Nebuchadnezzar IV
Encyclopedia
Nebuchadnezzar IV, also known as Arakha, was the last king of Babylon
.
In 529 BC, with the disturbances that occurred after the death of Cambyses II and the proclamation of Bardiya
as King, the Armenians
revolted. Darius I of Persia
sent an Armenian named Dâdarši
to suffocate the revolt, later substituting him for the Persian
Vaumisa who defeated the Armenians on May 20, 521 BC. Around the same time, another Armenian
named Arakha ('Arakha' meaning 'crown prince' in Armenian
), son of Haldita, claimed to be the son of the previous king of Babylon
, Nabonidus
, and renamed himself Nebuchadnezzar IV
. His rebellion was short-lived and was suppressed by Intaphrenes, Darius's bow
carrier.
According to Herodotus
(Her. III, 70), Intaphrenes was one of the seven who helped Darius I usurp the throne from Smerdis the Magian (also known as Bardiya
), who also usurped the throne from Cambyses II of Persia, for seven months, before and after Cambyses II death in 522 BC. Although that fact has come up for debate in recent years. Intaphrenes was also immediately put to death after the insurrection for trying to enter the King's palace while he was laying with his wife (Her. III, 118). During the siege of Babylon
, according to Herodotus
(Her. III 152-160), Zopyros, son of Megabyzos (who had also been part of the seven usurpers (Her. 111,70)), mutilated himself to gain the trust of the Babylonians and gained entrance to the near impenatrable fortress. After a period of time, Zopyros had earned their trust so much that he was entrusted with the keys to all the gates. When that day arrived, Zopyros opened the gates and let Darius I of Persia in and victory was assured. As to whether or not Zopyros was his bow
carrier, there is no mention of that information. However, the name Intaphrenes was never mentioned again in Herodotus
after Intaphrenes death (Her. III, 118), nor any other Intaphrenes. The siege started soon after Darius I accession to the throne in 521 BC and last more than a year and seven months (Her. III, 152), bringing the siege to an end in the year 520 BC.
Babylon
Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
.
In 529 BC, with the disturbances that occurred after the death of Cambyses II and the proclamation of Bardiya
Bardiya
Bardiya was a son of Cyrus the Great and the younger brother of Cambyses II, both Persian kings. There are sharply divided views on his life, he may have ruled the Achaemenid Empire for a few months in 522 BCE, or he may have been impersonated by a magus called Gaumata. -Name and sources:The...
as King, the Armenians
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
revolted. Darius I of Persia
Darius I of Persia
Darius I , also known as Darius the Great, was the third king of kings of the Achaemenid Empire...
sent an Armenian named Dâdarši
Dadarsi
Dadarsi was a Persian general and satrap of Bactria. He served the Persian King Darius I the Great . He was ordered to suppress a revolt in Margiana.-References:...
to suffocate the revolt, later substituting him for the Persian
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
Vaumisa who defeated the Armenians on May 20, 521 BC. Around the same time, another Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
named Arakha ('Arakha' meaning 'crown prince' in Armenian
Armenian language
The Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...
), son of Haldita, claimed to be the son of the previous king of Babylon
Babylon
Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
, Nabonidus
Nabonidus
Nabonidus was the last king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, reigning from 556-539 BCE.-Historiography on Nabonidus:...
, and renamed himself Nebuchadnezzar IV
Nebuchadnezzar IV
Nebuchadnezzar IV, also known as Arakha, was the last king of Babylon.In 529 BC, with the disturbances that occurred after the death of Cambyses II and the proclamation of Bardiya as King, the Armenians revolted. Darius I of Persia sent an Armenian named Dâdarši to suffocate the revolt, later...
. His rebellion was short-lived and was suppressed by Intaphrenes, Darius's bow
Bow (weapon)
The bow and arrow is a projectile weapon system that predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.-Description:A bow is a flexible arc that shoots aerodynamic projectiles by means of elastic energy. Essentially, the bow is a form of spring powered by a string or cord...
carrier.
According to Herodotus
Herodotus
Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a...
(Her. III, 70), Intaphrenes was one of the seven who helped Darius I usurp the throne from Smerdis the Magian (also known as Bardiya
Bardiya
Bardiya was a son of Cyrus the Great and the younger brother of Cambyses II, both Persian kings. There are sharply divided views on his life, he may have ruled the Achaemenid Empire for a few months in 522 BCE, or he may have been impersonated by a magus called Gaumata. -Name and sources:The...
), who also usurped the throne from Cambyses II of Persia, for seven months, before and after Cambyses II death in 522 BC. Although that fact has come up for debate in recent years. Intaphrenes was also immediately put to death after the insurrection for trying to enter the King's palace while he was laying with his wife (Her. III, 118). During the siege of Babylon
Babylon
Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
, according to Herodotus
Herodotus
Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a...
(Her. III 152-160), Zopyros, son of Megabyzos (who had also been part of the seven usurpers (Her. 111,70)), mutilated himself to gain the trust of the Babylonians and gained entrance to the near impenatrable fortress. After a period of time, Zopyros had earned their trust so much that he was entrusted with the keys to all the gates. When that day arrived, Zopyros opened the gates and let Darius I of Persia in and victory was assured. As to whether or not Zopyros was his bow
Bow (weapon)
The bow and arrow is a projectile weapon system that predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.-Description:A bow is a flexible arc that shoots aerodynamic projectiles by means of elastic energy. Essentially, the bow is a form of spring powered by a string or cord...
carrier, there is no mention of that information. However, the name Intaphrenes was never mentioned again in Herodotus
Herodotus
Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a...
after Intaphrenes death (Her. III, 118), nor any other Intaphrenes. The siege started soon after Darius I accession to the throne in 521 BC and last more than a year and seven months (Her. III, 152), bringing the siege to an end in the year 520 BC.
External links
- Nebuchadnezzar IV (Arakha), livius.org