f the Nile,
the mountains, and the sea, its princes probably exercised suzerainty
over several of the Libyan tribes of Marmarica. Inaros, son of
Psammetichus,** who was then the ruling sovereign, defied the Persians
openly. The inhabitants of the Delta, oppressed by the tax-gatherers of
Achaemenes,*** welcomed him with open arms, and he took possession of
the country between the two branches of the Nile, probably aided by the
Cyrenians; the Nile valley itself and Memphis, closely guarded by the
Persian garrisons, did not, however, range themselves on his side.

* The date 462 is approximate, and is inferred from the fact
that the war in Bactriana is mentioned in Ctesias between
the war against the sons of Artabanus which must have
occupied a part of 463, and the Egyptian rebellion which
broke out about 462, as Diodorus Siculus points out,
doubtless following Ephorus.

** The name of the father of Inaros is given us by the
contemporary testimony of Thucydides.

*** Achomenes is the form given by Herodotus and by Diodorus
Siculus, who make him the son of Darius I., appointed
governor of Egypt after the repression of the revolt of
Khabbisha. Ctesias calls him Achaemenides, and says that he
was the son of Xerxes.

Meanwhile the satrap, fearing that the troops at his disposal were
insufficient, had gone to beg assistance of his nephew. Artaxerxes had
assembled an army and a fleet, and, in the first moment of enthusiasm,
had intended to assume the command in person; but, by the advice of his
counsellors, he was with little difficulty dissuaded from carrying this
whim into effect, and he delegated the conduct of affairs to Achaemenes.
The latter at first repulsed the Libyans (460), and would probably
have soon driven them back into their deserts, had not the Athenians
interfered in the fray. They gave orders to their fleet at Cyprus
to support the insurgents by every means in their power, and their
appearance on the scene about the autumn of 469 changed the course
of affairs. Achaemenes was overcome at Papremis, and his army almost
completely exterminated. Inaros struck him down with his own hand in the
struggle; but the same evening he caused the body to be recovered, and
sent it to the court of Susa, though whether out of bravado, or from
respect to the Achaemenian race, it is impossible to say.*

* Diodorus Siculus says in so many words that the Ath