Co-Rulership, Regency, or Choice of Heir? Aspects of Dynastic Politics in the Achaemenid Empire

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Abstract

The article discusses evidence 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 for a 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 Near Eastern evidence also does not confirm that the heir to the throne held 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 succession, 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.

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Eduard V. Rung

Russian State University for the Humanities

Author for correspondence.
Email: eduard_rung@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-4200-4486

доктор исторических наук, профессор кафедры истории древнего мира Института восточных культур и античности

Russian Federation, Moscow

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2. Fig. 1. Part of the relief of the audience scene from the apadana of Persepolis. The king and his heir are depicted. National Museum of Iran, Tehran. Photo by E.V. Rung, 22.02.2020

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