Page 89 - Biblical Backgrounds

completed the construction about sixty years later. There, he built a large stone platform forty feet high,
covering thirty-three acres. On this, he erected several impressive structures. 126 Because Persepolis is so
far off the beaten track, it did not serve well as an administrative center. However, the presence of huge
impressive structures there has divided the thoughts of scholars. Some view it primarily as a religious
shrine celebrating the new year. Others interpret this great center as a pompous statement of Persian
power and wealth. Among other things, this palace contained a harem and a treasury.

North of Persepolis, three and a half miles rise a rock cliff (Naqsh-i Rustam). Four tombs of Persian kings
were cut into the side of the cliff. Inscriptions identify one of them as the tomb of Darius I. The others
are thought to belong to Xerxes, Artaxerxes I, and Darius II. 127

Susa: Darius 1 made Susa the administrative capital of the Persian Empire. In addition to the splendid
palace, he also built beautiful administrative structures and courts. Excavations revealed that an
audience hall was located north of the palace. Most of its structures were decorated and designed with
Persian symbolisms such as bull’s heads, lions, winged bulls and griffons, and the famous spearmen of
the guard. A monumental gatehouse stood to the east of the palace. Most likely, this is the house that
Mordecai often found himself in during his time in service. (Esther 2:19, 21; 5:9, 13) The Persians
commonly used Susa as a capital during the winter months from October to May, and Xerxes held court
there. Temperatures grow intolerable in the summer, as high as 140° in August, and the king and his
court moved to the mountains (most likely Ecbatana). 128

Vos, H. F. notes that “when we say Jews lived in Persia and under Persian auspices, they lived in both
Persia proper and the Persian Empire at large. In Persia proper, they are especially connected with
Shushan (Susa), the winter capital or residence of the royal court.” According to Esther 1:2, 2:5, and
Nehemiah 1:1, some Jews lived in Susa. How the Jews got there has often invited different explanations.
One explanation is based on 2 Kings 17:6, which indicates that after capturing the northern kingdom,
Sargon II of Assyria settled some of the captives from Samaria in the “cities of the Medes.” Presumably,
Susa was one of those cities. This is a plausible explanation. The most likely one, however, is that the
Jews captured by the Babylonians later spilled over into Persia, especially under the unified rulership.
Esther 2:5-6 supports this explanation.

Government

Before looking at different regimes of various kings in the Persian empire, it’s important to
governmental structure of ancient Persia. What were the general expectations, implications, privileges,
or challenges that the king of Persia faced?

Either while alive or dead, the Persians did not treat their kings as gods. However, they did consider
them as appointed representatives of a god, Ahuramazda. Therefore, kings largely lived in seclusion and
were highly revered. Kings became increasingly inaccessible and unapproachable from the time of
Darius I into the future. Because they were seen as belonging to their own league above all subjects,

126 Ibid., p324-325.

127 Ibid., p333.
128 Ibid., p330.

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