoufed the caufe of tlie 
new monarch, and thus completed the ruin of Tachos; 
who fled through Arabia, and took refuge under the 
Perfian government. 
Nertanebis had fcarcely obtained tbe crown, when a 
Mendefian came forth with one hundred thoufand men 
to wreft the feeptre from his hands. This rebellion in- 
creafing daily in flrength, became at length fo formid¬ 
able, that the king (hut himfelf up in one of his towers, 
till the befiegers were defeated by Agefilaus, who took 
the Mendefian prifoner, and eftabliflied Nertanebis in tbe. 
full poffeflion of his dominions. In the twelfth year of 
this reign, the Perfians made great preparations for the 
reduction of Egypt; but the Sidonians and Phoenicians 
entering into a confederacy with Nertanebis, forrtied a 
ftrong barrier to bis kingdom; fo that it was impollible 
that the enemy fhould approach Without marching through 
Phoenicia. Upon this account, the Egyptian prince de¬ 
tached a body of Greek mercenaries to join the allies; 
who, being encouraged with the fupply, expelled the 
Perfians from their territories, and were immediately af¬ 
ter joined by the Cypriots, in their ftruggle for complete 
liberty. Darius Ochus, apprifed of thefie circumftances, 
refolved to put himfelf at the head of his forces, and to 
inflirt a fevere chaflifement upon the unruly Egyptians ; 
a defign which was approved and forwarded by Mentor 
the Rhodian, who was perfertly acquainted with the con- 
4 G cerns 
/ 
