Заповедници ратне морнарице у позном саиском периоду (570–526. пре н. е.)
Overseers of the Navy during the late Saite period (570–526 BC)

Summary/Abstract: Flourishing Iahmes’ reign (570–526 BC) has always been treated as an integral part of the 26th (Saite) Dynasty (664–526 BC), even though his usurpation marked a clear break within the ruling family. New king maintained the existing administrative and governmental system and, at some point, initiated important changes which must have affected sociopolitical hierarchies all over Egypt. The impact of those changes can be successfully tracked in the prosopographical record of the Memphite area. Memphis was the main military port of the Saite navy and a stronghold of king Haaibre, Iahmes’ predecessor. The so-called Elephantine stelae, a retrospective testimony of the conflict between Haaibre and Ahmes (570–567 BC), indicates the existence of two types of military vessels involved in the conflict: the so-called kebenet-ships under the personal command of Haaibre in 570 BC, and the so-called aha-ships under the command of Babylonian allies of Haaibre in 567 BC. The so-called aha-ships, a designation of the military ships from the very beginning of the Saite epoch, suddenly disappeared from preserved official public records during Ahmes’ reign, only to reappear under the Persian king Darius I (522–486 BC). Thus, the so-called kebenet-ships remained exclusive designation of the military vessels at that time. Indeed, the title „overseer of the royal kebenet-ships“, attested only in the cases of Menekhibnekau and Udjahorresnet, was linked to the highest military posts: the commanding over units composed of foreign mercenaries (Greeks and Carians or Libyans). However, at present, there is no conclusive data for the participation of Egyptian warships in any naval engagement, thus the socalled kebenet-ships seems to be used only for the long distance transportation of the land army. On the other hand, noun „haw” was used only for cargo ships and, according to the complete titulary attested for all known „overseers of the royal haw-ships“, those ships seem to be probably exclusively non-military. In the time of war, they could be used for the transport of provisions and/or military equipment. Otherwise, their primary utilization was closely connected to the institutions of temple, royal palace or treasury and indicates that their overseers must have been specialists in logistic and management to fulfill the common goal: the fleet’s good condition at any times. The reign of Ahmes is by far the best documented period to trail the professional careers and social status of overseers of the royal military and cargo ships. All attested holders definitely belonged to the upper echelons of the Egyptian society, closely tied to the ruling king. However, they primary residence seems to remain Memphis, the main administrative, military and religious centre of Lower Egypt during the Saite epoch. The importance of Memphite necropolis at that time is shown by the fact that all mentioned examples of overseers of the royal military and cargo ships chose to be buried there. Although all of them spent significant part of their lives at Memphis, it is beyond doubt that they could have been active at some other place in Egypt as well, for example at Sais as a capital of the dynasty and other important religious center.

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