The Twitter Herodotus

2.171 They celebrate the Mysteries on the lake, a religious thing. I know more but won't speak of the details (ditto for the Thesmophoria).

2.172 Amasis became king after Apries was defeated. The Egyptians scorned him at first because of his low origins, but they came around.

2.173 Amasis worked mornings, then relaxed. Some told him this made him look less royal. He explained his “All work & no play…” philosophy.

2.174 In his pre-king days, Amasis liked to joke around & drink. He was not above stealing if the supplies ran out. Sometimes he was caught.

2.175 The most impressive of Amasis’ projects was a monolithic chamber 32 x 21 x 12 feet. It took 3 yrs to get it from Elephantine to Saïs.

2.176 Plus he dedicated big statues at temples in Memphis and Saïs, and he built the temple of Isis in Memphis.

2.177 Egypt was prosperous under Amasis. He's the guy who decreed that every Egyptian had to declare his means of livelihood annually.

2.178 Amasis was a Hellenophile. He showed this by, for example, giving the city of Naucratis to the Greeks who came to Egypt.

2.179 In the old days Naucratis was Egypt's only port. Anyone who sailed into another mouth of the Nile had to swear he hadn't intended to.

2.180 Amasis contributed 1000 talents of alum, and the Greeks in Egypt 1/3 talent of silver, toward the building of the temple at Delphi.