Cambyses’ Negative Reputation and Darius. An Example of Royal Judges in Herodotus’ Histories
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| Year of publication | 2025 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | This article revisits the origins of Cambyses’ controversial reputation and builds on the argument that this reputation was shaped, at least in part, by Darius’ account of Cambyses’ reign. It focuses on two parallel episodes in Herodotus’ Histories, in which Cambyses and Darius are placed in comparable situations involving the punishment of royal judges. Despite the initial similarity, the stories diverge significantly: while Cambyses orders the brutal execution of a judge, Darius ultimately refrains from carrying out a similar sentence. Through a comparison with the royal ideology articulated in Darius’ inscriptions, the study argues that Herodotus’ narratives reflect Darius’ self-presentation as a just ruler, with Cambyses’ portrayal serving as a deliberate foil designed to enhance Darius’ image. The analysis further demonstrates that, although Herodotus preserved essential elements of the original narratives, he reframed their core message—the concept of royal justice as the guarantor of order—in line with his own understanding of autocracy. |
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