The Casualty Figures in Darius’ Bisitun Inscription

Abstract

The Babylonian and Aramaic versions of the Bisitun inscription give precise enumerations of enemies killed and captured by the armies of Darius I in 522-521 BC. But the figures are absent from Bisitun's other versions, and their accuracy and historical value remain in question. This study reviews their textual reliability and modern reconstructions and argues that they do not reflect accurate counts of battlefield dead or prisoners. It proposes that the Babylonian text offered more space for additional material than its Elamite or Persian counterparts and that its casualty figures enhanced Darius' military narrative by quantifying his superiority to subordinates: enemy losses are highest when the King commands in person, less for generals in separate commands, and lowest for Darius' non-Persian lieutenants. Explanations are considered for a possible exception, the victory of the satrap Dadaršiš in Margiana.

Playing with Peace: Solomon as the Man of Peace and Rest, and the Temple as the House of Rest

“…Although the porticos and outside walls of the apadanas often show peaceful scenes of the Achaemenid king being carried on his throne by subjugated kings or of the nations of the Earth bringing tribute and presents to the Great King, there are also many reliefs and small art pieces, facing the inside of palaces or apadanas, that show battle scenes or armed soldiers (such as on the inside of the staircase leading up to the Persepolis apadana). The very impressive iconography accompanying the extensive trilingual inscriptions at Bisitun (DB) also shows the Great King, Darius I, subjugating those who rebelled against him, even with his foot trampling on the chest of his main contender, Gaumata (who pretended to be Bardiya, the son of Cyrus II the Great, and a younger brother of Cambyses II) (Feldman 2007;Hyland 2014). The iconography of the Achaemenid empire thus confirms the "carrot and stick" understanding of peace, as indicated by Wiesehöfer (see above).…”

Behistun Yazıtı nda Bahsi Geçen Fiziksel Şiddet İçerikli Cezalar

“…Zopyros'un buradaki amacı, Perslerin önde gelen kişilerinden biri olarak Babil halkının önünde Pers kralı tarafından cezalandırılmış gibi görünerek onların güvenini kazanmak ve sonrasında Babil ordusunda görev alıp şehrin savunmasını zayıflatmaktı. Kısa bir Dareios ve yakın adamlarının düşmana karşı başarılarının ön plana çıkarılması amaçlanmıştır 39. İsyancı liderler ve yakın adamlarının ya yüzleri sakatlanıyor ya kazığa oturtuluyor ya da kafaları kesiliyordu.…”