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ARYANDES (Ἀρυάνδης, ὁ)

TYPHAINE HAZIZA

Université de Caen Normandie

Aryandes was named hyparkhos of the Persian satrapy of EGYPT by CAMBYSES (II) in 522 BCE and confirmed in that position by DARIUS I. In 518, Darius assigned him the mission of collecting “Egyptian LAWS” by relying upon the knowledge of the native Egyptians (see Corcella in ALC, 692–93).

Herodotus develops the role of this high‐ranking Persian (4.166–67, 200–4) mostly through the self‐interested aid he gives to PHERETIME, who requests that he avenge the assassination of her son, ARCESILAUS III, king of CYRENE in LIBYA. Acting without doubt on orders from the Persian king, Aryandes took advantage of that pretext in order to reinforce Persian domination over Libya, and particularly over the city of BARCA, as Herodotus neatly shows. The anecdote which he reports (4.166) concerning Aryandes’ unfortunate end is more confused. The reference to an “Aryandic” coinage of pure SILVER has not been confirmed and has given rise to numerous interpretations. Whatever Aryandes’ actions were, it appears that they were perceived as a challenge to the power of Darius himself, which explains why the Great King did not hesitate to rid himself of his satrap who—if we believe Polyaenus (Strat. 7.11.7)—was unpopular in Egypt.