A column base from Hamadan (Ecbatana) where Artaxerxes II invokes Ahura Mazda, Mithra, and Anahita via Livius.org
As we approach the end of Artaxerxes II, it’s time to talk about his gods. All of a sudden, Anahita and Mithra began appearing alongside Ahura Mazda in royal inscriptions, but it turns out it may not have been so sudden after all. Download
The golden tablet of Arsames’ inscription (AsH) found in Hamadan via Wikimedia
We follow the Spartan general, Clearchus, as he was taken into captivity in Babylon before following the royal court off to the building projects and border disputes of Artaxerxes II’s empire. Stream Download
After the battle of Cunaxa, both sides were left to deal with the fallout. In Babylon, Artaxerxes II and his supporters celebrated victory and punished treason. In the detritus of the battlefield, Cyrus the Younger’s supporters were left to pick up the pieces and start their long walk home. Stream Download
The Retreat of the 10,000 by Adrien Guignet, 1842 depicting the charging Greek mercenaries at Cunaxa and the resurgent Persian infantry.
After 6 months on the road, Cyrus the Younger and Artaxerxes II face off to decide who will be King of Kings, deciding the course of Achaemenid History forever after. Stream Download
The Aramaic letter formally requesting funds to rebuild the Temple of Yaho in Elephantine
No, the other one. In Egypt. The best source of information on events Egypt under Darius II comes from the letters of the Jewish diaspora community in southern Egypt and their temple on the island of Elephantine. They also tell the story of a dramatic confrontation between the Jews and their Egyptian neighbors that ended in forced reconciliation. Stream Download
The number of mortgages in the Murashu Archive by year, showing a massive escalation in Artaxerxes I year 41 and Darius II year 1 (Stolper 1985, p.112)
After 41 years on the throne, Artaxerxes I died in December 424 BCE. Much of his family had passed away over the decades, but he probably didn’t expect his only legitimate heir to follow close behind him. Nevertheless, two bastard sons saw this as their time to shine. Stream Download
The modern ruins of Artaxerxes Hall of 100 Columns via Wikimedia.
At just over 40 years on the throne, Artaxerxes I was the second-longest reigning Achaemenid king. This is an episode for all of the little things and less detailed stories that played out in that time. From a new status quo in the west to dramatic building projects in the east, Artaxerxes was a busy guy. Stream Download
An Old Persian copy of the Daiva Inscription discovered at Persepolis, via Livius.org
Early in Xerxes’ reign, an infamous and dramatic story of religious conflict was inscribed at Persepolis. When Xerxes became king he put down a rebellion, but in the process encountered a community dedicated to a god or gods he considered false and immoral. As consequence he destroyed their sanctuary and worshiped Ahura Mazda in their place. Streaming Download
Xerxes depicted in Guillaume Rouillé’s Promptuarium Iconum Insigniorum, 1553
As the reign of another king draw’s toward a close, it’s time to look at the royal family. Xerxes’ household was like a microcosm of early Achaemenid history. His mother, Atossa, drew a direct connection back to Cyrus, his uncles, cousins, and siblings were woven into the political scene of his reign. Herodotus’ catalog of Persian commander’s is also a catalog of the Great King’s family, and many of them held positions of power as Satraps across the empire. The royal family is also an opportunity to look forward, and introduce the next generation of kings, satraps, generals, and rebels. Streaming Download
“The Mishandling of the Wife of Masistes, daughter-in-law of the Persian King Darius” – Print by Jan Luyken, 1699
As the war with the Greeks drags on into obscurity, it is time to investigate what was happening inside the empire under Xerxes. In the far west, most territories slipped from Persian control completely. The Mediterranean coastal region was reconfigured and given a new leadership class to carry on the war against Athens. In the royal court, Xerxes dealt with infamous court drama and intrigue, while in Babylon the daily minutia of government wore on and dealt with economic crises. Stream Download