Fesseha 21

Ethiopia's 5000 Year History, from Noah until the EPRDF, Fesseha Yaze Kassa, AD 2011

translated and annotated by Ras Feqade, AD 2021

### Chapter 21 - Change of Capital City from Napata to Meroe

After the rule of Ethiopia in Egypt was concluded, after the kings called, next from Tantamun, Piyanki III, from Piyanki III, Amin Asaro II, and next Piyanki Awthyo IV; and then Zuwara Nebret Aspurta, and next Harsi'atew, reigned consecutively in Ethiopia Napata, in the time of the king called Ramhay Nastosenen and set at 23rd on the list, the capital city of Ethiopia has been able to turn from Napata to Meroe.

[The kings of Napata Ethiopia after Tantamani are:

* Piyanki III, 653-642 BC, also called Tomadyon on the list, said by Tekletsadek to be an elderly widower of Amenirdis II; he is known to archaeology as Atlanersa.
* Amen Asaro II, 642-626 BC, probably the Senkamanisken of archaeology.
* Piyankhi IV Awthyo, 626-593 BC, probably the Anlamen of archaeology
* Zuwarenebret Aspurta 593-551 BC, known to archaeology as Aspelta
* Seyfay Harsiotef 551-539 BC, known to archaeology as Harsiotef, but conventionally misplaced to c. 400 BC.
After Aspurta, the order of the names known from archaeology proposed by Hinze in 1950 seems largely conjectural, and ought to be revised as informed by the traditional Ethiopian list.]

In all these times, even though Ethiopians were neighbor of Egypt, until Ramhay Nastosenen the powerful countries that alternated on Egypt, did not dare to invade.

[However, though not mentioned here, the Egyptians themselves under Psamtik II did manage to invade and even sack Napata in 592 BC, early in the reign of Aspurta.]

And in the time of these Ethiopian kings listed above, passing their enduring while managing their government at Napata, the manifested historical success is unknown. Therefore let us briefly regard in what form Ethiopia's capital was transferred from Napata to Meroe, and after that moreover let us continue a short analysis showing what the lot portion of Egypt would resemble in those eras. And we shall have like unto a conclusion for the next chapter meaning for the kings of Meroe.

While it was in the time of the last king of Napata, Sayfay Arsi'atew, that the change of capital city was made, at the time when this king rules, 558-546 BC, as soon as he reigned 12 years, the regional official from within Meroe called Nastosenen arose and overthrew Harsi'atew's government, and took it to Meroe. And the capital city being at Meroe, being substituted at the foot of the monarchs at Napata, it began to rule the eastern and western Ethiopia, including the people divided in various tribes. Therefore it means that it was at the time of Nastosenen's coronation, in 546 BC, that the seat of Ethiopian kings was able to be transferred from Napata to Meroe. And because it happened, realizing henceforth that the clash that the King of Persia clashed with the Ethiopian king Nastosenen, was at Meroe, let us lead on to our conclusion.

[The indicated date for when Meroe replaced Napata corresponds to 539 BC Gregorian, which is close enough to the conventionally accepted date of 542 BC. However Nastosenen (539-525 BC) who effected this change according to Ethiopian tradition, has conventionally been misplaced much later to 338 BC arising from a misunderstanding, as will be seen in the next chapter.]

After Asurbanipal, driving out the Ethiopians, and seizing Memphis and Thebes by power of war, subjected worrying by plunder and by booty, as the Chaldean and Elamite peoples in his wide dominion have rebelled, because a message came for him saying 'Arrive quickly', he swiftly returned to his country. And when he was there, he died.

At this time, when the Egyptians found an open time of freedom from dominion of both the Ethiopians and Assyrians, they crowned the King of Sais called Psametik I. And the regional officials whom the Assyrians apportioned with him, began to administer together.

And King Psametik began to make a movement to build Egypt again. And at the time when this King Psametik who is counted like unto a Pharaoh, strives to return Egypt's fame after the dominion of Assyria, it troubled him to resist the invasiveness of the Babylon that arose after Assyria.

After the kingdom of Babylon, having arisen at this time, had invaded many countries, it came to Egypt. While Babylon earlier was beneath Assyria being one territory of Assyria, when Asurbanipal died, they cast from upon them the yoke of Assyrian rulership, and also the effort they made succeeded for them, to return their own kingdom and to establish Babylon to her former power.

And the famous Babylon that was in this ancient era of Hammurabi, having fallen, by her arising again, the resurrection again of the Babylonians was effected. And so it is at this time, that they were able to rule plenty, and also that they came to Egypt now. And while Media was one within the countries that proceeded free together with Babylon, the capital of Babylon Nineveh was plundered more than Thebes and Memphis by the Medes' army as well. In all these times, the Ethiopian Kings would be found administering their country there at Napata.

[This is surely intended to say "the capital of *Assyria*, Nineveh".]

And so after at first Assyria, next Babylon, worried Egypt, the following Kingdom of Persia happened. And the Persia, that Babylon had endured ruling, ruled her in turn.

The King of Persia of this era called Qiros is a descendant of Persia by his father, of Media by his mother. And his father Kambez I was famous. Qiros inherited his father's kingdom and arose upon Babylon. Triumphing, and making the Kingdom of Persia illustrious, and ruling 31 years, when he died, his son Kambez II was handed the authority.

Kambez II expanded the Kingdom of Persia more than his father Qiros. After he endured around four years while managing his territory of Persia, Babylon, Syria, Palestine, in his fifth year he seized his army and came to subject Egypt whom he judged against. And having come and seized Memphis and killed its king, he seized Egypt in full. The Kingdom of Persia, like the Assyrians did it, came to Egypt and subjected and did not return. Rather, it sat in the realm of Egypt establishing the 27th dynasty.

[The Persians controlled Egypt from 525 BC when Cambyses II conquered it.]

And in process of time, both siding with Greece and battling by themselves, even if they were able to expel the Persians, having endured being invaded and defeated in return, after the second dominion of Persia, they have endured until Alexander arose in the 300s BC. And in the time after this, it is as they lost their freedom, that the Egyptians passed it by.

* Next Chapter: Fesseha 22