Herodotus book 7 xerxes and esther

To get his army into greece, xerxes uses a bridge constructed over the hellespont. Herodotus excerpts from book vii of the histories translated and edited by a. The title, however, princes of persia and media, is not found anywhere but here. Greek researcher, often called the worlds first historian. The conjunction w waw and, with which it begins, is significant. Herodotus and ctesias both mention xerxes s wife amestris, who was very wicked. This seems to fit precisely the dating of the book of esther. Herodotus notes that while xerxes ostensibly meant to punish athens, his real intent was to conquer all of greece. Ahasuerus is given as the name of a king, the husband of esther, in the book of. Both refer to a persian king named xerxes khshayarsha, who seems to be the biblical achashverosh. According to herodotus, the spartans claim that they should not fear xerxes since the greater the man, the greater his fall will be when his luck runs out.

The book of esther opens with king xerxes, 3 the grandson of king cyrus. Histories book 7 xerxes and persian preparations summary. Ahasuerus was so pleased by it that he again promised esther anything she wanted. Esther and mordecai under xerxes of persia amazing bible. The book contains several historical, chronological and cultural details, which would lead us to believe that it is intended to be read as actual history, rather than as a parable.

Histories book 7, the battle of thermopylae summary share. Haman being an agagite probably refers to the district of agag in persia. Sep 30, 2019 the book of esther, which may be a work of fiction, is set in xerxes rule and was written about 400 bce. Pdf the religious policy of xerxes and the book of esther. Most scholars today agree that the kjv ahasuerus was the xerxes who reigned 486 b.

Pdf queen esther wife of xerxes fairy tale or history. Jul 02, 2011 herodotus book 7, why our church no longer plays bethel or hillsong music, pastor explains false teachings duration. The quarrel over succession by two of darius sons, artabazanes and xerxes 2. He explains his theory that it is the athenians who ensured the freedom of greece by taking the course of action he is about to describe. Herodotus, however, thinks this display was just to showcase xerxes power, as. During this time the enemies of israel hired counselors to bring false accusations to the ears of the different persian kings. I can envision more liberal biblical scholars saying that there were stock themes in certain stories back then, and the book of esther was drawing from those themes. Besides he had an excellent knowledge on the situation at the persian court. In the days of ahasuerus many suppose this king to have been darius hystaspes, for his kingdom was thus vast, and he subdued india, as herodotus reports. Once again the words of solon about chance, success and leadership come back to haunt xerxes. He was the son and successor of darius the great r. Herodotus believes xerxes did this simply to show his power. Leonidas and his 300 joined a force of another 67 thousand men from. Herodotus history about xerxes i seems to fit the story line of esther.

While entertaining a special assembly of persian nobility, the king was noted to become enraged due to lack of support for the war effort, threatening his own uncle, one of his closest advisors, with death. There are many biblical scholars who have argued that esther is not historically accurate because it contradicts herodotus on certain issues. Esther with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. Over which body of water did xerxes have a huge bridge built. In at least one of these films, the events of the book of esther are depicted as taking place upon xerxes return from greece. Herodotus the histories book vii book vii polymnia. Xerxes was to occupy cythera with 3,000 boats and tie up the spartan forces there 7. Looney has a good post today on herodotus and esther. Mar 21, 2016 both refer to a persian king named xerxes khshayarsha, who seems to be the biblical achashverosh. Aug 15, 2018 the book of esther focuses on a ten year period 483473 b. If achashverosh is xerxes, is esther his wife amestris. Esther, book of international standard bible encyclopedia.

Xerxes i commonly known as xerxes the great, was the fourth king of kings of the achaemenid. Ahasuerus is a name applied in the hebrew bible to three rulers and to a babylonian official or. Although the name mordecai and that of hamans son parshandatha est 9. Xerxes had a reputation of having many affairs outside of his large harem. Herodotus and ctesias both mention xerxess wife amestris, who was very wicked.

If the author had any knowledge of persian history, he could not have referred to xerxes ii, because xerxes ii. The events of the book of esther occurred during the reign of king ahasuerus, xerxes i. Historian herodotus records xerxes i having penchants for women and wine. Ahasuerus is the hebrew name and xerxes the greek name of khshayarsh, king of persia in 486 464 b. According to herodotus how did demaratus warn the spartans about xerxes plans for invasion. Solving eleven mysteries of the jewish holidays and liturgy kodesh press, 2015, 129167.

The book of esther describes xerxes, king of persia and media, as an angry man. Diodorus of sicily, library of world history, book 11. This parallels the biblical account that relates that ahasuerus replaced vashti by marrying esther in his 7 th year est 2. Feb 25, 2012 but its interesting to see some of the overlapping themes between herodotus story and the book of esther. There are also some persian tales of esfandiyar or isfendiyadh in the 10th century ce history of iran known as the shahnameh the book of kings. The other possibility is that amestris is esther ishtar. Xerxes is portrayed by richard egan in the 1960 film esther and the king and by joel smallbone in the 20 film, the book of esther. They are listed, at least as it seems, in chronological dating order.

Herodotus, the histories, book 1, chapter 1, section 0. The book of esther confirms that darius i is the most likely candidate for esthers king in another way as well. Is xerxes the same person as ahasuerus in the book of esther. Artabazanes claimed the crown as the eldest of all the children, because it was an established custom all over the world for the eldest to have the preeminence.

Nov 26, 2019 the greek title for this book is esther, and the latin title is hester. Xerxes then following demaratus advice, darius judged his plea to be just and declared him king. For example, in herodotus, we read that persian queens could only be chosen from seven royal families. And the king ahasuerus laid a tribute on the land and the. Jul 12, 2015 contrary to the biblical account, herodotus identified xerxes queen as amestris, not vashti. The ancient historian herodotus notes in his histories that xerxes first wife amestris also in the later years remained his first wife. The internet classics archive the history of herodotus by. Sparta was a military citystate with two kings that claimed to be the descendent of the demigod hercules. Artemisia advises that he leave mardonius in command, since then xerxes will have nothing to lose even if mardonius fails. Aug 11, 2016 this feature is not available right now. Here, herodotus inserts a marvelous catalogue of all troops that took part in xerxes invasion of greece.

To top it all off, his sons are now quarrelling to detemine his heir and darius finally chooses the older son, xerxes, born to his second wife, as he was the first son born while darius was king. The author is unknown, but it is evident from the details of the record that he was well acquainted with the persian. Linguists believe that the name transcribed from hebrew as ahasuerus is intended to refer to the persian king xerxes i 486 465 bce. This rules out xerxes as the king ahasuerus of the book of esther. Xerxes is identified with the fictional king ahasuerus in the biblical book of esther. Nasb, nkjv, tev, njb harem nkjv into the womens quarters. The story of xerxes eunuch hermotimus, and the horrible revenge he got on the man who castrated him 1046. Xerxes consults artemisia about mardonius offer 101. This place is called thermopylae by most of the hellenes, but by the natives and their neighbors pylae. Thermopylae and the book of esther associates for biblical. Surprisingly, herodotus in the persian wars likewise emphasises the kings anger and wrath. Ezra assigns to the persian monarch seven special counsellors esther 7.

Scholars know xerxes primarily from greek records pertaining to a failed attempt to add greece to the persian empire. This brings us then to the third year of xerxes reign, 484483 b. Sparta was a military citystate with two kings that claimed to. Arrived here, xerxes wished to look upon all his host.

The other king who some historians believe to be the ahasuerus of the book of esther is the persian king xerxes. The book of esther focuses on a ten year period 483473 b. Herodotus confirms xerxes anger in the persian wars, and the book of esther provides insights on anger management. Completion of palace of darius, north stairs of apadana, gate and stairs of all nations, palace of xerxes, harem, southern buildings, tripylon. Persians recorded by herodotus, and pronounced them unhistorical. It was written after the death of king xerxes esth.

Ahasuerus xerxes i is the persian ruler in the book of esther, but this book is more in the nature of legend than history. The 127, provinces, are governmental districts, presided over, according to esther 8. In esther 910 it tells us that the ahasuerus of esther still had 127 provinces in his th year of reign. Nov 26, 2012 the ancient historian herodotus notes in his histories xerxes first wife amestris also in the later years kept her position, she was a daughter of one of darius is fellows in arms. He travelled widely in most of asia minor, egypt as far as assuan, north africa, syria, the country north of the black sea, and many parts of the aegean sea and the mainland of greece. Confirmations of the book this book completes the historical books of the old testament. Histories book 7 the battle of thermopylae summary. But the most likely opinion, and that which is approved by josephus, the septuagint, and the apocryphal. Purim and for the prototypes of ahasuerus, haman, mordecai, and esther are impossible.

Herodotus quote on ephialtes, who showed xerxes the track over the hills of thermopylae the 2000 phocian guards who xerxes and hydarnes with his men encountered but. When the bridge is destroyed by a storm, xerxes orders the straits waters to be whipped 300 times, and the men responsible for. In a persian text a marduka is named as a high official under darius or xerxes. Those earliest surviving records include a play by aeschylus 525456 bce called the persians and herodotus histories. Herodotus confirms xerxes anger in the persian wars, and the. The ancient historian herodotus notes in his histories xerxes first wife amestris also in the later years kept her position, she was a daughter of one of darius is fellows in arms. When reaching the age of 7, they learn how to ride and hunt. The histories is herodotuss entertaining history of the middle east over a. The very banquet described in the book of esther may even be the banquet herodotus recorded in book 7 of histories. Xerxes the biblical king ahasverus, known from the book esther became king in november 486. Herodotus of halicarnassus, histories, especially books 79. Here we meet ahasuerus, who also appears in the biblical histories of ezra and nehemiah and is identified with the achaemenid king xerxes r. Xerxes according to herodotus encyclopaedia iranica. King xerxes lay encamped in trachis in malis and the hellenes in the pass.

This very fact was fully acknowledged by the greek historian herodotus and by the excavations of the past hundred years. From the hellespont, his army moves to the west along the thracian shores, until the soldiers reach doriscus, where the great king counts all his troops. Contrary to the biblical account, herodotus identified xerxes queen as amestris, not vashti. It is known from history herodotus that, after xerxes defeat by the greeks in his seventh year, he spent much more time with his harem. Prior to that were the illiad and the oddyse by homer during the 700s b. The book of esther is silent as to xerxes life during this span of time but it. In the histories, he describes the expansion of the achaemenid empire under its kings cyrus the great, cambyses, and darius i the great, culminating in xerxes expedition to greece 480 bce, which met with disaster in the naval engagement at salamis and the battles at plataea and mycale. In it, esther asturya, the daughter of mordecai, marries xerxes called ahasuerus, in order to foil a plot by the wicked haman who seeks to organize a pogrom against the jews. The book of esther is about a beautiful young jewish womanraised by her older cousin mordecaiwho becomes xerxes queen and later bravely acts to thwart an evil adversarys plot to exterminate the whole jewish race.

Herodotus, for example, knew that xerxes was appointed king basileus, not just crown prince2, during the reign of his father darius the histories vii. The illfate of the book of estherthe greek versionthe apocr additionstalmudic. The biblical writers borrowed from it to create characters. She was the daughter of one of darius is fellows in arms with whom he conquered the empire. Herodotus the great greek historian was born about 484 bce, at halicarnassus in caria, asia minor, when it was subject to the persians. This logos opens with evil omens, which xerxes prefers to ignore. Herodotus book 7, why our church no longer plays bethel or hillsong music, pastor explains false teachings duration. Chapter 1 of the book of esther is the historical linchpin of the entire narrative. Herodotus once again draws the readers attention back to solons words in book one. I really enjoyed this book because it is the first book of history ever written by man. Herodotus excerpts from book vii of the histories translated.