Gobryas II.

Gobryas II. ( Old Persian Gaubaruva , Babylonian Gubaru , Elamite Kambarma ; * before 551 BC) was from 535 to about 522/521 BC. BC Satrap of " Babylon and the Transeuphratene ".

Life

Gobryas II was appointed governor of "Babylonia and the Transeuphratene" by Cyrus II three years after the conquest of Babylon . Many Babylonian texts mention his involvement in economic as well as political affairs.

Gobryas II seems to have had great powers in judicial processes, as the "punishment of Gubaru" is mentioned several times in cuneiform texts. So he intervened in the dispute between the temple of Eanna and the city of Uruk , whereas earlier this would not have been possible because of the self-government of Babylonian temples. His participation in commercial transactions in Sippar is also documented. The fact that he had channels dug and repaired is not only mentioned in cuneiform testimonies, but also told Pliny the Elder . This author tells that Gobryas II built the canals to protect against flooding of the Euphrates . The function of governor of Babylon and Eber-Nari was exercised by Gobryas II until around 522 BC. From 521 Hystanes is attested as his successor.

Gobryas II had a son named Nabûgu , who is attested during the reign of Cambyses II and apparently supported his father in the position of a higher government official.

literature

• W. Röllig: Gubaru 2). In: Reallexicon of Assyriology and Near Eastern Archeology (RLA). Vol. 3, p. 671.
• Gobryas [2]. In: The New Pauly . Vol. 4, Col. 1126.

Web links

• Rüdiger Schmitt: Gobryas . In: Ehsan Yarshater (ed.): Encyclopædia Iranica . Volume XI (1), as of December 15, 2001, accessed on April 7, 2013 (English, including references)
• Gobryas biography on www.livius.org

Remarks

1. ↑ Pliny , Naturalis historia 6, 120, which reproduces the name as Gobares .