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Co-Rulership, Regency, or Choice of Heir? Aspects of Dynastric Politics in the Achaemenid Empire
 
PIIS032103910029899-1-1
DOI10.31857/S032103910029899-1
Publication type Article
Status Approved
Authors
Eduard V. Rung 
Occupation: Professor at the Department of Ancient History
Affiliation: Russian State University for the Humanities
Address: Moscow, Miusskaya Sq. 6
Abstract

The article discusses data from classical and ancient eastern traditions regarding co-rulership, regency and the choice of an heir in the Achaemenid Empire. It is concluded that the classical tradition is unanimous that the Persian kings, for the purpose of dynastic succession, appointed their sons as kings, not only during their absence from the war, but also in other circumstances. However, in none of the cases attested in classical sources, the appointment of an heir by the king can be considered a genuine co-rulership and/or regency. Ancient eastern evidence do not confirm that the heir to the throne hold the royal title. The appointment of Cambyses as king of Babylon under Cyrus the Great appears to be the only example of this kind. From the material considered, it may follow that one of the sons of the Great King was traditionally proclaimed heir by his father in order to have a legitimate succesion, and both classical and ancient eastern traditions agree on this. If an heir was appointed by the king, he could receive the title of the king and/or maϑišta, which under Darius I served as a designation for the position of a military commander.

KeywordsAchaemenid Empire, heir, co-rulership, regency, dynastic politics
AcknowledgmentThe study was carried out with the financial support of the Russian Science Foundation (project No. 20-18-00374-P, based on the Lobachevsky State University at Nizhny Novgorod).
Received02.06.2024
Number of characters60464
100 rub.
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Fig.1. A part of the Audience Relief from the Apadana in Persepolis. It is depicted the King and his Successor. The National Museum of Iran. Tehran (photo: E. Rung, 22.02.2020). (рис.1.JPG, 2,657 Kb) [Download]

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