Wife of Xerxes and mother of Artaxerxes I: Queen Esther (original) (raw)

This monograph is based on the article: Dating the Reigns of Xerxes and Artaxerxes, published in: Orbis Biblicus et Orientalis Series Archaeologica 40, 2018, pp. 179-206 (https://www.academia.edu/37218165/). A summary of this article has been published in the journal: NABU 2019-4, p. 179 (https://www.academia.edu/42902553/), which summarizes the main arguments establishing the reign of Xerxes over the period 496-475 BCE (10-year co-regency with the reign of Darius I) instead of 486-465 BCE (conventional chronology). The revision of the Achaemenid chronology radically changes the interpretation of the articles devoted to Esther. Indeed, most academic studies consider that Esther's story has no historical foundation and that this book is a fiction. However, Amestris (510-426), wife of Xerxes and mother of Artaxerxes I, was the mother of Darius A (488-475), crown prince in 475 BCE, of Artaxerxes (485-425) who became king of Persia (475-424) and of Hystaspes II (486-425?) who became satrapist of Bactria (475-425?). She was queen consort at the side of Artaxerxes I (Nehemiah 2:6; Life of Themistocles 29:6). Ctesias sometimes portrayed her as a sensitive and peaceful queen (Persica F13§34,42,44) and Plato as a wise ruler (First Alcibiad 123b-124b). She is the only queen to have received a royal tomb in the Acropolis of Susa (a unique case in history). The head of Queen Amestris in lapis lazuli, found in Persepolis and dated to the 5th century BCE, can be seen in the National Museum of Iran (ref 1274-7719). On a seal dated 5th century BCE (AO 22359), Queen Amestris stands before Atossa (who was the wife of Darius and the mother of Xerxes), she was seen sitting on a throne when she married Xerxes in 489 BCE, the exact date of Esther's marriage according to the Bible (Est 2:1-18). She also appears as a crowned queen on a gold ring (British Museum ANE 124005). His bronze "bathtub" coffin, found in the Acropolis of Susa (http://www.achemenet.com/fr/visit/?/suse/tombe), is exactly oriented towards Jerusalem (azimuth 264° west from north), which is in harmony with the biblical text (1Ki 8:44; Dan 6:10). According to the size of her skeleton, Queen Esther was about 1.60 m tall and the golden crown (Louvre Sb 2760) she wore around her head had a diameter of 20.2 cm. This prestigious Persian crown was also worn by King Darius III at the Battle of Issus. Finally, before the reign of Xerxes, there were no Jewish officials in the Persian administration, but after his reign there were hundreds. Conclusion: Amestris, Amā-strī "vigorous woman" in old Persian, was an authentic Jewish queen named Amā-stara "star (Esther) woman", the name Esther being the Persian form (Stara) of the Babylonian name Ishtar (the goddess "Star") which gave the Greek word aster "star".