Aata is only known from the autobiography, recorded in the tomb of Ahmose, son of Abana. Most parts of this autobiography deal with the military exploits of said Ahmose, son of Abana. An early part of the text describes how after the siege on the last Hyksos strongholds Avaris and Sharuhen (and a short raid against Sinai nomads), the Egyptian armed forces were led south by King Ahmose. "He sailed south to Khent-hen-nefer (Upper Nubia, south of the second cataract), to destroy the Nubian Bowmen. His majesty made a great slaughter among them (...)". After penetrating the region and making a show of Egyptian presence, power and dominance, the King returned to Egypt. "His majesty journeyed north, his heart rejoicing in valor and victory". During this return the Egyptian troops found themselves confronted with two new adversaries in Upper Egypt. One of those was an Egyptian named Teti-an, who seems to have led a genuine uprising. The other adversary was named Aata - which might actually have been a title rather than a personal name.
As the Egyptians went back north, Aata "came to the South". Multiple interpretations have been given to this itinerary, basically revolving around the question whether "South" is refering to a specific direction of travel or rather to a general location. Aata may have been a Nubian soldier in former service of the Hyksos in Lower Egypt, making his way back south to Nubia on a plundering raid through Upper Egypt. He may equally have been a rebel from Upper Nubia, traveling north to the region between the first and second cataracts. Known as Lower Nubia, this area was seen as Egypt's most southern territory ever since the 12th Dynasty. Technically this was "the South" of Egypt. If Aata journeyed to this "South", he had a similar itinerary to that of the Egyptians. However it may have been like, the rebel Aata initially tried to avoid the King's army. Despite his efforts, Aata's band was eventually met by the Egyptian troops at a place called Tent-taa, an unidentified locality in either Upper Egypt or Lower Nubia. While the ensuing battle was probably fought on the Nile, Aata seems to have commanded only one ship and accordingly only few men. He was defeated. His men were captured alive and handed out as rewards to the Egyptian soldiers. As Ahmose, son of Abana, described it: "His fate brought on his doom. The gods of Upper Egypt grasped him. He was found by his majesty at Tent-taa. His majesty carried him off as a living captive, and all his people as booty. I brought two young warriors as captives from the ship of Aata. Then I was given five persons and portions of land amounting to five arura (2.700m²) in my town. The same was done for the whole crew".
It remains unsure when exactly in Ahmose's reign these events took place, although the King was most likely still very young and supported by Queen-Regent Ahhotep. The troubles with Aata and Teti-an in Upper Egypt and Lower Nubia come over as the last real obstacles for the resurrection of a united Egyptian state, ushering in the New Kingdom.
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