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[[File:Medo-Persia - Achaemid Family Tree - inc Otanes & Cyaxares II.PNG|250px|thumb|right|The Achaemid Family Tree showing the merging or the royal houses of the Medes and the Persians to create the Medo-Persian Empire; also known to many as simply the Persian Empire.]]

[[File:Medo-Persia - Achaemid Family Tree - inc Otanes & Cyaxares II.PNG|250px|thumb|right|The Achaemid Family Tree showing the merging or the royal houses of the Medes and the Persians to create the Medo-Persian Empire; also known to many as simply the Persian Empire.]]

'''Cyaxares II''', is the alleged son of the legendary [[Astyages]], King of the [[Medes|Mede]] in [[Ecbatana]] who allegedly reigned from 561 to 536 BC<ref>Barnes' Notes on the Bible, Danirl 9:1; https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/daniel/9.htm</ref>.  The generally accepted narrative is that the throne passed straight from [[Astyages]] to [[Cyrus the Great]].

'''Cyaxares II''', is the alleged son and successor of the legendary [[Astyages]], King of the [[Medes|Mede]] in [[Ecbatana]] who allegedly reigned from 561 to 536 BC<ref>Barnes' Notes on the Bible, Danirl 9:1; https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/daniel/9.htm</ref>.  The generally accepted narrative is that the throne passed straight from [[Astyages]] to [[Cyrus the Great]].

== Original Sources ==

== Original Sources ==

The son of [[Astyages]], [[Cyaxares II]] (not to be confused with [[Cyaxares I]], father of [[Astyages]]) does not exist in any surviving or currently available extant cuniform tablets or the likes.  The strongest evidence for his existence lies within the pages [[Xenophon|Xenohon's]] ''[[Cyropaedia]]'', who as a Greek military commander served in [[Cyrus the Younger|Cyrus']] army.  This work was so highly prized by [[Alexander the Great]], that he made it perpetual study; by extension it was obviously also recommended to him by his teacher [[Aristotle]].  This combined with a probable identity match with Josephus' [[Darius the Mede]] "who is known to the Greeks by another name" created a good case.  Compoundingly, two of the rebels listed in [[Darius I|Darius I's]] [[Behistun (inscription)|Behistun Inscription]] claimed "to be of Cyaxares" and "to be of the household of Cyaxares": which has naturally created debate if these are references to [[Cyaxares I]] or [[Cyaxares II]].

The son of [[Astyages]], [[Cyaxares II]] (not to be confused with [[Cyaxares I]], father of [[Astyages]]) does not ''specifically'' exist in any surviving or currently available extant cuniform tablets or the likes; but he does possibly exist with a potential dual reference in the monumental [[Behistun (inscription)|Behistun Inscription]].  Meanwhile the strongest ''specific'' literary evidence for his existence lies within the pages [[Xenophon|Xenohon's]] ''[[Cyropaedia]]'', who as a Greek military commander served in [[Cyrus the Younger|Cyrus']] army.  This work was so highly prized by [[Alexander the Great]], that he made it his perpetual study; by extension it was obviously also recommended to him by his mentor and tutor [[Aristotle]].  This combined with a possible identity match with Josephus' [[Darius the Mede]] "who is known to the Greeks by another name" creates a good case.  Compoundingly, two of the rebels listed in [[Darius I|Darius I's]] [[Behistun (inscription)|Behistun Inscription]] claimed "to be of the family of Cyaxares": which has naturally created debate if these are references to [[Cyaxares I]] or to the possible [[Cyaxares II]].

Alternitively, [[Cyaxares II]] does not appear in Ptolemy's Canon<ref>Livius, Ptolemy's Canon; https://www.livius.org/articles/concept/ptolemys-canon/</ref> or the Uruk King List<ref>Livius, Uruk King List;https://www.livius.org/sources/content/uruk-king-list/</ref>, but neither of these feature [[Belshazzar]] who is now confirmed to us by the Nabonidus Cylinder (from Ur)<ref>Livius, ''Nabonidus Cylinder from Ur'',https://www.livius.org/sources/content/nabonidus-cylinder-from-ur/</ref> after the capture of Nabonidus outside the city [walls]<ref>Livius, ''ABC 7 (Nabonidus Chronicle)'', Column iii.16, https://www.livius.org/sources/content/mesopotamian-chronicles-content/abc-7-nabonidus-chronicle/</ref>. Meanwhile the Nabonidus Chronicle openly states that Cyrus attacked [[Astyges]] and that the army betrayed Astyages which is in harmony with Herodotus' narrative.<ref>Livius, ''ABC 7 (Nabonidus Chronicle)'', Column ii, https://www.livius.org/sources/content/mesopotamian-chronicles-content/abc-7-nabonidus-chronicle/</ref>

Alternitively, [[Cyaxares II]] does not appear in Ptolemy's Canon<ref>Livius, Ptolemy's Canon; https://www.livius.org/articles/concept/ptolemys-canon/</ref> or the Uruk King List<ref>Livius, Uruk King List;https://www.livius.org/sources/content/uruk-king-list/</ref>, but neither of these feature [[Belshazzar]] who became effective king of Babylon after his father [[Nabonidas]] capture: now confirmed to us by the Nabonidus Cylinder (from Ur)<ref>Livius, ''Nabonidus Cylinder from Ur'',https://www.livius.org/sources/content/nabonidus-cylinder-from-ur/</ref><ref>Livius, ''ABC 7 (Nabonidus Chronicle)'', Column iii.16, https://www.livius.org/sources/content/mesopotamian-chronicles-content/abc-7-nabonidus-chronicle/</ref>.

 

Meanwhile [[Cyaxares II]] existence is further called into question when the [[Nabonidus Chronicle]] openly states that: 1. [[Cyrus|Cyrus the Great]] attacked [[Astyages]] and that the army betrayed [[Astyages]]<ref>Livius, ''ABC 7 (Nabonidus Chronicle)'', Column ii, https://www.livius.org/sources/content/mesopotamian-chronicles-content/abc-7-nabonidus-chronicle/</ref> thereby 2. denying [[Astyages]] throne passed to [[Cyaxares II]] at all.  This account is in harmony with Herodotus' narrative which is probably derived from the [[Nabonidus Chronicle|Chronicle]].

In the following sections we shall examine these sources in more detail.

In the following sections we shall examine these sources in more detail.

=== In the works of Xenophon ===

=== In the works of Xenophon ===

According to [[Xenophon]], ''Cyaxares II'' ruled as king after the natural death of Astyages and sought to defended [[Media|Medes]] from [[Babylonia|Babylon]] aggression, promoting his unascended nephew [[Cyrus "the Great"|Cyrus]] as General/leader of the allied forces.  Furthermore, [[Xenophon]] in great detail records the history of [[Cyrus'|Cyrus]] pre-emptive strike and campaign with ''Cyaxares II''.

According to [[Xenophon]], ''Cyaxares II'' ruled as king after the natural death of [[Astyages]] and sought to defended [[Media|Medes]] from Assyrian/[[Babylonia|Babylonian]] aggression, promoting his yet unascended nephew [[Cyrus the Great|Cyrus]] as General/leader of the allied forces.  Furthermore, [[Xenophon]] in great detail records the history of [[Cyrus the Great|Cyrus']] pre-emptive strike and campaign with ''Cyaxares II'', the first battle of which the king of Babylon (probably [[Neriglissar]]) was decisively defeated and slain. During the plunder of this battle [[Cyaxares II]] and [[Cyrus the Great|Cyrus]] were seperated and Cyrus continued to campaign alone with Cyaxares II presumably returning to [[Ecbatana]].  The volume records how Cyrus fused the alliance of nations under his banner until after several years Cyrus stands at the very gates of [[Babylon]] itself.  Xenophon then very significantly records how after the conquest of [[Babylon]], [[Cyrus the Great|Cyrus]] gifted travelled to [[Ecbatana]] wherein he met [[Cyaxares II]], gifting him a palace in Babylon and accepted the hand of his daughter with the Kingdom of Media as her dowry.  [[Xenophon]] then records how [[Cyrus the Great|Cyrus]] travelled to Persia after the death of his father [[Cambyses I]] to receive his father's office.

After the conquest of Babylon, Cyrus gifted a palace therein to ''Cyaxares II'' and accepted the hand of his daughter with the Kingdom of Media as her dowry.

 

This record stands in direct contrast with the [[Nabonidus Chronicle]] but offers a satifactory reason why the [[Behistun (inscription)|Behistun Inscription]] twice has rebels claiming to be "of the family of Cyaxares" and not "of the family of Astyages".  It further sits in harmony with Josephus claim that "Darius the Mede" was the son of Astyages but known to the Greeks by another name.  This furthermore makes the Book of Daniel's claim that Darius the Mede "took the kingdom" at the conquest of Babylon perfectly logical.  

=== In the works of Josephus ===

=== In the works of Josephus ===

=== In the Behistun Inscription ===

=== In the Behistun Inscription ===

The [[Behistun (inscription)|Behistun Inscription]] details the nine self-proclaimed kings who rebelled in [[Darius I|Darius Hystspes']] first year of power whom he subdued.  Two of those rebels claimed to be "of Cyaxares".  Debate rages if they are referring to [[Cyaxares I]], father of [[Astyages]] or to [[Astyages]] son [[Cyaxares II]].

The [[Behistun (inscription)|Behistun Inscription]] details the nine self-proclaimed kings who rebelled in [[Darius I|Darius Hystspes']] first year of power whom he subdued.  Two of those rebels claimed to be "of the family Cyaxares"<ref>[[Darius I]], ''Behistun Inscription'', https://www.livius.org/sources/content/behistun-persian-text/behistun-t-13/</ref><ref>[[Darius I]], ''Behistun Inscription'', https://www.livius.org/sources/content/behistun-persian-text/behistun-t-21/</ref>, of whom the former claimed a false identity while the later may well have been legitimate (but a rebel none the less).  Regardless, this gives rise to the debate if they are referring to [[Cyaxares I]], father of [[Astyages]] or to [[Astyages|Astyages']] possible son and successor [[Cyaxares II]].

 

It must be noted that [[Phraortes]] claimed "I am Khshathrita, of the family of Cyaxares"<ref>[[Darius I]], ''Behistun Inscription'', https://www.livius.org/sources/content/behistun-persian-text/behistun-t-13/</ref>as did [[Tritantaechmes]]<ref>[[Darius I]], ''Behistun Inscription'', https://www.livius.org/sources/content/behistun-persian-text/behistun-t-21/</ref> claimed to be of "Cyaxares": if they refer to [[Cyaxares I]] over a hundred years prior, then their legitimate claim to the throne would be extremely small, if they refer to a potential [[Cyaxares II]] two generations later, then a much more legitimate claim could be substantiated.

== References ==

== References ==

[[Category:Ancient History]]

[[Category:Ancient History]]