Darayan I
| Darayan I | |
|---|---|
._2nd_century_BC.jpg) Coin of Darayan I, Persepolis mint. Reverse: Aramaic legend: 𐡃𐡀𐡓𐡉𐡅 𐡌𐡋𐡊 d’ryw mlk’ "Darius the King". | |
| King of Persis | |
| Reign | after 132 BC |
| Predecessor | Wadfradad II |
| Successor | Wadfradad III |
| Died | after 132 BC |
| Religion | Zoroastrianism |
Darayan I (also spelled Darew I, Darev I and Darius I; Aramaic: 𐡃𐡀𐡓𐡉𐡅 d’ryw) was the first king of Persis, most likely invested with kingship of the region by his overlord, the Parthian monarch Phraates II (r. 132–127 BC) sometime after 132 BC.[1]
Although Darayan I's name was usually read as "Darew" by numismatics, an engraving of his name on a silver bowl has led to his name being read as "Darayan" by most recent studies. The name is derived from Old Persian daraya-vahauš, the name of the prominent Achaemenid King of Kings Darius the Great (r. 522–486 BC).[2][a] Darayan I, unlike his predecessors—the fratarakas—used the title of shah ("king"), and laid foundations to a new dynasty, which may be labelled the Darayanids.[1] The title for "king" he uses on his coinage is malik, whilst the legend on the reverse is d’ryw mlk’ ("Darius the King").[4] The reason behind his adoption of the title of Darayan was seemingly because he felt strong enough to do so, and in spite of the difficulties that he and his successors faced, they did not renounce the title until the fall of the kingdom.[5]
The style of the silver
Notes
- ^ The Parthian variant of the name is Dārāw, whilst the New Persian version is Dārā(b).[3]
References
- ^ a b Shayegan 2011, p. 178.
- ^ Rezakhani 2020, p. 130.
- ^ Rezakhani 2020, pp. 130, 132.
- ^ a b c Sellwood 1983, p. 303.
- ^ a b Rezakhani 2017, p. 776.
- ^ a b Wiesehöfer 2009.
Sources
- ISBN 978-1-84511-406-0.
- ISBN 9780190668662.
- Rezakhani, Khodadad (2020). "Onomastica Persida: Names of the Rulers of Persis in the Seleucid and Arsacid Periods". Ancient Iranian Numismatics. pp. 129–135. ISBN 978-1949743166.
- Shayegan, M. Rahim (2011). Arsacids and Sasanians: Political Ideology in Post-Hellenistic and Late Antique Persia. Cambridge University Press. pp. 1–539. ISBN 9780521766418.
- Sellwood, David (1983). "Minor States in Southern Iran". In ISBN 0-521-20092-X.
- Wiesehöfer, Josef (2000). "Frataraka". Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. X, Fasc. 2. p. 195.
- Wiesehöfer, Josef (2009). "Persis, Kings of". Encyclopaedia Iranica.