The Reign of Darius the Great Flashcards
When did Darius become king?
522 BC
Does Herodotus give much mention of the revolts after Darius’ ascension
No. He mentions a revolt in Babylon, but when it happened is uncertain
Where was the first revolt of Darius reign
Bisitun Inscription
Elam and Babylonia
What backs up Darius’ claim of a revolt in Babylon
Babylonian tablets
When did the revolt break out in Babylon
October 522
Who led the Babylonian revolt
Nidintu-Bel
Nidintu-Bel
Leader of the Babylonian revolt
Claimed to be a son of Nabonidus
Captured and killed
How many battles were part of the Babylonian revolt
2
When did Darius defeat the Babylonian rebels
December 522
Arakha
Leader of the second Babylonian revolt
Claimed to be a son of Nabonidus
What happened to the second Babylonian revolt
Put down by Intaphernes in November 521
What are the rebellios regions listed on the Bisitun Inscription
(9)
- Persia
- Elam
- Media
- Assyria
- Egypt
- Parthia
- Margiana
- Sattagydia
- Saka of Central Asia
Some of the rebels that had gruesome fates
Niduntu-Bel was impaled along with 49 of his supporters
Phraortes had his nose, ears, and tonge removed, and one of his eyes. After being displayed he was impaled
Phraortes
Rebel leader in Media
How many battles were fought in the rebellions against Darius in a single year
19
why were two other kings added to the line of defeated leaders on the Bisitun Inscription
They were foreign enemies added after they had been defeated, in 520 or 519
What are the kings on the Bisitun Inscription described as
Liars
They claimed to be sons of Kings such as Cyrus or Nabonidus
Why might the empire have so many rebellions when Darius came to power
The instability in Persian rule gave people hope of regaining freedom
Possible that many states felt a grievance to the way Darius seized power
What does Herodotus claim Smerdis did that would have made him popular
He ended tribute and military levies for three years
What does Darius call himself king of?
Persia
What did Cyrus and Cambyses call themselve kings of
Anshan
How many countries did Darius rule
Bisitun Inscription
23
Achaemenes
Supposed founder of the Persian royal family
Atossa and Artystone
Daughters of Cyrus
Married to Darius
How does Darius present himself as heir to Cyrus
- Links himself through a royal genealogy
- Cyrus is not mentioned, but they share an ancestor
- Darius also created Achaemenes who he claims is the founder of the Achmaemenid royal dynasty. He is linked to Cyrus and Darius
Were Cyrus and Darius related?
Darius claims they are
There is no evidence
Darius’ claimed ancestry
Achaemenes
Teispes
Ariaramnes
Arsames
Hystapes
Darius
Teispes
mentioned on the Cyrus Cylinder as an ancestor of Cyrus
Darius claims he is a ancestor of Darius
Ahuramazda
Sky god, creator god
Elevated greatly by Darius
Appears 63 times in Bisitun Inscription
Granted Darius kingship and effectively made him proxy on earth
How are the other gods referred to in the Bisitun Inscription
How many times
‘the other gods who exist’
mentioned once
arta
the Persian concept of truth
drauga
the Persian conept of lying or ‘the lie’
What is Darius’ policy toward his people
treat the loyal well
punish severly the disloyal
what does Darius present the liar-kings as rebelling against
Persian rule and Ahuramazda
Who accompanied Darius everywhere
Magi
How many stratpies was Persia divided into by Darius
20
Satrapy
one of the 20 provinces of the empire
Satrap
- the provincial governor of a satrapy
- often one of the king’s relatives
- appointed or removed at the king’s pleasure
- monitered by officials
- collected taxes
- provided troops
What were the officials who monitered the satraps called
‘the king’s scribes’
‘the king’s ears’
‘the king’s eyes’
what happened to the taxes that the satraps collected
most went to the king
some was designated for use in the satrapy for civil administration such as maintaining local roads
Who described Darius’ governmental reforms
Herodotus
where was the empire administrated from
- Susa
- Ectabana
- Parsagadae
- Persepolis
what are the collections of cuniform texts that we get an insight into the workings of the imperial administration from
Fortification Tablets
Treasury Tablets
How many Fortification Tablets are there from 509 to 494
thousands
How many Treasury Tablets are there dated from 492 to 458
129
What do Fortification Tablets document
the storage and distribution of foodstuffs to groups including:
Royalty, priests, officials, and cattle
What do Treasury Tablets document
rations given to craftstem who worked on the buildings of Persepolis
Describe the road system
arteries of the empire
set up with stations and inns
imperial messenger service used a relay sytem with riders and horses waiting at designated stations to take a message on to the next post
List Darius’ building projects
Rebuilt Susa
Built Parsa (Greek: Perseoplis)
50 mile canal in Egypt which joined the Nile to the Red Sea
New irrigation systems in Egypt
Yuana
Persian name for the Greeks
Three levelled mounds which Susa was rebuilt on
Apadana Mound
Royal City mound
Acropolis
Features of the rebuilt Susa
covered 250 acres
surrounded by a huge mud-brick retaining wall
built on three levelled mounds
Gate of Darius
apadana
Foundation Charter inscription
Gate of Darius
entry to the Apadana Mound
12-13 metres high
apadana at Susa
Great columned audience hall covering about 18 square metres and 20 metres tall
Glazed brick murals
Depiction of life-sized Persian soldiers standing with spears and bows
Foundation Charter
Darius sets out his claim to be king under Ahuramazda
Presents himself as king of all peoples of his empire, and so lists all the countries that provided materials for Susa
Features of Persepolis/Parsa
Royal presence under Cyrus or Cambyses
Small settlement 25 miles from Parsagadae
Constuction began in 518
12 metres high terrace that covered 34 acres, with an apadana on the western end.
Apadana at Parsa
Raised 3 m
60 m long
reached by two zigzagging stairsways, each decorated with depictions of 23 nations bringing tribute to the king who is enthroned and has nobles nearby
Each nation is identified by its national dress, each leader is led by the hand of a Persian official
each nation is separated by a cypress tree
No sense of hierachy, the nations are all standing, and some carry weapons. Suggests they are willing partners of the empire
apadana
great audience hall in a Persian Royal Palace
what did Darius build in the satrapies
buildings and transport links
Features of the canal linking Nile to Red Sea
50 miles long
originally begun by an Egyptian Pharaoh
completed by Darius
Claims credit on an inscription set up by the canal
Reason for new irrigation systems in Egypt
so the crops were grown more productively
Who does Herodotus have persuade Darius to send a reconaissance mission to the Mediterrranean
Atossa, Darius’ wife