Home Region:  Northeast Africa (Africa)

Egypt - Saite Period

664 BCE 525 BCE
D G SC WF CC EQ 2020  eg_saite / EgSaite
Preceding Entity: Add one more here.
911 BCE 612 BCE Neo-Assyrian Empire (iq_neo_assyrian_emp)    [secession]

Succeeding Entity:
No Polity found. Add one here.


  General Description   If scholars are in disagreement over whether Egypt of the Kushite Empire experienced a period of centralized rule, this undoubtedly did occur during the Twenty-sixth Dynasty (664-525 BCE), [1] which has been called the ’Saite Renaissance’. The Saite kings, from their palace at Memphis, [2] gradually managed to construct a considerably more centralized state than that of the preceding period. [3] The high point of Saite power was the reign of Amasis II, whose administration commanded sufficient revenues to enable him to build a fleet to conquer Cyprus. [4] An important phenomenon of this period was the development of the Demotic script (from the Greek word demos, ’the people’), which originated in the delta but spread throughout Lower and Upper Egypt under Psamtik I and his successors. [5] Based on Hieratic, a cursive script using simplified Egyptian hieroglyphics, Demotic was useful in everyday contexts such as accounting, letter-writing and non-religious literature, which grew in importance during the period.
Population and political organization
Upper Egypt, which before the Kushites had long been ruled by a militarized priesthood, was always a difficult nut for the central administration in the Nile Delta to crack. At first, the main influence the Saites had over the Twenty-fifth Dynasty aristocracy at Thebes was through the priestly position of the God’s Wife of Amun. This was held by a Saite priestess at the Amun temple, and an observer (rsw) based in Thebes who was often called ’governor’. [6] [3] Established in the Kushite Period, the God’s Wife of Amun role was of ’very great and publicly acknowledged’ political importance. [7]
To increase their hold over Egypt, Saite strategy, under the first ruler Psamtik I, sought the removal of the nome system of administration; instead a military official was directly appointed to oversee the whole Southern Land (covering the region from Aswan to Memphis). [8] Named leader of the fleet and based in Herakleopolis, this official also acted as the ’revenue accountant for Middle and Upper Egypt’. [9] The Saite king ruled from Memphis, where there was a High Council of aristocrats who reported directly to him. [3] The vizier acted as the supreme judge of the realm. [10] In the Late Period, almost all officials were also priests [11] and oracles featured in the elections of officials and even of kings. [12] The military was usually led by the supreme chief of the expedition, [13] but under Amasis II the chief physician also occupied important military roles such as ’leader of the Aegean foreign (troops)’ and ’admiral of the royal fleet’. [14]
Theban Egypt was not brought under the effective control of the Memphite kings until Psamtik II’s campaign against the Kingdom of Napata between 592 and 591, which ended what had essentially been a ’period of compromise’ in Upper Egypt. [15] Before that time, Saite authority was so weak that they were forced to acknowledge the legitimacy of the Kushite pharaohs of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty. After Psamtik II’s military successes of the 590s, however, their policies changed and they began to portray the Nubian kings as usurpers. [16] With the Saite Dynasty now in a more powerful position, there was a return to the nome system of provincial organization, with governors once again stationed in the regions. [16] The title of leader of the fleet seems to disappear around this time, [9] and by 592 BCE Herakleopolis had a ’governor’.
Unfortunately, again, reliable population estimates at this time are difficult to find, but every indication suggests that the total population remained fairly steady at roughly three million people. [17]

[1]: (Lloyd 2000, 364) Alan B. Lloyd. 2000. ’The Late Period (664-332 BC)’, in The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, edited by Ian Shaw, 364-87. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[2]: (Agut-Labordère 2013, 965-69) Damien Agut-Labordère. 2013. ’The Saite Period: The Emergence of A Mediterranean Power’, in Ancient Egyptian Administration, edited by Juan Carlos Moreno García, 965-1028. Leiden: Brill.

[3]: Joseph G. Manning 2015, personal communication.

[4]: (Agut-Labordère 2013, 986) Damien Agut-Labordère. 2013. ’The Saite Period: The Emergence of A Mediterranean Power’, in Ancient Egyptian Administration, edited by Juan Carlos Moreno García, 965-1028. Leiden: Brill.

[5]: (Donker van Heel 2012, 25-26) Konrad Donker van Heel. 2012. Djekhy & Son: Doing Business in Ancient Egypt. Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press.

[6]: (Agut-Labordère 2013, 978) Damien Agut-Labordère. 2013. ’The Saite Period: The Emergence of A Mediterranean Power’, in Ancient Egyptian Administration, edited by Juan Carlos Moreno García, 965-1028. Leiden: Brill.

[7]: (Van De Mieroop 2011, 275) Marc Van De Mieroop. 2011. A History of Ancient Egypt. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.

[8]: (Agut-Labordère 2013, 981) Damien Agut-Labordère. 2013. ’The Saite Period: The Emergence of A Mediterranean Power’, in Ancient Egyptian Administration, edited by Juan Carlos Moreno García, 965-1028. Leiden: Brill.

[9]: (Agut-Labordère 2013, 981-83) Damien Agut-Labordère. 2013. ’The Saite Period: The Emergence of A Mediterranean Power’, in Ancient Egyptian Administration, edited by Juan Carlos Moreno García, 965-1028. Leiden: Brill.

[10]: (Agut-Labordère 2013, 974) Damien Agut-Labordère. 2013. ’The Saite Period: The Emergence of A Mediterranean Power’, in Ancient Egyptian Administration, edited by Juan Carlos Moreno García, 965-1028. Leiden: Brill.

[11]: (Baines 1991, 198) John Baines. 1991. ’Society, Morality, and Religious Practice’, in Religion in Ancient Egypt: Gods, Myths, and Personal Practice, edited by Byron Esely Shafer, John Baines, Leonard H. Lesko, David P. Silverman, 123-200. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

[12]: (Gee 2002, 83) John Gee. 2002. ’Oracle by Image: Coffin Text 103 in Context’, in Magic and Divination in the Ancient World, edited by Leda Jean Ciraolo and Jonathan Lee Seidel, 83-88. Leiden: Brill.

[13]: (Fischer-Bovet 2014, 29) Christelle Fischer-Bovet. 2014. Army and Society in Ptolemaic Egypt. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[14]: (Agut-Labordère 2013, 972) Damien Agut-Labordère. 2013. ’The Saite Period: The Emergence of A Mediterranean Power’, in Ancient Egyptian Administration, edited by Juan Carlos Moreno García, 965-1028. Leiden: Brill.

[15]: (Agut-Labordère 2013, 979-81) Damien Agut-Labordère. 2013. ’The Saite Period: The Emergence of A Mediterranean Power’, in Ancient Egyptian Administration, edited by Juan Carlos Moreno García, 965-1028. Leiden: Brill.

[16]: (Agut-Labordère 2013, 979) Damien Agut-Labordère. 2013. ’The Saite Period: The Emergence of A Mediterranean Power’, in Ancient Egyptian Administration, edited by Juan Carlos Moreno García, 965-1028. Leiden: Brill.

[17]: (Eyre 2010, 303) Christopher Eyre. 2010. ’The Economy: Pharaonic’, in A Companion to Ancient Egypt, edited by Alan B. Lloyd, 291-308. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.

General Variables
Social Complexity Variables
Social Scale
Hierarchical Complexity
Professions
Bureaucracy Characteristics
Law
Specialized Buildings: polity owned
Transport Infrastructure
Special-purpose Sites
Information / Writing System
Information / Kinds of Written Documents
Information / Money
Information / Postal System
Information / Measurement System
Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)
Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.
Religion Variables Coding in Progress.
Crisis Consequences Coding in Progress.
Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

NGA Settlements:

Year Range Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite) was in:
 (655 BCE 526 BCE)   Upper Egypt
Home NGA: Upper Egypt
General Variables
Identity and Location Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Utm Zone 36 R Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Original Name Egypt - Saite Period Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Capital Memphis Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Alternative Name 26th Dynasty Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Alternative Name Manethonian Dynasty Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Alternative Name Saite Renaissance Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Alternative Name Saite Dynasty Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Peak Years 550 BCE Confident
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Duration [664 BCE ➜ 525 BCE] Confident
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Political and Cultural Relations Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Suprapolity Relations none Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Supracultural Entity Egypt Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Succeeding Entity Achaemenid Empire Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Scale of Supracultural Interaction [250,000 to 500,000] km2 Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity secession Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Preceding Entity
911 BCE 612 BCE
Neo-Assyrian Empire (iq_neo_assyrian_emp)   [secession]  Confident
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Degree of Centralization loose Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Degree of Centralization unitary state Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Language Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Linguistic Family Afro-Asiatic Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Language Demotic Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Religion Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Religion Genus Egyptian Religions Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Alternate Religion Uncoded Undecided 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Social Complexity Variables
Social Scale Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Population of the Largest Settlement [25,000 to 75,000] people Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Polity Territory [300,000 to 400,000] km2 Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Polity Population [1,800,000 to 2,500,000] people Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Settlement Hierarchy [4 to 5] Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Religious Level 3 Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Military Level [6 to 8] Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Administrative Level 5 Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Professions Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Professional Soldier Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Professional Priesthood Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Professional Military Officer Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Specialized Government Building Present Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Merit Promotion Present Inferred 664 BCE 571 BCE
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Merit Promotion Absent Inferred 570 BCE 525 BCE
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Full Time Bureaucrat Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Examination System Absent Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Law Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Professional Lawyer Absent Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Judge Absent Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
Court Absent Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Market Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Irrigation System Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Food Storage Site Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Drinking Water Supply System Unknown Suspected 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Road Present Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Port Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Canal Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Bridge Present Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Mines or Quarry Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Information / Writing System Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Written Record Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Script Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing Absent Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Nonwritten Record Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Non Phonetic Writing Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Scientific Literature Present Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Sacred Text Present Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Religious Literature Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Practical Literature Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Philosophy Present Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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History Present Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Fiction Present Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Calendar Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Information / Money Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Token Unknown Suspected 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Precious Metal Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Paper Currency Absent Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Indigenous Coin Absent Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Foreign Coin Absent Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Article Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Information / Postal System Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Postal Station Unknown Suspected 664 BCE  525 BCE
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General Postal Service Unknown Suspected 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Courier Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)
Fortifications Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Wooden Palisade Unknown Suspected 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared Unknown Suspected 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Modern Fortification Absent Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Moat Unknown Suspected 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Fortified Camp Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Earth Rampart Unknown Suspected 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Ditch Unknown Suspected 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Complex Fortification Present Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Long Wall absent Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Military use of Metals Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Steel Absent Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Iron Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Copper Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Bronze Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Projectiles Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Tension Siege Engine Absent Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine Absent Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Sling Present Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Self Bow Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Javelin Present Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Handheld Firearm Absent Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery Absent Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Crossbow Absent Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Composite Bow Present Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Atlatl Absent Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Handheld weapons Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
War Club Unknown Suspected 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Sword Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Spear Present Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Polearm Absent Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Dagger Present Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Battle Axe Present Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Horse Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Elephant Unknown Suspected 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Donkey Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Dog Unknown Suspected 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Camel Present Confident Uncertain 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Camel Absent Confident Uncertain 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Armor Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Wood Bark Etc Present Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Shield Present Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Scaled Armor Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Plate Armor Present Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Limb Protection Present Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Leather Cloth Present Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Laminar Armor Absent Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Helmet Present Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Chainmail Absent Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Breastplate Present Inferred 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Naval technology Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Specialized Military Vessel Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc Present Confident 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service Unknown Suspected 664 BCE  525 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)
Religion Variables
Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Human Sacrifice Egypt - Saite Period (eg_saite)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Instability Data
Power Transitions