Megabyzos I.

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Megabyzos ( old Persian: Baghabuxša , Greek: Μεγάβυζος ), son of Dâtuvahya, was a Persian nobleman of the Achaemenid Empire in the 6th century BC.

According to Xenophon , Megabyzos served the Great King Cyrus II as governor ( satrap ) of Arabia , which is, however, not very credible. Furthermore he was 522 BC. BC, together with Otanes , Ardumaniš , Gobryas , Intaphrenes , Hydarnes and Dareios one of the seven conspirators who overthrew the alleged usurper Gaumata and thus made it possible for Darius I to come to power. This is narrated both in the Behistun inscription and in the histories of Herodotus .

Above all, Megabyzos is known as one of the three discussants in the constitutional debate , also described by Herodotus , which followed the change of rule. While the co-conspirator Otanes stood up for democracy , Megabyzos preferred an oligarchic form of government. Although he agreed to Otanes' criticism of tyranny, he rejected popular rule because a people "without sense and understanding, like a river in spring" would collapse on the government. In addition, only those of the people would speak who do evil to the Persians. For the oligarchy favored by him , Megabyzos could only offer one argument, namely that “only the noblest would make the noblest decisions”. After Herodotus, the third co-discussant, Darius, ultimately spoke out in favor of preserving the monarchy , since it was the traditional form of government of the Persians, with which they were led by Cyrus II to rule the world.

It should be noted that the constitutional discussion was not historical; the monarchy was never in question with the Persians, not even after the coup d'état of Darius. Rather, it reflects the views of Herodotus, who used Persian-Greek mythology as the basis of his discussion. It is also possible that Herodotus wanted to clarify the contrasts between Greeks and Persians.

Megabyzos had a son named Zopyros , who was known as a particularly self-sacrificing conqueror of Babylon .

Remarks

  1. ↑ Xenophon , Kyrupädie 8, 6.
  2. ↑ Behistun-Inscription (DB), plate 4, §68 in: Roland G. Kent, Old Persian-Grammar Texts Lexicon . American Oriental Society, 1953. Herodotus , Historíai 3, 70.
  3. ↑ Herodotus, Historíai 3, 80-82.

literature

  • Klaus Bringmann: The constitutional debate in Herodotus 3, 80-82 and Darius' rise to the kingdom. In: Hermes . Volume 104, 1976, pp. 266-279.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Megabyzos I.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Baghabuxša; Μεγάβυζος (Greek)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Persian nobleman, conspirator
DATE OF BIRTH 6th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 6th century BC Chr.