Inaros II
Who was Inaros II?
5th century BC Egyptian ruler
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Inaros II (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Inaros II was an Egyptian rebel leader who sparked a major uprising against Persian rule in the mid-5th century BC. Born into the Saite dynasty, he was the son of an Egyptian prince, Psamtik, and the grandson of Psamtik III, the last pharaoh of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty, defeated by Persian king Cambyses II in 525 BC. His family ties gave him both the credibility and motivation to oppose foreign rule.
In 460 BC, Inaros started his rebellion against the Persian Empire, taking advantage of Athens' ongoing conflict with Persia during the Greco-Persian Wars. He gained support from Athens, with Admiral Charitimides leading a significant naval force to aid the Egyptian revolt. The early phase of the rebellion was very successful, as Inaros and his allies defeated the Persian army led by Achaemenes, the satrap of Egypt and brother of King Xerxes I. This victory forced the Persian troops to fall back to the fortified city of Memphis, their last stronghold in Lower Egypt.
The rebellion lasted several years, with Inaros controlling much of the Egyptian Delta and keeping his alliance with Athens. However, the Persian Empire retaliated with a massive force, sending a large army led by Megabyzus, satrap of Syria, and Artabazus, satrap of Phrygia. These experienced Persian leaders carried out a two-year siege, wearing down the rebel forces and their Athenian allies through continued pressure.
The uprising eventually fell apart in 454 BC when the Persian army defeated the Egyptian-Athenian coalition. Inaros was captured in the final stages of the conflict and taken to Susa, the Persian administrative capital, where he was crucified. His death served as a warning against resisting Persian rule and marked the end of the last major effort to regain Egyptian independence until Alexander the Great's conquest over a century later.
Before Fame
Inaros II grew up when Egypt had been under Persian control for more than sixty years, following Cambyses II's conquest in 525 BC. As a descendant of the Saite dynasty through his grandfather Psamtik III, he would have been raised with an awareness of Egypt's past independence and the cultural customs disrupted by Persian rule. The Saite period had been a time of revival for Egyptian culture and strength, making the family's loss of power particularly harsh.
The events that brought him to prominence were influenced by the broader political tensions of the 5th century BC, especially the ongoing conflicts between the Greek city-states and the Persian Empire. The Persian defeat at Marathon in 490 BC and the heavy losses at Salamis and Plataea had shown Persian weakness, prompting subject peoples throughout the empire to consider rebellion. Inaros likely spent years building networks of support among Egyptian nobles and priests who still valued traditional pharaonic rule.
Key Achievements
- Successfully organized and led a major Egyptian rebellion against Persian rule in 460 BC
- Secured military alliance with Athens and coordinated joint operations against Persian forces
- Defeated the Persian army commanded by satrap Achaemenes, forcing Persian retreat to Memphis
- Controlled most of the Egyptian Delta for approximately six years during the revolt
- Inspired the last significant attempt at Egyptian independence before Alexander's conquest
Did You Know?
- 01.His grandfather Psamtik III ruled Egypt for only six months before being defeated and captured by the Persian king Cambyses II in 525 BC
- 02.The Athenian fleet that supported his rebellion consisted of approximately 200 ships, representing one of Athens' largest overseas military commitments
- 03.Achaemenes, the Persian satrap he defeated, was the brother of the famous Persian king Xerxes I who had invaded Greece
- 04.His revolt coincided with other uprisings across the Persian Empire, including rebellions in Bactria and other eastern provinces
- 05.The siege of Memphis that led to his defeat lasted exactly two years, from 456 to 454 BC