Darius and His Egyptian Campaign

The verso of the so-called "Demotic Chronicle" contains, among others, the well-known statement of the codification of Egyptian law under Darius. Following the translation of Spiegelberg, later writers have consistently given year 3 as the one in which Darius sent to his satrap in Egypt, ordering the compilation of the laws.' Actually, the year number is 4, as was recognized by Spiegelberg himself in his glossary, although he failed to correct the translation.2 It was in 518 B.C., therefore, that Darius sent the command to his satrap.3 According to the Behistun inscription (? 21), Egypt revolted while Darius was fighting Nebuchadnezzar III, but no campaign against it is recounted.4 Herodotus tells us that Aryandes, the satrap whom Cambyses had appointed, was executed for assuming the royal prerogative of coining money, though Darius charged him only with rebellion.5 Whether it was the coinage of money, the ill-fated expedition against Barce, or other events unknown to us, the fact that Egypt was considered a rebel, and that Aryandes was put to death as one, suggests that Darius, a young, vigorous, and energetic king, took care of Egypt at his earliest opportunity. Furthermore, one may conjecture that the use of his satrap in the passage referred to above means a man a'ppointed-or, at least, confirmed in office-by Darius. This could not have been true of Aryandes.6 Nor does it seem likely that