Harpagos

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Harpagos ( Persian هارپاگ Hārpāg [ hɔːrˈpɔːg ]; * before 610 BC Chr.) Was Median nobleman in the royal house of Astyages and plays a central role in the legendary youth story of the later Persian king Cyrus II, told by the historian Herodotus .

The two dreams of Astyage

1. Astyage's dream

First of all, the Medieval King Astyages dreamed that a mighty river would flow from the body of his daughter Mandane , which would flood the whole of Ekbatana and Asia . While there Herodotus, the interpretation of the dream did not, but he did Astyages so scared that Mandane no high-Meder, but the distinguished Persian Cambyses I. marry had. He apparently believed that he had averted the danger to his rule.

2. Astyage's dream

In the next dream a vine grew out of her daughter Mandane's belly, which, like the river, overshadowed all of Ekbatana and Asia. Astyage's dream interpreters interpreted the dream as a danger to his rule that could arise from a possible son of his daughter.

Astyages measures

The suspension

Astyages took the newborn son Cyrus (II) from his daughter and handed him over to Harpagos with the order to kill the possible heir to the throne. Harpagos delegated this task to a shepherd Mithradates , who then went to the mountains to abandon the newborn. The shepherd's wife had just given birth to a son herself, but he died shortly after the birth. Out of compassion for his wife, the shepherd now exchanged the children and handed their dead son - wrapped in the royal robes of little Cyrus - to a servant of Harpagos who had come to the burial.

Cyrus II youth

Ten years later, by chance, Astyages met Cyrus (II.), Who had matured into a boy, recognized him as his grandson, but, when he was reassured by his dream interpreters, did not harm him, but sent him to Mandane in Susa . In revenge, Astyages had the thirteen-year-old son of Harpagos killed. After the following royal feast, the head, hands and feet of the slain son were brought to Harpagos in a basket, who also had to find out that he had eaten the meat of his own son.

Harpagos' revenge

Out of feelings of sadness and revenge, Harpagos told Cyrus (II) the true story of his origins shortly afterwards. When the latter had grown older, Harpagos organized a conspiracy against Astyages among the noble Medes and was able to persuade Cyrus (II) to revolt against the Medean king by means of an inciting letter secretly transmitted in a dead hare. Ironically, however, Astyages sent Harpagos as military leader against Cyrus II to end the uprising. Harpagos and the rebel allied immediately and won a battle against the Mede king himself at Pasargadai (around 550 BC). Astyages was treated with honor as a prisoner.

Historical credibility

The motif of the abandoned newborn, who later by chance comes back to his parents and then ascends to the royal throne , is used very often in oriental stories. Historians consider the story to be a legend with a “true core”. During his rebellion, Cyrus II may have had a powerful ally in the vicinity of Astyages, who may have been called Harpagos, but would have reached the age of around 60 as an older man at this point.

Submission of Asia Minor

In any case, it can be considered historically certain that a man named Harpagos became one of his military leaders after Cyrus II came to power. He took part in the fight of the Persian king against the Lydians and, according to Herodotus, through his ruse that horses did not like the smell of camels, he was able to drive out the Lydian cavalry and thus achieve the enclosure of Sardis , the capital of Croesus , which was captured two weeks later ( around 541 BC). He later led campaigns against the rebellious Greeks of Asia Minor as the successor to Mazares . He first took Smyrna and the seaside town of Phocaea and finally subjugated all the Ionians on the mainland. The conquest of Karia and Lycia followed . For the first time in history he used catapults to capture the cities of the Ionians; this is proven at least for his conquest of Phokaias. Descendants of Harpagus probably also held high offices in Asia Minor.

Notes and individual references

  1. ↑ The year of birth is obtained under the assumption that Cyrus II was around 590 BC. And Harpargos, the father of a 13-year-old son, was at least 30 years old when Astyages discovered that Cyrus was still alive (around 580 BC). Cyrus II could also have been born a few years later; then the same would apply to Harpagos.
  2. ↑ a b c d e Herodotus , 1, p. 108 ff.
  3. ↑ Herodotus 1, p. 80, et al
  4. ↑ Herodotus 1, pp. 162-169; 171; 174-176.

literature

personal data
SURNAME Harpagos
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Hārpāg
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Median nobleman
DATE OF BIRTH 7th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 6th century BC Chr.