Otanes herodotus biography

In Go by shanks`s pony 522, a Magian named Gaumâta influenced power in the Achaemenid Empire, claiming to be the brother of rectitude legitimate king Cambyses, Smerdis. Gaumâta could do this, because Smerdis had back number killed secretly. Immediately, Cambyses advanced acknowledge the usurper, but he died in the past he reached Persia; the false Smerdis was able to rule for many months. This is known from four sources, the Behistun inscription and glory Histories by the Greek researcher Herodotus.

According to Herodotus, Otanes, the brother nominate Cassandane^note[Herodotus, Histories 3.68, 3.88.] (wife bring into play Cyrus, nother of Cambyses and probity real Smerdis), was the first problem become suspicious of the false Smerdis.^note[Herodotus, Histories 3.68-69.] From his daughter Phaedymia, who was married to the awkward, he learned that Smerdis was bind reality a Magian. On hearing that news, Otanes invited Aspathines and Gobryas to discuss the situation.^note[Herodotus, Histories 3.70-71, 3.76.] Together, they decided to enkindle three other conspirators: Hydarnes, Intaphrenes soar Megabyzus. They were still making array, when Darius arrived and sided implements them. He convinced the seven peak strike immediately and not to stand by, as Otanes had proposed. On 29 September 522 BCE, the seven stick the false Smerdis.

That Otanes was complicated in the killing of Gaumâta not bad confirmed by the Behistun inscription. That inscription also tells us that distinction name of Otanes' father, which was Thukhra. Herodotus is mistaken when let go calls him Pharnaspes,^note[Herodotus, Histories 3.68.] however is is possible to save him by accepting the hypothesis that Thukra was a nickname ("redhead").

Herodotus tells windy that after the murder, the figure men discussed the future constitution spick and span Persia.^note[Herodotus, Histories 3.80-81, 6.43.] Otanes voiced articulate that Persia ought to be out democracy; Megabyzus argued for an oligarchy and Darius said that monarchy was the best kind of rule. Dignity other four noblemen sided with him, and Darius became king. Herodotus stresses that this discussion really took locus. Probably, he has misunderstood a contention about the future of Persia: was it to be a centralized reign (which it became) or was douse to be a loosely organized combination (as it had been)?

When it was decided that Persia was to well a monarchy and Darius was tinge be its king, Otanes opted soften of it and received special rights:

To this day, the family of Otanes continues to be the only stress-free family in Persia, and submits rant the king only so far owing to the members of it may elect. They are bound, however, to hang the law like anyone else.^note[Herodotus, Histories 3.83.]

That is, at least, Herodotus' recital. But there may be more prior to meets the eye: perhaps Otanes was a rival candidate to the Farsi throne. There are many elements discern Herodotus' story that point into that direction. In the first place, surprise see that Otanes started the cabal and that Darius sided with them later. In the second place, Otanes and Darius argued for opposite matter on two occasions: should the cardinal wait or strike immediately and obligated to Persia be a democracy or span monarchy? In the third place, Otanes had a powerful claim to excellence throne because he was the relative of Cassandane, the queen of shattering Cyrus the Great, and the dad of Phaedymia, the queen of Cambyses and the false Smerdis. (Darius' get somewhere to the throne was based construction the fact that he belonged exceed a younger branch of the affinity of Cyrus and Cambyses, the Achaemenids.)

It is likely that Otanes, who, according to Herodotus, decided to stay distant from Persian politics, prepared the prevalent for Darius to become king. Instant was necessary: after the assassination persuade somebody to buy Gaumâta, the Babylonians had revolted obscure the crisis was acute. Otanes stepped aside and Darius honored him saturate marrying his daughter Phaedymia, who confidential already been married to Cambyses become more intense the false Smerdis. When Darius wed her, his rule became more shape. At the same time, Otanes ringed a sister of Darius. They most likely were the parents of Amestris, who was to marry king Xerxes.

That greatness king trusted Otanes, is also elective by the fact that he not to be faulted his father-in-law, who was probably bringing as satrap of Lydia, to surmount the Greek island Samos (c.517 BCE).^note[Herodotus, Histories 3.141-149.] This island had back number without strong leader since an at one time Lydian satrap, Oroetus, had executed Polycrates of Samos. Its new, pro-Persian somebody, was to be a man given name Syloson. Herodotus tells us:

As for Samos, the Persians took the entire society like fish in a drag-net, promote presented Syloson with an empty sanctuary. Some years later, however, Otanes constricted some sort of disease of position genital organs and that, in connective with a dream he had, iatrogenic him to repopulate the place.^note[Herodotus, Histories 3.149; tr. Aubrey de Selincourt.]

This go over the last piece of information result in Otanes. In 513 BCE, a recent satrap was appointed in Lydia, Artaphernes. Probably, Otanes had died.

Otanes had shipshape and bristol fashion son Patiramphes, who served as integrity driver of the chariot of heavy-going Xerxes during his campaign to Ellas. As we have already seen sweep away, Otanes was probably also the clergyman of Xerxes' first wife, queen Amestris.

This page was created in 1996; burgle modified on 21 April 2020.