WHERE IS AN ARCHAEOLOGIST WHEN YOU NEED ONE SERIES:
ARTAXERXES BURIED BETWEEN DARIUS I AND II WHERE HE SHOULD BE BECAUSE HE
ACTUALLY IS XERXES/ARSES!
Tradition comes down to us which kings were buried where at Naq****-Rustam.
The map below shows who is buried where:
http://www.livius.org/a/iran/naq****rustam/naqsh_map.gif
(Map of tombs)
However, note that tomb #2 assigned to xerxes is facing another direction
and is lower than three identical tombs in a row. One archaeologist
commented that the inscriptions on the tomb where Xerxes is buried, which
many label as tomb #4 were sculpted at a different time since it only
imitates rather than duplicates the sculpting on the primary three tombs.
It is so obvious this tomb was built last that some archaeologists just by
presumption will note the obvious kings buried in the tombs are Darius I,
Xerxes, Artaxerxes and Darius II, rather than Darius, Artaxerxes, Darius
II
and Xerxes.
In light of the true timeline though where Xerxes simply adopts the name
of
Artaxerxes, he is buried in the correct #2 tomb next to Darius on the same
cliff face, the obvious place for tombs #2 and #3.
INSCRIPTION DATED YEAR 38, 'ARSES also called ARTAXERXES"
Many inscritions have been found that give both names of the kings. The
kind had a personal name and was also known by a regal name that was often
included. Ochus was also Darius I, Mnemon was also Artaxerxes (II),
Ochus was also Artaxerxes (III). All the king's alternative names are
given.
So which king who ruled into his 38th year was ARSES (Xerxes) was also
known
as "Artaxerxes"?
The only Persian kings ruling into the 38th year would be Artaxerxes I who
ruled 41 years and Artaxerxes II who allegedly ruled 47 years. But when
the
timeline is corrected, Artaxerxes II's rule is reduced by 30 years to just
17 years. Furthermore, is alternative name was Mnemon, not "Arses."
In the meantime, so name is given for Xerxes' alternative name, nor
Artaxerxes I's alternative name. That is, unless we apply this reference
from year 38 to Xerxes-Artaxerxes. Who else could it apply to? It would
prove that Xerxes adopted the name Artaxerxes. And when he was buried at
Naqsi-Rustam he was buried as Artaxerxes in tomb #2.
The Bible, of course, calls the successor to Darius I "Artaxerxes" as well
(compare Ezra 6:14,15 and Daniel 11:22).
Is there any problem making Xerxes and Artaxerxes the same king? No. As
has been posted earlier, the famous longer right hand of Artaxerxes,
"Longimanus" is suggested as a reason for the focus on the right hand of
Xerxes at Persepolis, where he changes the position of his hand from
holding
onto the back of the throne to vertical to the floor shown from both
sides.
That is, if his hand position were changed to have his hand on display for
antiquity, then the maximal surface and from both sides would be the way
to
do it; otherwise, his hand has more meaning holding onto the back of the
throne as co-ruler with Darius I.
HERE IS THE INSCRIPTION:
MU 38.KAM mÁr-sú LUGAL sá mÁr-tak-sat-su LUGAL MU-sú [na-bu-ú], "year 38
of
king Arses, who is called king Artaxerxes (II)"
From: http://www.livius.org/cg-cm/chronicles/bchp-arses/arses_2.html
ARCHAEOLOGIST RESPONSIBILITY: All the above suggest that Xerxes and
Artaxerxes were the same king potentially. Further, there is the issue of
the length of time at least one building was under construction at
Persepolis, the Throne hall, begun by Darius and Xerxes but not finished
until the 7th year of "Artaxerxes". If Xerxes and Artaxerxes were the
same
king, which they were, then this means this building was finished in a
mere
six years rather than 60 years. Why wasn't that apparent to
archaeologists
to at least question the possibilityof Xerxes being the same king as
Artaxerxes.
Doubtless this came up, but it is understandable with such a clear
genealogy
history coming down to us and inscriptions by Persepolis from both
Artaxerxes II and Artaxerxes III claiming they were grandson of Artaxerxes
who was the son of Xerxes, that that theory was not persuasive. Now,
however, with additional investigation into Xenophon and his revisions,
Biblical comparisons, and discrepancies in the artwork vs the
inscriptions,
combined with evidence from texts that actually confirm that Xerxes was
also
known as Artaxerxes, along with where Artaxerxes is buried at
Naqsi-Rustam,
we can get past the propaganda and establish Xerxes and Artaxeres as the
same king now with little problem.
Since 26 years were stolen initially from the NB Period to add 30 years to
the reign of Darius I, when he only ruled for six years, the expansion of
the Persian Period shows up as an 82-year discrepancy at the 1st of Cyrus
(455 vs 537 BCE). The official reduction of the Persian Period would
occur thusly:
-1 Kambyses (one co-ruler****p year with Cyrus, 7 instead of 8)
-30 Darius I (6 instead of 36)
-21 Xerxes and Artaxerxes are the same king (21 years combined)
-30 Artaxerxes II (rules for 17 years rather than 47 years)
TOTAL ADJUSTMENT: 82 years
Lars
(New!) Corrected Timeline Outline:
http://www.geocities.com/siaxares/709guide.html
|
