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The identity of Darius the Mede
One of the biggest problems to some scholars has been the identification of Darius the Mede, the ruler who succeeded Nabonidus to the throne of Babylon after Babylon fell to the Persians in 539 BC. According to the Book of Daniel, his name was Darius, king of the Medes. "The first year of Darius son of Ahasuerus (Xerxes), by birth a Mede, who became king over the realm of the Chaldeans" (9:1), "Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about 62 years old" (5:31), "In the first year of Darius the Mede" (11:1), and "So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian" (6:28). Darius is also described as king in (6:1,9,25).
The problem is that there is no reference to anyone of this name in extra-biblical sources, which state that Cyrus the Persian conquered Babylon as his empire was expanding. There was another King Darius of Persia, but much later. This lack of any records of Darius is used by critics to support their claim of a second century BC date for the book.
Several possibilities have been put forward, each based on the suggestion that Darius may be a title, meaning 'Great Ruler' or similar title, as with the Egyptian Pharoahs.
1. Darius was a throne name of Cyrus
This would claim that that Darius and Cyrus were the same person. Cyrus was a Persian, but was descended from the Medes on his mother's side. Also, he would have been about 62 years old when he captured Babylon. However, he was not the son of Ahasuerus (Xerxes), unless Xerxes is also a royal title. This suggestion would contradict Dan 6:28, where it appears to refer to two separate kings. Foreigners when referring to the empire of the Medes and Persians frequently spoke of 'Medes', meaning both.
2. Darius is Gubaru, governor of Babylon
After the Persian conquest, Gubaru became the governor of Babylon and the regions beyond the river. He was governor under the rule of Cyrus. Gubaru was one of the key people responsible for diverting the River Euphrates and capturing the city. He was governor of southern Babylonia for fourteen years after 539 BC, while Cyrus was conquering areas to the west. Gubaru is mentioned in a number of cuneiform texts. The problem is that Gubaru the son of Ahasuerus (Xerxes), and was not around 62 years old. Also Gubaru was a Persian, not a Mede.
It is important not to confuse Gubaru with Ugbaru, whose name sounds similar. Ugbaru was governor of Gutium, who was named Gobryas by the historian Xenophon. He died shortly after the capture of Babylon in 539 BC, perhaps from being wounded in the attack
3. Darius was Cyaxares II, king of the Medes
Cyaxares II, son of King Astyages of the Medes, was father-in-law and uncle of Cyrus - his wife's father and his mother's brother, as he married his first cousin.
According to the Greek historian Xenophon, Cyrus was the nephew of Cyaxares, and married his daughter (Cassandane):
And now when the march had brought them into Media, Cyrus turned aside to visit Cyaxares. After they had met and embraced, Cyrus began telling Cyaxares that a palace in Babylon, and an estate, had been set aside for him so that he might have a residence of his own whenever he came there, and he offered him other gifts, most rich and beautiful. And Cyaxares was glad to take them from his nephew, and then he sent for his daughter (Cassandane), and she came carrying a golden crown, and bracelets, and a necklace of wrought gold, and a most beautiful Median robe, as splendid as it could be. The maiden placed the crown on the head of Cyrus, and as she did so Cyaxares said
"I will give her to you, Cyrus, my own daughter, to be your wife. Your father (Cambyses I) wedded the daughter (Mandane) of my father (Astyages), and you are their son; and this is the little maid whom you carried in your arms when you were with us as a lad, and whenever she asked whom she meant to marry, she would always answer 'Cyrus'. And for the dowry I will give you the whole of Media, since I have no lawful son." (Xenophon Cyropedia 8:5:17-19)
| Babylon |
Media |
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Persia |
Nabopolassar
(626-605) |
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Cyaxares I
(625-585) |
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Nebuchadnezzar
(605-562) |
m |
Amubean
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Astyages
(585-550) |
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Cyrus I
(625-585) |
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Cyaxares II
Darius the Mede? |
Mandane |
-- m -- |
Cambyses I
(c580-559) |
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Cassandane
|
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-- m -- |
Cyrus II (the Great)
(550-530) |
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Cambyses II
(530-521)
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Josephus wrote that Darius, the king of Media, besieged Babylon together with Cyrus the king of Persia, "against him (Baltasar) did Cyrus, the king of Persia, and Darius, the king of Media, make war ..." (Josephus Ant 10:11:2). Later he described Darius as the kinsman of Cyrus, and the son of Astyages, "And this is the end of the posterity of King Nebuchadnezzar, as history informs us; but when Babylon was taken by Darius, and when he, with his kinsman Cyrus, had put an end to the dominion of the Babylonians, he was sixty-two years old. He was the son of Astyages, and had another name among the Greeks." (Josephus Ant 10:11.4).
Cyrus became king over Anshan in 559 BC, after the death of his father Cambyses I. At this time Persia was under the control of the Medes. After several battles, Cyrus conquered the Median capital, Ecbatana, in 550 BC, uniting the empire of the Medes with Persia.
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