When king Cambyses II defeated pharaoh Psamtik III at the battle of Pelusium (525 BCE), Egypt became a satrapy of the Achaemenid empire, and Aryandes was appointed satrap shortly after.

In 522 BCE, Aryandes was overthrown in a revolt against the Achaemenid rule led by a native Egyptian pharaoh, Petubastis III.

The rebellion was personally quelled by the new king Darius I during his expedition to Egypt in 518 BCE, and Aryandes was reinstated.

[1]: 266  The reason for this decision is unknown, with Herodotus and later Polyaenus claiming that the satrap started minting his own silver coinage, calling it aryandic in opposition to the golden, already existing, daric, thus irritating the Persian king.

When he learned that Darius intended to leave a memorial surpassing anything other kings had left, Aryandes did likewise and was punished for it.