Artapanus: The Kingkiller and the Kingmaker
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34096/rihao.n26.17177Parole chiave:
Artapanus, Achaemenid Empire, Xerxes, ArtaxerxesAbstract
In the turbulent year of 465 BCE, the Achaemenid royal dynasty was facing an unexpected threat. One of the key players, a certain Artapanus, tried to wrest power from the hands of Xerxes and his sons. A person of obscure background yet of powerful position, he was successful in eliminating the king as well as the king’s eldest son. Afterwards, he managed to install Artaxerxes on the throne shortly before attempting to do away with him too. That is why Artapanus shall be considered the kingkiller and the kingmaker. However, as his plan backfired, he was executed by the king. Although several Greek accounts make it clear that Artapanus was responsible for all the bloodshed, a closer examination will raise the question of who this kingkiller and kingmaker in fact was. In this article, I will focus on the accounts of Artapanus and his involvement in the affairs of 465 BCE, when the rule over the Achaemenid Empire was transferred from Xerxes to Artaxerxes I. I will try to establish who could the main culprit be, as Artapanus may have been only a scapegoat.
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