Page 243 - The Art & Architecture of the Ancient Orient_Neat

PART TWO: the PERIPHERAL regions

Naboijidus of Baby101!. He died in 529, and Ins successor Canibyscs conquered Egypt
5-5-This king was violent and unbalanced, an exceptional figure among the descendants
of Achaenicnes. With Darius I (522-486 b.c.) the empire resumed the course set by
Cyrus the Great. For two centuries it was ruled with efficiency, justice, and tolerance
The decisive conquest had been that of Babylon, the Rome of the ancient world The
dignity of King of Babylon’ - like that of Roman Emperor - carried implications far
beyond the scope of political power, and the Persian chieftain, in assuming it, became
a symbolical figure whose significance was derived from immemorial associations. Cyrus
acknowledged the peculiar prestige of the title by using the style ‘King of Babylon’ in
Ins inscriptions, and lie resided as frequently at Babylon as in his homeland or at Ecba-
tana, the capital of the now befriended Medcs which served as winter residence to the
Achaemenids. Darius I gave precedence to the Persian titles, but when he styled himself
‘King of this Earth’ we catch an echo of the religious aspect of Babylonian kingship,
which Cyrus explicitly acknowledged by calling himself, in the old way, ‘King of the
Universe, King of die Four Quarters (viz. of the World) \
Mesopotamia had evolved a setting appropriate to its royalty, but the native traditions
of the Persians ignored monumental art. We may credit them with an interest in fine
and showy weapons and horse trappings, rugs, blankets and hangings, and lcatherwork.
Achaemenian architecture and sculpture were created to meet the unprecedented situa­
tion in which die Persians found themselves when their leader ascended the dironc of
Babylon. To achieve their end they exploited all the various skills and traditions of the
peoples of the empire. This is explicit in the building inscription for Susa which Darius I
composed. After a preamble the text runs:42

A great god is Ahuramazda, who created this earth ... who made Darius king, one king of
many, one lord of many.
I am Darius, great king, king of kings, king of countries, king of diis earth... what was done
by me, all that by the will of Ahuramazda I did.
This is the palace which at Susa I erected. From afar its ornamentation was brought Down
the earth was dug until rock-bottom I reached. When the excavation was made, rubb c v as
packed down, one part 40 ells in depth, the other 20 ells in depth. O11 that rubble a pa ace

And that the earth was dug down, and that the rubble was packed down, and that the brick
was moulded, the Babylonian folk, it did that. , , A«vrian
The cedar timber, this - a mountain named Lebanon - from there was broug.1 » )
folk, it brought it to Babylon; from Babylon the Carians and Ionians brought it to usa.
The Yaka wood from Gandara was brought and from Carmania. .

. .tyom - ,h« from Chorasmi. w* brough. which woe mod here. ■

S char from Ionia - ^ ...
Se ivoty wSch was used here, from Ethiopia and from Smd and from Arachosu was

brThchstonc pillars which here were used - a place named Abiradush, in Uja - from there were

brought.
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