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2.2 The Administration
The administration of government in Egypt was divided between
three spheres: satrapal administration, provincial administration, and
local government.2.2.1 Satrapal administration consisted of the satrap and his officials,
stationed in Memphis. Two figures appear in the Elephantine doc-
uments: Pherendates in two demotic letters of 492 (EPEC1, 3), and
Arsham (Arsames) in several Aramaic texts at the end of the cen-
tury. The former indicate the satrap actively involved in the appoint-
ment of the lesonis priest in the Khnum Temple, while the latter
show the satrap to be the ultimate arbiter as to whether the Jewish
Temple, destroyed by the Khnum priests, was to be rebuilt (EPE
B21–22). It is Arsham who is the recipient of the unknown instruc-
tion of Darius II regarding the Passover (EPEB13), and in a frag-
mentary letter he appears to side with the Egyptians against the Jews
in the confrontation leading up to the Temple destruction (EPEB14).
Reference in that letter was made to complaints tendered before the
patifràsa, the investigators. Two letters of Arsham found at Elephantine,
one sent to him and one from him, illustrate the central and provin-
cial bureaucracy at work. In early 411, a twenty-six-line letter was
drawn up by Arsham’s Chancellor, the Jew Anani, and the Aramean
Scribe Nabuakab and sent to a certain Wa ̇premakhi at Elephantine
(EPEB11). The letter indicates the tight control at the top on expen-
ditures and procedures to repair a boat at the southern border of
Elephantine. Instructions were issued for the treasury accountants
and foremen to inspect the boat and estimate the cost of repair, for
the storehouse authorities to disburse the necessary materials, and
for the workers to embark upon the repairs immediately. The accoun-
tants issued a long, three-part report in which they stated that they
had inspected the boat and showed it to the foremen and to the
chief carpenter. These two acknowledged the need for repairs and
drew up a detailed requisition account, which included a dozen items
(of obscure meaning) made from four kinds of wood, measured in
cubits with a slight cutting allowance. On the basis of this list, the
accountants asked Arsames to authorize disbursement of the mate-
rials in their presence to the chief carpenter, who should immediately
make the repairs. Arsames accordingly wrote to Wa ̇premakhi, who
was probably in charge of the stores, to do as the accountants said.westbrook_f24_863-881 8/27/03 1:35 PM Page 866